Origin of religious positions and title

Facts about Position/Title

Date Founded	1059 CE	Place Founded	Rome
Founder(s)	Pontifex Maximus Gregory VII (1057-1084)
Etymology	Lat.,=attached to and thus “belonging to” the hinge,
Original Function	Dynastic Political-religious positions reporting to the Pontiff.
Superior Position(s)	Roman Pontiff (Pontifex Maximus)
Inferior Position(s)	Bishops, Deacons and Priests

The position of Cardinal was first proposed as part of the major reform of the Satanic cult of Cybele based at the Vatican into the Roman Cult as part of the planned "takeover" of Catholicism.

The etymological origin of the word is said to come from cardo meaning hinge (of a door). However, the true etymological origin of the word is much more likely to be "belonging to the doormen". In ancient times, the ostiarii (doorkeepers) held important positions within pagan temples such as the massive Phrygianum upon Vatican Hill.

Excluding the hight priest, the ostiarii were the only ones permitted to oversee the most important sacred ceremonies and rituals within the Temple. Therefore the word Cardinal is much more likely to be the modern incarnation of this ancient position within the worship of Cybele, Mother of God and Queen of Heaven.

Classes of Cardinals

There are three classes of cardinals. Cardinal bishops are the bishops of seven sees around Rome (Ostia, Velletri, Porto and Santa Rufina, Albano, Frascati, Palestrina, and Sabina and Poggio Mirteto) and Eastern-rite patriarchs; the first of these in order of creation is dean of the college and ex officio bishop of Ostia in addition to his other see. Cardinal priests are mostly archbishops outside the Roman province; the title “cardinal archbishop”—often applied to these men—simply represents the union of the two dignities in one man. Cardinal deacons are priests with functions in the papal government. Cardinal priests and cardinal deacons have titles corresponding to churches of the Roman diocese.

The Cabinet of the Pope

Apart from papal elections, the cardinals have great importance as the privy council of the pope. Hence those who are not bishops away from Rome must live at Rome. They meet with the pope in consistories, public and secret, but most of the business they transact is done in their various jurisdictional capacities. Thus the cardinals in residence at Rome make up a cabinet for the pope, directing the work of the Curia Romana, as the papal administration is called. This is made up of standing committees and courts, the departments of administration divided among them. Since there is no division of powers in the headship of the church, most organs of the Curia have power to judge, to command, and to legislate. The acts of these bodies are validated by papal approbation, and they therefore bind Roman Catholics as direct pontifical acts. Only the pope himself can speak finally in matters of faith and morals (see infallibility). The major divisions of the Curia are the secretariat of state, the Roman congregations, and the Roman tribunals. There are also pontifical commisions under some of the congregations; a number of pontifical councils with special responsibilities (e.g., for ecumenical dialogue with other Christians, for the family, for issues relating to the sanctity of life, and for dialogue with nonbelievers); curial offices responsible for administering the Vatican property and treasury; and other bodies.

Numbers of Cardinals

The most powerful Cardinals today are Cardinal deacons, of which there are seven.

Cardinal bishops are the second level of Cardinals including bishops of the sees just outside Rome and of the patriarchal sees of the Eastern Catholic Church.

Cardinal priests are the bishops of important sees around the world and constitute the most numerous order of cardinals.

The number of cardinals was limited to 70 for nearly 400 years until 1958, when John XXIII (1958 – 63) eliminated the restriction.

Under Paul VI (1963 – 78) there were 145 cardinals, and under John Paul II (1978 – 2005) there were 182.

With the increase in the size of the cardinalate came new restrictions imposed by the popes. Paul VI directed that cardinals who do not resign by age 75 relinquish the right to vote for a pope when they reach 80. He also limited the number of voting cardinals to 120, a restriction confirmed during the pontificate of John Paul II. A red biretta and ring are symbolic of the office.


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