Global InformationList of titular churches information
In the Catholic Church, a member of the clergy who is created a cardinal is assigned a titular church in Rome, Italy. These are Catholic churches in the city, within the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Rome, that serve as honorary designations signifying the relationship between cardinals and the pope, the bishop of Rome.[1][2] According to the Code of Canon Law, a cardinal may assist his titular church through counsel or patronage, although "he has no power of governance over it, and he should not for any reason interfere in matters concerning the administration of its good, or its discipline, or the service of the church".[3]
There are two ranks of titular churches: titles and deaconries. A title (Latin: titulus) is a titular church that is assigned to a cardinal priest, whereas a deaconry (Latin: diaconia) is normally assigned to a cardinal deacon.[a][3] A cardinal may request that he be transferred to another titular church in a consistory; in addition, when a cardinal deacon opts to become a cardinal priest (usually after ten years), he may request either that his deaconry be elevated pro hac vice ('for this occasion') to a title or that he be transferred from his deaconry to a vacant title.[2][3] Occasionally, a titular church may be retained in commendam ('in trust') by a cardinal who has been transferred to another titular church or a suburbicarian diocese.[2][5]
If a cardinal priest or a cardinal deacon is later made a cardinal bishop, he may be transferred from his deaconry or titular church and assigned the title of a suburbicarian diocese in the vicinity of Rome.[b]
The only cardinals who are assigned neither a titular church nor the title of a suburbicarian diocese are patriarchs of Eastern Catholic Churches: their respective patriarchates are considered to be their titles.[3][8][c]
As of 15 April 2024,[update] there are 246 extant titular churches, 175 of which are titles and 71 of which are deaconries, and 7 suburbicarian dioceses. Currently, 16 titular churches (9 titles and 7 deaconries) and one title of a suburbicarian diocese are vacant. The tables below also indicate the 58 titular churches (45 titles and 13 deaconries) that are designated as basilicas.
- ^ Cossio, Aluigi (1913). . In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
- ^ a b c Witte, Arnold (2019). "Cardinals and Their Titular Churches". A Companion to the Early Modern Cardinal. Brill. pp. 333–350. doi:10.1163/9789004415447_023. ISBN 9789004415447. S2CID 213779632.
- ^ a b c d e "The College of Cardinals General Documentazion". Holy See Press Office. 17 February 2014. The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church. Archived from the original on 17 March 2013. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
- ^ Sägmüller, Johannes Baptist (1913). . In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
- ^ Ott, Michael (1913). . In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
- ^ "Rescriptum ex Audientia Ss.mi: Rescriptum of the Holy Father Francis by which he has decided to co-opt into the Order of Bishops, equating them in all respects with the Cardinals holding the title of a suburbicarian Church, Cardinals Parolin, Sandri, Ouellet and Filoni". Holy See Press Office. 26 June 2018. Archived from the original on 26 June 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
- ^ "Rescriptum ex Audientia Ss.mi: Rescritto del Santo Padre Francesco con cui ha deciso di cooptare nell'Ordine dei Vescovi, equiparandolo in tutto ai Cardinali insigniti del titolo di una Chiesa suburbicaria, l'Em.mo Cardinale Luis Antonio G. Tagle" [Rescriptum ex Audientia Ss.mi: Rescript of the Holy Father Francis, by which he decides to co-opt into the Order of Bishops His Eminence Cardinal Luis Antonio G. Tagle, equating him in all respects to the Cardinals who have been awarded the title of a suburbicarian Church]. Sala Stampa della Santa Sede (in Italian). 1 May 2020. Archived from the original on 1 May 2020. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
- ^ Pope Paul VI (11 February 1965). "Ad purpuratorum Patrum Collegium". The Holy See (Motu proprio) (in Latin). Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Archived from the original on 17 November 2019. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
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