Dean of the College of Cardinals
Cardinal Dean (actually Dean of the Sacred College, latin Decanus Sacri collegium ) is the name given to the Chairman of the College of Cardinals. The office dates back to the 12th century.
Position in the College of Cardinals
The Cardinal Dean is the highest-ranking cardinal bishop, and thus the highest-ranking cardinal at all, but has neither line nor jurisdiction authority over the other Cardinals, but is regarded as primus inter pares. He gets next to the title of his diocese suburbicarian additionally always the title Cardinal Bishop of Ostia.
Choice
The Cardinal Dean, according to the 1965 by Paul VI. adopted in the motu proprio Sacrum cardinalium consilio definition of the six cardinal bishops, who hold a suburbicarian diocese ( Albano, Frascati, Palestrina, Porto- Santa Rufina, Sabina -Poggio Mirteto, Velletri - Segni ) are selected.
The election takes place once the site of the Cardinal Dean is vacant ( for example, by resignation, death or election to the papacy ), at a meeting of the six cardinal bishops, chaired by the Subdekans place in the they may determine a candidate from their group. This must be confirmed by the Pope in his choice.
Tasks
The Cardinal Dean is the representative of the College of Cardinals in Rome and has Residenzpflicht.
During the period of vacancy key functions it come above that though. The task of the Cardinal Dean then it is to inform after the death of the pope, the cardinals from around the world and summon to Rome for the conclave. He also tells the pope's death and the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See and the leaders of the nations concerned. Until the beginning of the conclave, he leads the daily general congregations. Usually he is also the burial ceremony of the late Pope. In addition, the Cardinal Dean forwards the papal election and provides the candidate who could unite the required number of votes to yourself the question: " Acceptasne electionem de te canonice factam in Summum Pontificem? " ( German: " Will you accept your canonical election as Supreme Pontiff to " ). Can the Cardinal Dean not participate in the conclave because he has already exceeded 80 years of age, or if he is even the elect (see Conclave 2005), this task is taken over by Kardinalsubdekan or if this also does not participate in the conclave by the next highest-ranking cardinal.
The Cardinal Dean, is required by the election of a new pope continues, these ask for the name he wants to give up, and if he has not yet received episcopal ordination, nor in the conclave to ordain a bishop.
The funeral occasion of the death of a cardinal is usually led by the Cardinal Dean or any of its representatives.
Since 2005, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Cardinal Dean and Roger Cardinal Etchegaray Subdean. Since both were already over 80 years old at the papal election, 2013, the standing in the ranking of the Cardinals at position three Cardinal Bishop Giovanni Battista Cardinal Re has taken the lead.