The dean of the College of Cardinals () presides over the

College of Cardinals The College of Cardinals (), also called the Sacred College of Cardinals, is the body of all cardinals of the Catholic Church. there are cardinals, of whom are eligible to vote in a conclave to elect a new pope. Appointed by the pope, ...

in the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

, serving as ('first among equals'). The position was established in the 12th century. He always holds the rank of a

cardinal bishop A cardinal is a senior member of the clergy of the Catholic Church. As titular members of the clergy of the Diocese of Rome, they serve as advisors to the pope, who is the bishop of Rome and the visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. C ...

and is assisted by a vice-dean. Both are elected by and from the cardinal bishops who are not Eastern Catholic patriarchs, with their election subject to

papal The pope is the bishop of Rome and the visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. He is also known as the supreme pontiff, Roman pontiff, or sovereign pontiff. From the 8th century until 1870, the pope was the sovereign or head of sta ...

confirmation. Except for presiding over the college, the dean and vice-dean have no power over the other cardinals. In the

order of precedence in the Catholic Church Precedence signifies the right to enjoy a prerogative of honor before other persons; for example, to have the most distinguished place in a procession, a ceremony, or an assembly, to have the right to express an opinion, cast a vote, or append ...

, the dean and vice-dean, as the two most senior cardinals, are placed second and third, respectively, after the

pope The pope is the bishop of Rome and the Head of the Church#Catholic Church, visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. He is also known as the supreme pontiff, Roman pontiff, or sovereign pontiff. From the 8th century until 1870, the po ...

. For centuries, the cardinal bishop who had been a bishop of a suburbicarian see the longest was the dean. This custom became a requirement with the

canon law Canon law (from , , a 'straight measuring rod, ruler') is a set of ordinances and regulations made by ecclesiastical jurisdiction, ecclesiastical authority (church leadership) for the government of a Christian organization or church and its membe ...

of 1917. On 26 February 1965,

Pope Paul VI Pope Paul VI (born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding John XXII ...

empowered the cardinal bishops to elect the dean from among their number. Both the dean and subdean must reside in Rome. Until December 2019, the dean held the position until death or resignation; there was no mandatory age of retirement. Then, upon accepting Cardinal Angelo Sodano's resignation as dean of the College of Cardinals,

Pope Francis Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio; 17 December 1936 – 21 April 2025) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 13 March 2013 until Death and funeral of Pope Francis, his death in 2025. He was the fi ...

established that the dean would henceforth serve a five-year term that may be renewed once. In anticipation of the election of a new dean, Francis said: "I am hoping they will elect someone who can carry this important responsibility full time." Nevertheless, on 6 February 2025, the Pope extended indefinitely Cardinal Re's mandate as dean.

Responsibilities

The dean summons the

conclave A conclave is a gathering of the College of Cardinals convened to appoint the pope of the Catholic Church. Catholics consider the pope to be the apostolic successor of Saint Peter and the earthly head of the Catholic Church. Concerns around ...

for the purposes of electing a new

following a death or

resignation Resignation is the formal act of relinquishing or vacating one's office or position. A resignation can occur when a person holding a position gained by election or appointment steps down, but leaving a position upon the expiration of a term, or ...

. The Dean presides over the daily meetings of the College of Cardinals in advance of the conclave and then presides over the conclave unless his age prohibits his participation. The dean also has the responsibility of communicating the "news of the Pope's death to the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See and to the Heads of the respective Nations". He is the public face of the Holy See until a new pope is elected. If he participates in the conclave, the dean asks the pope-elect if he accepts the election, and then asks the new pope what name he wishes to use. If the dean himself is elected pope, the aforementioned tasks are assumed by the sub-dean of the College of Cardinals. If the newly elected pope is not already a

bishop A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...

, the dean ordains him a bishop. The dean has "the

title A title is one or more words used before or after a person's name, in certain contexts. It may signify their generation, official position, military rank, professional or academic qualification, or nobility. In some languages, titles may be ins ...

of the diocese of Ostia, together with that of any other church to which he already has a title," such as his suburbicarian diocese. This has been the case since 1914, by decree of

Pope Pius X Pope Pius X (; born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto; 2 June 1835 – 20 August 1914) was head of the Catholic Church from 4 August 1903 to his death in August 1914. Pius X is known for vigorously opposing Modernism in the Catholic Church, modern ...

– previous deans had given up their suburbicarian see and taken the joint title of Ostia and Velletri, which were separated in that same 1914 decree.

Deans elected pope

Nine Deans have been elected pope: # Corrado Demitri, elected

Pope Anastasius IV Pope Anastasius IV ( – 3 December 1154), born Corrado Demetri della Suburra, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 8 July 1153 to his death in 1154. He is the most recent pope to take the name "Anastasius" upon his ...

in 1153 # Ubaldo Allucingoli, elected Pope Lucius III in 1181 # Ugolino di Conti was elected

Pope Gregory IX Pope Gregory IX (; born Ugolino di Conti; 1145 – 22 August 1241) was head of the Catholic Church and the ruler of the Papal States from 19 March 1227 until his death in 1241. He is known for issuing the '' Decretales'' and instituting the Pa ...

in 1227 # Rinaldo di Jenne was elected

Pope Alexander IV Pope Alexander IV (1199 or 1185 – 25 May 1261) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 12 December 1254 to his death. Early career He was born as Rinaldo di Jenne in Jenne, Italy, Jenne (now in the Province of Rome ...

in 1254 # Pedro Julião was elected

Pope John XXI Pope John XXI (, , ; – 20 May 1277), born Pedro Julião (), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 8 September 1276 to his death in May 1277. He is the only ethnically Portuguese pope in history.Richard P. McBrien, ...

in September 1276 #

Rodrigo Borgia Pope Alexander VI (, , ; born Roderic Llançol i de Borja; epithet: ''Valentinus'' ("The Kingdom of Valencia, Valencian"); – 18 August 1503) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 11 August 1492 until his death ...

was elected

Pope Alexander VI Pope Alexander VI (, , ; born Roderic Llançol i de Borja; epithet: ''Valentinus'' ("The Valencian"); – 18 August 1503) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 11 August 1492 until his death in 1503. Born into t ...

1492 Year 1492 ( MCDXCII) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. 1492 is considered to be a significant year in the history of the West, Europe, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Spain, and the New World, among others, because of the ...

# Alessandro Farnese was elected

Pope Paul III Pope Paul III (; ; born Alessandro Farnese; 29 February 1468 – 10 November 1549) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 13 October 1534 to his death, in November 1549. He came to the papal throne in an era follo ...

1534 Year 1534 ( MDXXXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. Events January–March * January 15 – The Parliament of England passes the '' Act Respecting the Oath to the Succession'', recognising the mar ...

# Gian Pietro Carafa was elected

Pope Paul IV Pope Paul IV (; ; 28 June 1476 – 18 August 1559), born Gian Pietro Carafa, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 23 May 1555 to his death, in August 1559. While serving as papal nuncio in Spain, he developed ...

in May 1555 # Joseph Ratzinger was elected

Pope Benedict XVI Pope BenedictXVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger; 16 April 1927 – 31 December 2022) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 19 April 2005 until his resignation on 28 February 2013. Benedict's election as p ...

2005 2005 was designated as the International Year for Sport and Physical Education and the International Year of Microcredit. The beginning of 2005 also marked the end of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Internationa ...

List of deans

The following is the list of deans of the Sacred College of Cardinals, separated into three groups to account for the

Western Schism The Western Schism, also known as the Papal Schism, the Great Occidental Schism, the Schism of 1378, or the Great Schism (), was a split within the Catholic Church lasting from 20 September 1378 to 11 November 1417, in which bishops residing ...

, which ended after the

Council of Constance The Council of Constance (; ) was an ecumenical council of the Catholic Church that was held from 1414 to 1418 in the Bishopric of Constance (Konstanz) in present-day Germany. This was the first time that an ecumenical council was convened in ...

. The earliest attested reference to the "College of Cardinals" is at the Council of Reims in 1148. Each name in the following list includes years of birth and death, then comma-separated years of cardinalate and deanship.

Before the Western Schism

12th century

* Pietro Senex (d. 1134) (1102, before 1130) * Guillaume (d. 1137/1139) (1122, 1130) * Corrado della Suburra (1073–1154) (1114, 1137/1139)
''Elected

in 1153'' * Imar of Tusculum (d. 1161) (1142, 1153, deposed 1159) * Gregorio de Suburra (d. 1163) (1140, 1159) * Ubaldo Allucingoli (1097–1185) (1138, 1163)
''Elected Pope Lucius III in 1181'' * Conrad of Wittelsbach (1120/1125–1200) (1165, 1181)

13th century

* Ottaviano di Paoli (d. 1206) (1182, 1200) * Pietro Gallocia (d. 1211) (1188, 1206) * Nicola de Romanis (d. 1219) (1204, 1211) * Ugolino dei Conti di Segni (1145–1241) (1198, 1219)
''Elected

in 1227'' * Pelagio Galvani (d. 1230) (1206/1207, 1227) * Jean Halgrin (1180–1237) (1227, 1230) *

Jacques de Vitry Jacques de Vitry (''Jacobus de Vitriaco'', 1160/70 – 1 May 1240) was a medieval France, French canon regular who was a noted theology, theologian and chronicler of his era. He was elected Latin Catholic Diocese of Acre, bishop of Acre in 1 ...

(1160/70–1240) (1228, 1237) * Rinaldo Conti (1185–1261) (1227, 1240)
''Elected

in 1254'' * Odo of Châteauroux (1190–1273) (1244, 1254) * John of Toledo (d. 1275) (1244, 1273) * João Pedro Julião (1210–1276) (1273, 1275)
''Elected

in 1276'' * Bertrand de Saint-Martin (d. 1277) (1273, 1276) * Ordonho Alvares (1198–1285) (1278, 1278) * Bentivenga dei Bentivenghi (1230–1289) (1278, 1285) *

Latino Malabranca Orsini Latino Malabranca Orsini (died 10 August 1294, Perugia) was a Roman noble, an Italian cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, and nephew of Pope Nicholas III. Though revered as 'blessed' by the Order of Preachers, his cause for beatification is still ...

(d. 1294) (1278, 1289) * Gerardo Bianchi (1220/1225–1302) (1278, 1294)

14th century

* Giovanni Boccamazza (d. 1309) (1285, 1302) * Leonardo Patrasso (1230–1311) (1300, 1309) * Giovanni Minio de Murovalle (1250–1312) (1302, 1311) *

Nicolò Albertini Nicolò Albertini, O.P. (c. 1250 – 27 April 1321), was an Italian Dominican friar, statesman, and cardinal. Early life Albertini was born about 1250 in the city of Prato, then in the County of Prato, part of the Holy Roman Empire, to pare ...

(1250–1321) (1303, 1312) * Berengar Fredol the Elder (1250–1323) (1305, 1321) * Berengar Fredol the Younger (d. 1323) (1312, 1323) * Guillaume Godin (1260–1336) (1312, 1323) * Pierre Desprès (1288–1361) (1320, 1336) * Élie de Talleyrand-Périgord (1301–1364) (1331, 1361) * Guy de Boulogne (1313–1373) (1342, 1364) * Ange de Grimoard (1315/20-1388) (1366, 1373, deposed by Urban VI in 1378, reappointed to the post in the obedience of Avignon until 1388)

During the Western Schism

The obedience of Rome (1378–1415) * Tommaso da Frignano (1305–1381) (1378) * Francesco Moricotti Prignano (d. 1394) (1378, 1381) * Philippe d'Alençon (1338–1397) (1378, 1394) * Pietro Pileo di Prata (1330–1400) (1378, 1397) * Angelo Acciaioli (1349–1408) (1384, 1405) * Enrico Minutoli (d. 1412) (1389, 1408) * Antonio Correr (1369–1445) (1408, 1409 until 1415) The obedience of Avignon (1378–1429) * Ange de Grimoard (until 1388) * Pietro Corsini (1335–1405) (1370, 1388) * Gui de Malsec (d. 1412) (1375, 1405, deposed 1409, retained the post in the obedience of Pisa) * Jean Flandrin (after 1301–1415) (1390, 1405) * Julián Lobera y Valtierra (d. 1435) (1423, 1423 until 1429) The obedience of Pisa (1409–1415) * Gui de Malsec (until 1412) * Jean Allarmet de Brogny (1342–1426) (1385, 1412 until 1415)

After the Council of Constance

15th century

* Angelo Correr (c. 1330–1417) (1415, 1415) * Jean-Allarmet de Brogny (1342–1426) (1385, 1417) * Baldassare Cossa (c. 1360/1370–1419) (1419, 1419) * Jean Allarmet de Brogny ''(2nd term)'' (1342–1426) (1385, 1419) * Angelo d'Anna de Sommariva (d. 1428) (1384, 1426) * Giordano Orsini (1360/1370–1438) (1405, 1428) * Antonio Correr ''(again)'' (1369–1445) (1408, 1438) * Giovanni Berardi (1380–1449) (1439, 1445) * Amedeo di Savoia (1383–1451) (1449, 1449) * Francesco Condulmer (1390–1453) (1431, 1451) * Giorgio Fieschi (c. 1395–1461) (1439, 1453) * Isidore of Kiev (1380/1390–1463) (1439, 1461) *

Basilios Bessarion Bessarion (; 2 January 1403 – 18 November 1472) was a Byzantine Greeks, Byzantine Greek Renaissance humanist, theologian, Catholic Church, Catholic Cardinal (Catholic Church), cardinal and one of the famed Greek scholars who contributed ...

(1403–1472) (1439, 1463) * Guillaume d'Estouteville (1403–1483) (1439, 1472) *

(1431–1503) (1456, 1483)
''Elected

in 1492'' * Oliviero Carafa (1430–1511) (1467, 1492)

16th century

* Raffaele Riario (1461–1521) (1477, 1511) * Bernardino Lopez de Carvajal (1456–1523) (1493, 1521) * Francesco Soderini (1453–1524) (1503, 1523) * Niccolò Fieschi (1456–1524) (1503, 1524) * Alessandro Farnese (1468–1549) (1493, 1524)
''Elected

in 1534'' * Giovanni Piccolomini (1475–1537) (1517, 1535) * Giovanni Domenico de Cupis (1493–1553) (1517, 1537) * Gian Pietro Carafa (1476–1559) (1536, 1553)
''Elected

in 1555'' * Jean du Bellay (1492–1560) (1535, 1555) * François de Tournon (1489–1562) (1530, 1560) * Rodolfo Pio de Carpi (1500–1564) (1536, 1562) * Francesco Pisani (1494–1570) (1517, 1564) * Giovanni Girolamo Morone (1509–1580) (1542, 1570) * Alessandro Farnese, juniore (1520–1589) (1534, 1580) * Giovanni Antonio Serbelloni (1519–1591) (1560, 1589) * Alfonso Gesualdo (1540–1603) (1561, 1591)

17th century

* Tolomeo Gallio (1526–1607) (1565, 1603) * Domenico Pinelli (1541–1611) (1585, 1607) * Francois de Joyeuse (1562–1615) (1583, 1611) * Antonio Maria Galli (1553–1620) (1586, 1615) * Antonio Maria Sauli (1541–1623) (1587, 1620) * Francesco Maria del Monte (1549–1626) (1588, 1623) * Ottavio Bandini (1558–1629) (1596, 1626) * Giovanni Battista Deti (1576–1630) (1599, 1629) * Domenico Ginnasi (1550–1639) (1604, 1630) * Carlo Emmanuele Pio de Savoia, seniore (1585–1641) (1604, 1639) * Marcello Lante della Rovere (1561–1652) (1606, 1641) * Giulio Roma (1584–1652) (1621, 1652) ''served less than 5 months'' * Carlo de' Medici (1595–1666) (1615, 1652) * Francesco Barberini, seniore (1597–1679) (1623, 1666) * Cesare Facchinetti (1608–1683) (1643, 1680) * Niccolò Albergati-Ludovisi (1608–1687) (1645, 1683) * Alderano Cybo (1613–1700) (1645, 1687)

18th century

* Emmanuel–Theodose de Bouillon (1643–1715) (1669, 1700) * Nicolò Acciaioli (1630–1719) (1669, 1715) * Fulvio Astalli (1655–1721) (1686, 1719) * Sebastiano Antonio Tanara (1650–1724) (1695, 1721) * Francesco del Giudice (1647–1725) (1690, 1724) * Fabrizio Paolucci (1651–1726) (1697, 1725) * Francesco Pignatelli (1652–1734) (1703, 1726) * Francesco Barberini (1662–1738) (1690, 1734) *

Pietro Ottoboni Pope Alexander VIII (; 22 April 1610 – 1 February 1691), born Pietro Vito Ottoboni, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 6 October 1689 to his death in February 1691. He is the most recent pope to take the ...

(1667–1740) (1689, 1738) * Tommaso Ruffo (1663–1753) (1706, 1740) * Pier Luigi Carafa (1677–1755) (1728, 1753) * Rainiero d'Elci (1670–1761) (1737, 1755) * Giuseppe Spinelli (1694–1763) (1735, 1761) * Carlo Alberto Guidoboni Cavalchini (1683–1774) (1743, 1763) * Gian Francesco Albani (1720–1803) (1747, 1774)Salvador Miranda indicates that Fabrizio Serbelloni was dean of the Sacred College 1774–177

but according to G. Moroni, ''Dizionario di erudizione storico-ecclesiastica da S. Pietro sino ai nostri giorn vol. LXIV'', p. 173, Serbelloni was named bishop of Ostia e Velletri on 18 April 1774 only for that reason, that Albani, who became dean at the death of Cavalchini, refused to resign the bishopric of Porto e Santa Rufina. However, Cardinal Albani eventually opted for the see of Ostia e Velletri after the death of Serbelloni in the following year ''longest deanship''

19th century

Henry Benedict Stuart Henry Benedict Thomas Edward Maria Clement Francis Xavier Stuart, Cardinal Duke of York (6 March 1725 – 13 July 1807) was a Roman Catholic Cardinal (Catholic Church), cardinal, and was the third and final Jacobitism, Jacobite heir to pub ...

(1725–1807) (1747, 1803) ''longest total cardinalate'' * Leonardo Antonelli (1730–1811) (1775, 1807) * Alessandro Mattei (1744–1820) (1779, 1814) ''vacancy caused by his exile by Napoleon'' * Giulio Maria della Somaglia (1744–1830) (1795, 1820) *

Bartolomeo Pacca Bartolomeo Pacca (27 December 1756, Benevento – 19 April 1844, Rome) was an Italian cardinal, scholar, and statesman as Cardinal Secretary of State. Pacca served as apostolic nuncio to Cologne, and later to Lisbon. Biography Bartolomeo Pacca ...

(1756–1844) (1801, 1830) * Ludovico Micara (1775–1847) (1824, 1844) * Vincenzo Macchi (1770–1860) (1826, 1847) * Mario Mattei (1792–1870) (1832, 1860) *

Costantino Patrizi Naro Costantino Patrizi Naro JUD (4 September 1798 – 17 December 1876) was a long-serving Italian Cardinal who became Dean of the College of Cardinals. Biography Born in Siena, Patrizi Naro was the son of Giovanni Patrizi Naro Montoro, 8th Marqui ...

(1798–1876) (1834, 1870) * Luigi Amat di San Filippo e Sorso (1796–1878) (1837, 1877) * Camillo di Pietro (1806–1884) (1853, 1878) * Carlo Sacconi (1808–1889) (1861, 1884) * Raffaele Monaco La Valletta (1827–1896) (1868, 1889) * Luigi Oreglia di Santo Stefano (1828–1913) (1873, 1896)

20th century

* Serafino Vannutelli (1834–1915) (1887, 1913) * Vincenzo Vannutelli (1836–1930) (1889, 1915) * Gennaro di Belmonte (1851–1948) (1911, 1930) * Francesco Marchetti-Selvaggiani (1871–1951) (1930, 1948) * Eugène Tisserant (1884–1972) (1936, 1951) * Amleto Giovanni Cicognani (1883–1973) (1958, 1972) * Luigi Traglia (1895–1977) (1960, 1974) * Carlo Confalonieri (1893–1986) (1958, 1977) * Agnelo Rossi (1913–1995) (1965, 1986) * Bernardin Gantin (1922–2008) (1977, 1993, retired 2002)

21st century

Notes

References

{{Holy See Religious leadership roles *1