Institution
College of Cardinals
The College of Cardinals is the body of senior clergy of the Catholic Church who advise the pope and, since a decree of 1059, elect a new pope in conclave. Its members are appointed by the pope and hold the rank of cardinal bishop, priest or deacon, many of them heading dioceses or departments of the Roman Curia. In the Renaissance it was dominated by Italian noble families, and popes often appointed their relatives.
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See also
Cite this entry
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). College of Cardinals. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/college-of-cardinals
- MLA
- “College of Cardinals.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/college-of-cardinals. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “College of Cardinals.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/college-of-cardinals.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘College of Cardinals’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/college-of-cardinals (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻