The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1901-11-02

the year 304 Pope Marcellus instituted
parish churches in Rome or titles, "
as they were called, and committed the
charge of them to clergy known as
cardinal priests" Rome, under Au-
gustus, was divided into fourteen ere
giones," and oyer these and the vari-
Gus charitable and other institutions
which they contained were appointed
seven deacons-the apostolic number,
afterward increased to fourteen-who,
having a fixed charge, became known
as cardinal deacons. The Pope was
at first the only cardinal bishop, but
he was assisted in his deliberations by
! several neighboring prelates, and this
was the start of the six cardinal bish-
ops.
The number of cardinals has varied
at different periods, but there have
never been more than seventy-a num-
Der fixed in the year 1S56-and consist
| ing of six cardinal bishops, fifty car
dinal priests, and fourteen cardinal
deacons. The bishops assume the titles
of the old suburban sees of Rome, and
the priests those of the titles or
parishes" of the Holy City. The dig
nifty of the office grew, and the duties
attached thereto were diminished and
were finally abolished, the cardinals
becoming the Pope's assistants and
constituting the senators of the Ro-
man church"
The majority of the cardinals have
been and are Italians, but almost all
nations are represented in the college.
The creation of a new member is an
nounced by the Pope in consistory, but
the name is not made known until the
succeeding assembly. If resident in
Rome he receives the red biretta, and
the hat is publicly put on later. If non
resident the hat is sent, but the car
dina1 must swear to visit the tombs of
the apostles at Rome within year. At
a third consistory his mouth is shut"
that is, he is forbidden to speak at
meetings but at fourth the prohibit
ton is removed, and, receiving his
ring and title" the new cardinal is
duly Created If a cardinal be not in
deacons orders at the time of his Gre
alton, according to Sixtus V, he must
receive such orders at once. At the
time of a conclave no such member
of the college may vote for the cleo
ton of new Pope.
The famous red hatred to remind
the wearer to be ready for martyrdom
lis now the distinguishing mark of
cardinal rank, and is said to be sim
worn by Irish doctors. But it would
seem that a hat of the same shape was
originally worn by all prelates, if not
by all the clergy The differences or
rank were marked by the number of
tassels, which varied from one to the
five Cor perhaps seven sometimes) of
the cardinal.
During the life of Pope a cardinal
must take an active part in the gov
eminent of the Universal church, and
though the Pope is not bound to do so,
he generally consults and asks the con-
currence of the members. In its asso-
cia tons with the rest of the world the
college forms, it is said, an unrivaled
school in the science and art of gov
eminent in all its forms"
If the papacy be vacant the cardi-
nails are responsible for the safe keep
ing of the Church, and they must see
to the maintenance of order until the
a assembly of a new conclave for the
election of a new Pope. Formerly the
popes were elected on the decision of
the six cardinal bishops with the as
sent of the Roman clergy, the applause
of the people, and the ratification of
the emperor" But it will be easily
that in time the influence
of the cardinal priests and deacons
among the clergy became paramount.
and finally the election of Pope rested |
in the hands of the cardinals alone.