Cardinal-nephew
A cardinal-nephew (Latin: cardinalis nepos;[1] Italian: cardinale nipote;[2]) was a pope's relative -- a nephew -- who was raised to the rank of cardinal. The practice of creating cardinal-nephews originated in the Middle Ages.
Cardinal-nephew was an office in the Curia of the Roman Catholic Church before 1692.[3] After the death of the reigning pope, the office of cardinal-nephew was vacated.[4]
The pope's cardinal-nephew was his chief assistant and confident.[4] The man in this role was expected to act as if he were a relative of the pope; and sometimes -- often, he was in fact a member of the pope's extended family.
After 1692, this office was banned by Pope Innocent XII in Romanum decet pontificem.[5]
This role and function is now filled by the Vatican's Secretary of State.[4]
List of cardinal-nephews
changeNotable cardinal-nephews include many who would later become popes:
This list is not complete; you can help by adding missing items. |
References
change- ↑ Cardinale, Hyginus Eugene. (1976). The Holy See and the International Order, p. 133.
- ↑ Burckhardt, Jacob et al. 1892. The Civilisation of the Renaissance in Italy,p. 107.
- ↑ The word nepotism comes from this practice; see Oxford English Dictionary citing Leti, Gregorio. (1673). Il Nipotismo di Roma, or, The History of the Popes Nephews: from the time of Sixtus IV, anno 1471, to the death of the late Pope Alexander VII, anno 1667
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Roman Curia", Catholic Encyclopedia (2009); retrieved 2011-11-22.
- ↑ Cardinale, p. 134.