The six cardinal bishops are the senior-most officials of the Roman Catholic Church after the Pope. They hold the titles of patriarchs or major archbishops and are responsible for overseeing specific regions within the Church.
For those who are interested in more details
The six cardinal bishops hold significant positions within the Roman Catholic Church, ranking just below the Pope in terms of authority. They are responsible for overseeing specific regions or titles within the Church. Let’s delve into more detail on this subject.
The concept of the six cardinal bishops dates back to the early centuries of the Church. Initially, the term “cardinal” referred to the clergy who were advisors to the Pope. As the Church evolved, the cardinalate became an honorary position bestowed upon bishops as a sign of distinction. Among the cardinals, the six cardinal bishops hold a unique position.
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The Patriarch of the West: The senior-most of the six cardinal bishops, the Patriarch of the West is the title held by the Dean of the College of Cardinals, who is also the major archbishop of the Diocese of Ostia. Currently, the position is held by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re.
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The Patriarch of the East: The second-ranking of the six cardinal bishops, the Patriarch of the East is the major archbishop of the Diocese of Porto-Santa Rufina. This role is not assigned to any particular cardinal but rotates among the cardinal bishops based on seniority and availability.
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The Patriarch of Alexandria: The senior-most of the cardinal bishops with a specific territorial responsibility, the Patriarch of Alexandria oversees the Coptic Catholic Church. The current Patriarch of Alexandria is Cardinal Antonios Naguib.
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The Patriarch of Antioch: As the title suggests, the Patriarch of Antioch governs the Syriac Catholic Church. Cardinal Ignatius Joseph III Yonan is the current Patriarch of Antioch.
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The Patriarch of Jerusalem: With responsibility over the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the Patriarch of Jerusalem plays a vital role in the Catholic Church’s presence in the Holy Land. Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa currently holds this position.
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The Patriarch of Baghdad: The Patriarch of Baghdad oversees the Chaldean Catholic Church. The position is currently held by Cardinal Louis Raphaël I Sako.
These cardinal bishops are instrumental in shaping the policies and decisions of the Roman Catholic Church. Their roles involve presiding over synods, advising the Pope, and maintaining the unity and welfare of their respective regions.
Though the information provided above is comprehensive, let me share a quote from Pope Francis which emphasizes the importance of unity among the cardinals and bishops:
“In the College of Cardinals, there can be dialogue and difference of opinion, but it remains a solid base for the unity and harmony of the Church.” – Pope Francis
By fostering unity and diversity of thought, the six cardinal bishops contribute to the Church’s ongoing mission to serve the faithful worldwide.
Video related “Who are the six cardinal bishops?”
In the YouTube video “What exactly is a Cardinal?”, it is explained that cardinals are considered to be the princes of the Church, bestowed with this title by the Pope himself. The term “cardinal” originates from the Latin word for hinge, symbolizing their pivotal role in the Church. Cardinals possess common attributes such as intelligence, coherence, mercy, and prudence. They are created during a special ceremony called a consistory and their primary function is to advise the Pope. Cardinals hold important positions within the Roman Curia or large dioceses, but their most crucial role is the election of a new Pope. Divided into three orders, the highest rank is held by cardinal bishops. The color red, worn by cardinals, represents their dedication to their faith, even to the point of martyrdom. Only cardinals below the age of 80 are eligible to vote in the conclave, required to vote based on their conscience for the most suitable successor to Peter.
On the Internet, there are additional viewpoints
There were originally seven cardinal bishops, the bishops of Rome’s suburbicarian sees. The present cardinal bishops, in addition those named today, are Tarcisio Bertone (Frascati), José Saraiva Martins (Palestrina), Roger Etchegaray (Porto Santa Rufina), Giovanni Battista Re (Poggio Mirteto) and Francis Arinze (Velletri-Segni).
Also, individuals are curious
How many cardinal bishops are there in the world? As an answer to this: As of 30 July 2023, there are 222 cardinals, 120 of whom are cardinal electors. The most recent consistory for the creation of cardinals was held on 27 August 2022, when Pope Francis created 20 cardinals, including 16 cardinal electors.
Moreover, Who are cardinal bishops in Catholic Church? Cardinal. Cardinals are leading bishops and members of the College of Cardinals. Their biggest duty is participating in the Papal Conclave, that is, voting for the new Pope. Most have additional duties including missions within the Roman Curia, governmental body of the Holy See.
Who are the 11 cardinals in the US?
Response: Cardinals
- Seán O’Malley – Archdiocese of Boston.
- Blase Cupich – Archdiocese of Chicago.
- Daniel DiNardo – Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.
- Joseph Tobin – Archdiocese of Newark.
- Timothy Dolan – Archdiocese of New York.
- Wilton Gregory – Archdiocese of Washington.
Who are the highest ranking bishops?
Order of precedence
- The Pope, Bishop and Patriarch of Rome.
- The Patriarch of Constantinople [when in communion]
- The Coptic Catholic Patriarch of Alexandria.
- Patriarchs of Antioch, in order of whom was promoted to the Patriarchal dignity earliest, currently:
- The Patriarch of Baghdad of the Chaldeans.
Also, How many cardinal bishops are there in Rome?
There are customarily six cardinal bishops from the Latin Church, who are given a particular ceremonial title as the "titular bishops" of Rome’s ancient suburbicarian sees. The dean of the College of Cardinals is also assigned as titular bishop of the Roman see of Ostia. Eastern Catholic patriarchs who are cardinals are also cardinal bishops.
In this way, What is a cardinal bishop?
Cardinal bishops (CB): the six cardinals who are assigned the titles of the seven suburbicarian dioceses in the vicinity of Rome by the pope, [a] plus a few other cardinals who have been exceptionally co-opted into the order, as well as patriarchs who head one of the Eastern Catholic Churches.
Beside this, Who are the two most senior cardinal bishops? The two most senior cardinal bishops, who are elected by the cardinal bishops from among themselves (excluding the Eastern Catholic patriarchs) and approved by the pope, are the dean and the vice dean, currently Giovanni Battista Re and Leonardo Sandri, respectively.
How many cardinal-bishops of 209 living cardinals?
Answer will be: 13 Cardinal-Bishops of 209 living Cardinals. This table was last updated on 13 May 2022.
Who holds the rank of Cardinal Bishop? Traditionally, only six cardinals held the rank of Cardinal Bishop, but when Eastern patriarchs are made cardinals, they too hold the rank of Cardinal Bishop, without being assigned a suburbicarian see.
Keeping this in view, How many cardinal bishops are there in Rome?
There are customarily six cardinal bishops from the Latin Church, who are given a particular ceremonial title as the "titular bishops" of Rome’s ancient suburbicarian sees. The dean of the College of Cardinals is also assigned as titular bishop of the Roman see of Ostia. Eastern Catholic patriarchs who are cardinals are also cardinal bishops.
In respect to this, What was the role of a cardinal before 1962?
As a response to this: Prior to 1962 each of the cardinal bishops had full jurisdiction in his… A cardinal could be a cardinal bishop (if the church he was given was outside the city of Rome, whose only bishop, of course, was the pope himself), a cardinal priest, or a cardinal deacon. Cardinals also had different roles.
People also ask, How many cardinal-bishops of 209 living cardinals?
The answer is: 13 Cardinal-Bishops of 209 living Cardinals. This table was last updated on 13 May 2022.