Every cardinal in his place: Internal ranking determines seating chart
 Cardinals attend a meeting at the synod hall in the Vatican March 4. Their seating order in the meetings and in the conclave to elect a new pope is determined by a three-tier internal hierarchy. (CNS/L'Osservatore Romano via Reuters) |
Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- In their general congregation meetings, in liturgical processions and in the Sistine Chapel, every cardinal has a place and each cardinal knows his place.
The Vatican calls it "precedence," and it has little to do with the importance of the cardinal's day job, the size of his diocese or his age. But it has everything to do with timing.
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