Cardinals are senior members of the clergy of the Catholic Church. They are almost always bishops and generally hold important roles within the church, such as leading prominent archdioceses or heading dicasteries within the Roman Curia. Cardinals are created in consistories by the pope, and one of their foremost duties is the election of a new pope – invariably from among their number, although not strictly a requirement – when the Holy See is vacant (sede vacante), following the death or resignation of a pope. The body of all cardinals is collectively known as the College of Cardinals.^[1][2]

Under current ecclesiastical law, as defined by the apostolic constitution Universi Dominici gregis, only cardinals who have not passed their 80th birthdays on the day on which the Holy See becomes vacant are eligible to take part in a papal conclave to elect a new pope.^[3] The same apostolic constitution specifies that no more than 120 cardinal electors can take part in a conclave, but makes no provision for there being more than 120 eligible cardinals;^[3] as of 2023^[update] there had never been more at the time of a conclave, though it has happened frequently at other times. Cardinals may be created in pectore ('in the breast'), in which case their identities are not publicly revealed by the pope; they are not entitled to the privileges of a cardinal until their names are published. The creations of any such cardinals who have not been revealed at the pope's death or resignation automatically lapse.^[1][4]

As of 19 April 2024,^[update] there are 237 cardinals, 127 of whom are cardinal electors. The most recent consistory for the creation of cardinals was held on 30 September 2023, when Pope Francis created 21 cardinals, including 18 cardinal electors.^[5] Luis Ladaria Ferrer was the most recent cardinal elector to turn 80, on 19 April 2024; and Marc Ouellet will be the next cardinal elector to turn 80, on 8 June 2024. The most recent death of a cardinal was that of Pedro Rubiano Sáenz, on 15 April 2024, at the age of 91.^[6]

The College of Cardinals is divided into three orders, with formal precedence in the following sequence:^[1]

1. Cardinal bishops (CB): the six cardinals who are assigned the titles of the seven suburbicarian dioceses in the vicinity of Rome by the pope,^{[lower-alpha 1]} plus a few other cardinals who have been exceptionally co-opted into the order,^[9][10] as well as patriarchs who head one of the Eastern Catholic Churches.^[8][11] The two most senior cardinal bishops, who are elected by the cardinal bishops from among themselves (excluding the Eastern Catholic patriarchs) and approved by the pope, are the dean and the vice dean,^[1] currently Giovanni Battista Re and Leonardo Sandri, respectively; among the cardinal electors, the senior cardinal bishop is Pietro Parolin.^{[lower-alpha 2]}
2. Cardinal priests (CP): bishops typically in charge of dioceses around the world, as well as former cardinal deacons who have opted to be elevated to the order.^[12] The most senior cardinal priest is the protopriest, currently Michael Michai Kitbunchu; among the cardinal electors, the senior cardinal priest is Vinko Puljić.^{[lower-alpha 2]}
3. Cardinal deacons (CD): bishops who work in the Roman Curia or the diplomatic service of the Holy See, and all other clergy, including priests who have been granted a dispensation not to be consecrated a bishop. They have the choice (Latin: optatio) of opting to become cardinal priests after having been cardinal deacons for ten years.^[1][13] The most senior cardinal deacon is the protodeacon, currently Renato Martino; among the cardinal electors, the senior cardinal deacon is James Michael Harvey and the junior cardinal deacon is Ángel Fernández Artime.^{[lower-alpha 2]}

For cardinal bishops (excluding the Eastern Catholic patriarchs), the dean is first in precedence, followed by the vice-dean and then, in order of appointment as cardinal bishops, by the remainder. For cardinal bishops who are Eastern Catholic patriarchs, for cardinal priests and for cardinal deacons, precedence is determined by the date of the consistory in which they were created cardinals and then by the order in which they appeared in the official announcement or bulletin.

All cardinals listed are members of the Latin Church unless otherwise stated. Cardinals belonging to institutes of consecrated life or to societies of apostolic life are indicated by the relevant post-nominal letters. Cardinals in charge of dioceses are classified under the country where their diocese is located, although they may be citizens of a different country.

At present, 127 of 237 cardinals are eligible to participate in a papal conclave. The number of votes required to be elected pope with a two-thirds supermajority,^[3][256] if all 127 cardinal electors were to participate (notwithstanding the maximum of 120 specified in Universi Dominici gregis), would be 85.

• Cardinals created by John Paul II
• Cardinals created by Benedict XVI
• Cardinals created by Francis
• Cardinal electors in the 2013 papal conclave
• Council of Cardinal Advisers
• List of creations of cardinals
• Suburbicarian diocese
• Titular church (List of titular churches)