Dean of the College of Cardinals

The Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals (Latin: Decanus Sacri Collegii) is the president of the College of Cardinals in the Roman Catholic Church, and as such always holds the rank of Cardinal Bishop. The Dean is not necessarily the longest-serving member of the whole College (who might never become a Cardinal Bishop). For example, the longest-serving cardinal at present is Eugênio Cardinal de Araújo Sales, who is a Cardinal Priest. It was customary for centuries for the longest-serving of the six Cardinal Bishops of suburbicarian sees to be Dean, and this was in fact required by canon law from 1917 until Pope Paul VI empowered the six to elect him from among their number in 1965. This election, a formality until the time of Pope John Paul II, must be confirmed by the pope. While the Dean (or in his absence or inability, the Subdean) presides over the College of Cardinals, he has no power of governance over the other cardinals. Instead he functions as primus inter pares in the college. There is no mandatory age of retirement for the position.
It is the Dean's responsibility to summon the conclave to elect a new pope when the previous one dies or resigns, and to preside over the conclave unless he is too old to vote in it. Additionally, the dean has the responsibility of communicating the "news of the Pope's death to the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See and to the Heads of the respective Nations" and is the public face of the Holy See in the sede vacante period. According to Canon 355 (from the Latin Code of Canon Law 1983), if the newly-elected Supreme Pontiff is not already a bishop, it is the right of the Dean to ordain him as such. If the Dean is unable, then the right falls to the Sub-Dean, and then to the senior Cardinal Bishop.
According to section 4 of Canon 350, the Cardinal Dean has "the title of the diocese of Ostia, together with that of any other church to which he already has a title." The Cardinal Dean, then, continues to hold the title of his former suburbicarian diocese as well as being titular bishop of Ostia. This has been the case since 1914, by decree of St. Pius X—previous deans had given up their prior suburbicarian see for the joint title of Ostia and Velletri. (The same 1914 decree separated the sees of Ostia and Velletri.)
==Deans of the Sacred College of Cardinals==
Each name is followed by years of birth and death, then comma-separated years of cardinalate and deanship. Two recent deans have chosen to retire before dying, while eight were elected Pope, Anastasius IV, Lucius III, Gregory IX, Alexander IV Alexander VI, Paul III, Paul IV and most recently Benedict XVI (Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, elected Pope in 2005, the first Dean to be so elevated since Pope Paul IV in 1555).For the first half of 12th century the source is Rudolf Hüls, Kardinäle, Klerus und Kirchen Roms: 1049-1130, Tübingen 1977, p. 84, for the rest the respective biographical entries by S. Miranda, with corrections appearing from J.M. Brixius, Die Mitglieder des Kardinalkollegiums von 1130-1181, Berlin 1912; Werner Maleczek, Papst und Kardinalskolleg von 1191 bis 1216, Vienna 1984; Agostino Paravicini Bagliani, Cardinali di curia e "familiae" cardinalizie dal 1227 al 1254, Padova 1972; and Richard Sternfeld, Der Kardinal Johann Gaetan Orsini (Papst Nikolaus III.) 1244-1277, Berlin 1905, for 12-13th centuries.
====Before the Great Western Schism====
*Crescenzio of Sabina (d. 1126) (1100, after 1102)
*Pietro Senex (d. 1134) (1102, 1126)Joined the obedience of Antipope Anacletus II in 1130
*Guillaume (d. 1137/39) (1122, 1130)
*Corrado della Suburra (1073-1154) (1114, 1137/39) (Pope Anastasius IV)
*Icmar of Tusculum (d. 1162) (1142, 1153, deposed 1159He joined the obedience of Antipope Victor IV in 1159 .)
*Gregorio de Suburra (d. 1163) (1140, 1159)
*Ubaldo Allucingoli (1097-1185) (1138, 1163, elected Pope Lucius III in 1181)
*Konrad von Wittelsbach (1120/25-1200) (1165, 1181)
*Ottaviano di Paoli (d. 1206) (1182, 1200)
*Pietro Gallocia (d. 1211) (1188, 1206)
*Nicola de Romanis (d. 1219) (1204, 1211)
*Ugolino Conti di Segni (ca.1160/70-1241) (1198, 1219, elected Pope Gregory IX in 1227)
*Pelagio Galvani (d. 1230) (1206/07, 1227)
*Jean Halgrin (1180-1237) (1227, 1230)
*Jacques de Vitry (1160/70-1240) (1228, 1237)
*Rinaldo Conti (1185-1261) (1227, 1240, elected Pope in 1254)
*Odo of Châteauroux (1190-1273) (1244, 1254)
*John of Toledo (d. 1275) (1244, 1273)
*Vicedominus de Vicedominis (1210/15-1276) (1273, 1275)
*Bertrand de Saint-Martin (d. 1277) (1273, 1276)
*Ordonho Alvares (1198-1285) (1278, 1278)
*Bentivenga de Bentivengi (1230-1289) (1278, 1285)
*Latino Malabranca Orsini (d. 1294) (1278, 1289)
*Hugh Aycelin (1230-1297) (1288, 1294)
*Gerardo Bianchi (1220/25-1302) (1278, 1297)
*Giovanni Boccamazza (d. 1309) (1285, 1302) 
*Leonardo Patrasso (1230-1311) (1300, 1309) 
*Giovanni Minio de Murovalle (1250-1312) (1302, 1311) 
*Nicolò Albertini (1250-1321) (1303, 1312) 
*Berenger Fredoli (1250-1323) (1305, 1321) 
*Berenguer Fredol (d. 1323) (1312, 1323) 
*Guillaume Godin (1260-1336) (1312, 1323) 
*Pierre Desprès (1288-1361) (1320, 1336) 
*Élie de Talleyrand-Périgord (1301-1364) (1331, 1361) 
*Guy de Boulogne (1313-1373) (1342, 1364) 
*Ange de Grimoard (1315/20-1388) (1366, 1373, deposed by Urban VI in 1378, retained the post in the obedience of Avignon until 1388)
====Great Western Schism====
The obedience of Rome (1378-1415)
*Tommaso da Frignano (1305-1381) (1378, 1378) 
*Francesco Moricotti Prignano (d. 1394)(1378, 1381) 
*Philippe d'Alençon (1338-1397) (1378, 1394) 
*Pietro Pileo di Prata (1330-1400) (1378, 1397)He was the only cardinal-bishop in the Roman obedience after 1397.
*Angelo Acciaioli (1349-1408) (1384, 1405) 
*Enrico Minutoli (d. 1412) (1389, 1408 until 1409)
*Antonio Correr (1369-1445) (1408, 1409 until 1415)
The obedience of Avignon (1378-1429)
*Ange de Grimoard (until 1388)
*Pietro Corsini (1335-1405) (1370, 1388)
*Gui de Malsec (d. 1412) (1375, 1405, deposed 1409, retained the post in the obedience of Pisa)
*Jean Flandrin (after 1301-1415) (1390, 1405)
*Julián Lobera y Valtierra (d. 1435) (1423, 1423 until 1429)
The obedience of Pisa (1409-1415)
*Gui de Malsec (until 1412)
*Jean Allarmet de Brogny (1342-1426) (1385, 1412 until 1415)
====After the Council of Constance====
*Angelo Correr (ca.1330-1417) (1415, 1415)Former Pope Gregory XII of the Roman obedience
*Jean Allarmet de Brogny (1342-1426) (1385, 1417)
*Baldassare Cossa (ca.1360/70-1419) (1419, 1419)Former Pisan Antipope John XXIII
*Jean Allarmet de Brogny (again) (1342-1426) (1385, 1419)
*Angelo d'Anna de Sommariva (d. 1428) (1384, 1426)
*Giordano Orsini (1360/70-1438) (1405, 1428)
*Antonio Correr (1369-1445) (1408, 1438)
*Giovanni Berardi (1380-1449) (1439, 1445) Although Pierre de Foix, bishop of Albano was the most senior Cardinal-Bishop 1445-64, he was omitted in the fulfilling the post of the dean of the Sacred College, because he resided outside Roman Curia
*Amadeo de Savoy (1383-1451) (1449, 1449) Cardinal-bishop of Sabina. Former Antipope Felix V
*Francesco Condulmer (1390-1453) (1431, 1451)This cardinal is not referred to as dean by S. Miranda but his occupation of that post appears from the order of seniority
*Giorgio Fieschi (ca.1395-1461) (1439, 1453)
*Isidore of Kiev (1380/90-1463) (1439, 1461)
*Bessarion (1403-1472) (1439, 1463) 
*Guillaume d'Estouteville (1403-1483) (1439, 1472)
*Rodrigo Borgia (1431-1503) (1456, 1483, elected Pope Alexander VI in 1492) 
*Oliviero Carafa (1430-1511) (1467, 1492)He opted for the see of Ostia e Velletri in November 1503. From that time deans of the College of Cardinals usually opted for that see immediately after assuming that post, although few exceptions to this rule had occurred.
*Raffaele Riario (1461-1521) (1477, 1511)
*Bernardino Lopez de Carvajal (1456-1523) (1493, 1521)
*Francesco Soderini (1453-1524) (1503, 1523)
*Niccolò Fieschi (1456-1524) (1503, 1524)
*Alessandro Farnese (1468-1549) (1493, 1524, elected Pope Paul III in 1534)
*Giovanni Piccolomini (1475-1537) (1517, 1534)
*François Guillaume de Castelanu de Clermont-Ludéve (?) (1480-1541) (1503, 1537?) Cardinal-bishop of Frascati .
*Giovanni Domenico de Cupis (1493-1553) (1517, 1537 or 1541)
*Gian Pietro Carafa (1476-1559) (1536, 1553, elected Pope Paul IV in 1555)
*Jean du Bellay (1492-1560) (1535, 1555)
*François de Tournon(1489-1562) (1530, 1560)
*Rodolfo Pio de Carpi (1500–1564) (1536, 1562)
*Francesco Pisani (1494–1570) (1517, 1564)
*Giovanni Girolamo Morone (1509–1580) (1542, 1570)
*Alessandro Farnese, juniore (1520–1589) (1534, 1580)
*Giovanni Antonio Serbelloni (1519–1591) (1560, 1589)
*Alfonso Gesualdo (1540-1603) (1561, 1591)
*Tolomeo Gallio (1526–1607) (1565, 1603)
*Domenico Pinelli (1541–1611) (1585, 1607)
*Francois de Joyeuse (1562–1615) (1583, 1611)
*Antonio Maria Galli (1553–1620) (1586, 1615)
*Antonio Maria Sauli (1541–1623) (1587, 1620)
*Francesco Maria Bourbon del Monte (1549–1626) (1588, 1623)
*Ottavio Bandini (1558–1629) (1596, 1626)
*Giovanni Battista Deti (1576–1630) (1599, 1629)
*Domenico Ginnasi (1550–1639) (1604, 1630)
*Carlo Emmanuele Pio de Savoia, seniore (1585–1641) (1604, 1639)
*Marcello Lante della Rovere (1561–1652) (1606, 1641)
*Giulio Roma (1584–1652) (1621, 1652) served less than 5 months
*Carlo de' Medici (1595–1666) (1615, 1652)
*Francesco Barberini, seniore (1597–1679) (1623, 1666)
*Cesare Facchinetti (1608–1683) (1643, 1679)
*Niccolo Albergati-Ludovisi (1608–1687) (1645, 1683)
*Alderano Cibo (1613–1700) (1645, 1687)
*Emmanuel–Theodose de la Tour d'Auvergne de Bouillon (1643–1715) (1669, 1700)
*Nicola Acciaiouli (1630–1719) (1669, 1715)
*Fulvio Astalli (1655–1721) (1686, 1719)
*Sebastiano Antonio Tanara (1650–1724) (1695, 1721)
*Francesco del Giudice (1647–1725) (1690, 1724)
*Fabrizio Paolucci (1651–1726) (1697, 1725)
*Francesco Pignatelli (?) (1652-1734) (1703, 1726?) Cardinal-bishop of Porto e Santa Rufina. According to L. Pastor "History of the Popes vol. XXXIV", London 1941 p. 303 and Valérie Pirie "The Triple Crown: An Account of the Papal Conclaves" he was Dean of the Sacred College in the Papal conclave, 1730. Also G. Moroni, Dizionario di erudizione storico-ecclesiastica da S. Pietro sino ai nostri giorni, vol. X, p. 15, affirms that he was dean of the Sacred College but never opted for the see of Ostia e Velletri.
*Francesco Barberini (1662–1738) (1690, 1726 or 1734)
*Pietro Ottoboni (1667–1740) (1689, 1738)
*Tommaso Ruffo (1663–1753) (1706, 1740)
*Pierluigi Carafa (1677–1755) (1728, 1753)
*Rainiero d'Elci (1670–1761) (1737, 1755)
*Giuseppe Spinelli (1694–1763) (1735, 1761)
*Carlo Alberto Guidoboni Cavalchini (1683–1774) (1743, 1763)
*Gian Francesco Albani (1720–1803) (1747, 1774)Salvador Miranda indicates that Cardinal Fabrizio Serbelloni was dean of the Sacred College 1774-1775 , but according to G. Moroni, Dizionario di erudizione storico-ecclesiastica da S. Pietro sino ai nostri giorn vol. LXIV, p. 173, Serbelloni was named bishop of Ostia e Velletri on 18 April 1774 only for that reason, that Albani, who became dean at the death of Cavalchini, refused to resign the bishopric of Porto e Santa Rufina. However, Cardinal Albani eventually opted for the see of Ostia e Velletri after the death of Serbelloni in the following year longest deanship
*Henry Benedict Maria Clement Stuart (1725–1807) (1747, 1803) longest total cardinalate
*Leonardo Antonelli (1730–1811) (1775, 1807)
*Alessandro Mattei (1744–1820) (1779, 1814) vacancy caused by his exile by Napoleon
*Giulio Maria della Somaglia (1744–1830) (1795, 1820)
*Bartolomeo Pacca (1756–1844) (1801, 1830)
*Lodovico Micara (1775–1847) (1824, 1844)
*Vincenzo Macchi (1770–1860) (1826, 1847)
*Mario Mattei (1792–1870) (1832, 1860)
*Costantino Patrizi Naro (1798–1876) (1834, 1870)
*Luigi Cardinal Amat di San Filippo e Sorso (1796–1878) (1837, 1876)
*Camillo Cardinal di Pietro (1806–1884) (1853, 1878)
*Carlo Cardinal Sacconi (1808–1889) (1861, 1884)
*Raffaele Cardinal Monaco La Valetta (1827–1896) (1868, 1889)
*Luigi Cardinal Oreglia di Santo Stefano (1828–1913) (1873, 1896)
*Serafino Cardinal Vannutelli (1834–1915) (1887, 1913)
*Vincenzo Cardinal Vannutelli (1836–1930) (1889, 1915)
*Gennaro Cardinal Granito Pignatelli di Belmonte (1851–1948) (1911, 1930)
*Francesco Marchetti-Selvaggiani (1871–1951) (1930, 1948)
*Eugène-Gabriel-Gervais-Laurent Tisserant (1884–1972) (1936, 1951)
*Amleto Giovanni Cicognani (1883–1973) (1958, 1972)
*Luigi Cardinal Traglia (1895–1977) (1960, 1974)
*Carlo Cardinal Confalonieri (1893–1986) (1958, 1977)
*Agnelo Rossi (1913–1995) (1965, 1986, retired 1993)
*Bernardin Gantin (1922-2008) (1977, 1993, retired 2002)
*Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (born 1927) (1977, 2002) Elected Pope Benedict XVI in 2005
*Angelo Cardinal Sodano (born 1927) (1991, 2005)
==References==
Category:College of Cardinals
 
 
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