Cardinals of the Church

Toward Rome last week, by roads that began in Bombay, Bogota, Los Angeles and other far-off places, traveled the princes of the Roman Catholic Church. Among them, bound for their first papal consistory, were 17 of the church's 24* new cardinals. One of the last to arrive, after a stormy Atlantic crossing in a Constellation named Star of Vatican City, was Los Angeles' Archbishop Francis A. McIntyre, the single new cardinal from the U.S.

As they awaited the consistory, the prelates checked in with friends at the Vatican, had last-minute fittings of the robes which they would wear, and got detailed briefings from papal attendants on their roles in the complex ceremonies. At Rome's Grand Hotel, the 61 U.S. clergymen and laymen who had accompanied Archbishop McIntyre got ready for the big day. New York's Francis Cardinal Spellman arrived by jet airliner on his way home from his Christmas visit to Korea.

This week the four-day consistory began. In keeping with the tradition that the cardinals-designate are only candidates for their high offices (although their appointments were announced in November), Pope Pius gathered with the 22 "old" cardinals present in Rome in the

Apostolic Palace's Hall of the Consistory. Behind closed doors, the Pope submitted the names of the 24 to the cardinals.

"I think the time has come," he said, "to fill the sad vacancies in the Sacred College. Quid vobis videtur [What do you think]?" the cardinals doffed their biret-tas and nodded in assent.

Later in the day, Vatican messengers, who once carried their news on fast horses, climbed into black Cadillacs and Fords to bring the biglietto di nomina (ticket of nomination) to each nominee.

Later this week the new cardinals would gather in the Apostolic Palace's Hall of the Throne, where the Pope would present them with their red birettas of office.

In St. Peter's, wearing red cassocks and ermine-topped cardinals' capes for the first time, they would be formally installed as members of the church's senate. Shortly thereafter, Vatican messengers would bring to each the broad-brimmed galero, the traditional red hat.

The new cardinals will take the galero with them, but will never wear it. Ceremonially, it is used only once--when it rests on the cardinal's bier.

* Two of the new cardinals--Yugoslavia's Archbishop Aloysius Stepinac and Poland's Stefan Wyszynski--stayed at home rather than run the risk of being refused readmittance to their countries. By long custom, the Spanish nominees and the papal nuncios to France, Spain, Portugal and Italy would receive their insignia of office from local heads of state.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.