Cardinal

Cardinal (Catholic Church)

A cardinal is a senior member of the clergy of the Catholic Church. As titular members of the clergy of the Diocese of Rome, they serve as advisors to the pope, who is the bishop of Rome and the visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. Cardinals are chosen and formally created by the pope, and typically hold the title for life. Collectively, they constitute the College of Cardinals. The most solemn responsibility of the cardinals is to elect a new pope in a conclave when the Holy See is vacant. With a few historical exceptions, popes are elected from among the College of Cardinals.

College of Cardinals

The College of Cardinals, also called the Sacred College of Cardinals, is the body of all cardinals of the Catholic Church. As of 3 August 2026, there are 240 cardinals, of whom 116 are eligible to vote in a conclave to elect a new pope. Appointed by the pope, cardinals serve for life, but become ineligible to participate in a conclave if they turn 80 before a papal vacancy occurs.

Cardinal (surname)

Cardinal is one of the most common surnames among aboriginal people in Canada. It originated as a French name and came to New France and was part of the North American fur trade by the 1680s. In the 1780s, a small group of Cardinals came from Quebec to what is now northern Alberta to work in the fur trade, they stayed and intermarried with the local native peoples and reproduced prolifically. As a result, thousands of Cree and Métis people from across Alberta and beyond can trace their descent to the Cardinals. Notable people with the surname include:

Cardinal (color)

Cardinal is a vivid red, which may get its name from the cassocks worn by Catholic cardinals. The cardinal bird also takes its name from the cardinal bishops.

Cardinal

Noun

1. A player on the St. Louis Cardinals team.
2. A player on the Arizona Cardinals team.

Noun

1. A player on a sports team at Stanford University.