Table of Contents
Why are so many Cardinals Italian?
1. those appointed because they are Archbishops of major dioceses: Cologne, Warsaw, Vienna, Armagh, New York, Rio de Janeiro etc. 2. Those appointed because they head up Vatican congregations and have an important role in advising the Pope.
What percentage of cardinals are Italian?
After Pope Francis’s latest picks are made official in February, the College of Cardinals will be 20.8 percent Italian. Pope Francis seems eager for the church hierarchy to reflect the changing demographics of its members.
How many Catholic cardinals are Italian?
Only two countries are represented by cardinal electors whose numbers are composed of two digits: Italy and the United States. Italy has as many as 26 cardinals with the right to vote in a Conclave, 10 of them are residential bishops and 16 are members of the Curia: this accounts for 21\% of the electoral college.
Why do popes mostly speak in Italian?
That’s the reason why Popes mostly speak in Italian. However, it is common practice for Pope Francis to address foreign communities or foreign issues in their native language, even when in Italy.
What is the official language of the Vatican?
Italian is the official language of the Vatican, along with Latin. People often overlook the fact that the Pope is, among other things, quite simply the Bishop of Rome. Rome is in Italy. People in Italy speak Italian.
What language does pope Bergoglio speak?
Pope Bergoglio speaks a very decent Italian, consistent with what you’d expect from a native Spanish speaker coming from a country with strong Italian ancestry.
Why was the papacy not involved in the unification of Italy?
Even unification of Italy as a State were not considered a problem as the Papacy considered them as usurpers and had not any Concordate with them until 1929. The same esistence of the Vatican State was though as a guarantee in that sense, granting him indipendence from any outside power.