What do cardinals signify, or symbolize?
Cardinals are princes of the Church from the time when the Papacy was considered royalty. Wikipedia says: A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually a bishop, of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and making themselves available individually or collectively to the pope if he requests their counsel. Most cardinals have additional duties, such as leading a diocese or archdiocese or running a department of the Roman Curia. The other main function of the Cardinals is to elect a new Pope.
