In pectore

As a cardinal in pectore ( from the Latin in pectore " in the chest; in the heart ," meaning " in secret " ) - formerly Cardinal in petto - is a can by the Pope according to. 351 § 3 CIC appointed cardinal referred to, whose name shall not be disclosed by the Pope. This approach is chosen, for example, if the candidate would be expected in the current political situation in his country with reprisals if his appointment would be known.

Since the legal validity of the appointment occurs only with the publication, presented the decree of appointment, for example, in a consistory, the cardinal in pectore neither the privileges nor the rights of a cardinal. The Pope meant by a cardinal must be included at least in an authentic written document - possibly in the spiritual testament of the late Pope. Then he would be taken after the canon law with immediate effect in the College of Cardinals and takes the honor ranking ( among others, the time of Kreierung dependent ) the place of a, which he would have received if his appointment would have been released immediately.

Church law requires only that the name of a cardinal must be made public. It is not required that this has to be done orally. Once the name is known, the new cardinal has the same rights and obligations as the other cardinals.

Examples

• On June 17, 1771 Eugenio Antonio Visconti ( 1713-1788 ), nuncio at the imperial court in Vienna, charged by Clement XIV to Cardinal in pectore.
• In the consistory of 1960, the. Pope John XXIII was convened were together with seven named cardinals appointed three in pectore whose names have become ever known.
• Paul VI. appointed Iuliu Hossu and Stepan Trochta 1969 in pectore cardinal. Hossu not live to see the publication (both 1973) and was collected posthumously.
• John Paul II appointed four cardinals in pectore, including Ignatius Kung Pin- Mei (1979, published 1991), Jānis Pujats and Marian Jaworski (both 1998, published 2001). The fourth cardinal was appointed by John Paul II in his last consistory in October 2003 because the Pope died, however, without witnesses or written records would have made ​​the name public, became the person no claims and rights of a cardinal.