Catholic Cardinals by Country 2025

Italy is the country that has the highest number of Catholic Cardinals. Italy has a total of 48 Catholic Cardinals. Given that Italy is also the location of the Vatican, which is the seat of Catholicism, it should come as no surprise that Italy has the highest number of Catholic Cardinals.

The United States has the second greatest number of Catholic Cardinals. The United States has a total of 17 Catholic Cardinals. The United States is one of the largest countries on Earth, and it has a relatively large Catholic population.

Next, Spain (14), France (8), Brazil (7), Argentina (7), Mexico (6), and Germany (6) also have large numbers of Catholic Cardinals. Portugal (6) and India (5) are also in the top 10.

How Does Someone Become a Catholic Cardinal?

There is only one way for someone to become a Catholic Cardinal. Someone has to be appointed a Catholic Cardinal by the Pope. The current crop of Cardinals was selected from the large number of bishops. While there are approximately 5,000 bishops in the world, only about 200 of them will ever become Catholic Cardinals. That is because there are very few Catholic Cardinals, and many of them live long lives. Therefore, one of the current Bishops has to wait for a current Cardinal to pass away before they can be appointed a Catholic Cardinal themselves. Or, the pope has to increase the number of Catholic Cardinals present.

What Are the Different Levels of Catholic Leadership?

There are multiple levels of leadership within the Catholic church. If someone wants to join the Catholic Church, the first step is to become a deacon. After becoming a deacon, someone becomes a priest. Typically, people need to go to Seminary school to learn how to become a priest. Then, once they graduate, they transition from deacon to priesthood. If someone holds the full sacrament of the holy orders, they are deemed a bishop. A bishop is one of the leaders of the Catholic church, and someone can also become an Archbishop, which means they have a bit more leadership than a traditional bishop.

There are lots of people who spend their entire lives serving as a bishop. It is incredibly challenging for someone to get promoted from a bishop to a Cardinal, as there are not a lot of openings available. Then, if the pope passes away, the new pope is selected from one of the current Cardinals.

What Does a Cardinal Do?

A Cardinal is one of the most important leaders of the Catholic Church. It is the responsibility of the Cardinal to make sure that all Bishops and Priests are acting in accordance with the Holy Bible. Sometimes Cardinals are tasked with addressing specific issues within the Catholic Church, looking to institute changes, address disagreements, and make sure that the will of the pope is being carried out accordingly.