I
Member of the Sacred College of Cardinals.
Their duties include electing the pope , acting as his principal counselors, and aiding in governing the Roman Catholic church. Cardinals serve as officers of the Roman Curia , John XXIII removed the limit and there are now more than 100. A red biretta and ring are symbolic of the office.
II
or redbird
Songbird ( Cardinalis cardinalis , family Fringillidae or Emberizidae) of North America, primarily east of the Rocky Mountains.
It is 8 in. (20 cm) long and has a pointed crest. The male is bright red, the female a duller red or olive-brown. Pairs of cardinals utter loud, clear whistling notes year-round in gardens and open woodlands. They feed on insects, wild seeds, and fruits. Cardinals are especially abundant in the southeastern U.S. and have been introduced into Hawaii, southern California, and Bermuda. Related species also called cardinals live in South America.
Male northern cardinal ( Cardinalis cardinalis ).
Stephen Collins
III
[c mediumvioletred] (as used in expressions)
cardinal flower
{{link=Cardinal Manning">Cardinal Manning
Mazarin Jules Cardinal
Cardinal Newman
Richelieu Armand Jean du Plessis cardinal and duke de
Wolsey Thomas Cardinal