How Many Cardinals Are There? 243 Total, 119 Electors

The College of Cardinals sits at the heart of the Catholic Church’s governance, and its composition shifts with every consistory and every cardinal who crosses the age threshold. As of April 2026, the church counts 243 total cardinals but only 119 eligible to vote in a papal election.

Total Cardinals: 243 · Cardinal Electors: 119 · Countries Represented: 92 · Elector Countries: 66 · Most Recent Consistory: 7 December 2024

The table below summarizes the headline figures as of the most recent count.

How many cardinals are there in the Catholic Church

As of 21 April 2026, the College of Cardinals comprises 243 members total, of whom 119 are eligible to vote in a papal conclave (Wikipedia – List of current cardinals). The most recent consistory was held on 7 December 2024, when Pope Francis created 21 new cardinals, including 20 electors (Wikipedia – current cardinal list).

The 243 figure includes three orders: Cardinal Bishops (who hold major see positions), Cardinal Priests ( priests serving in title churches), and Cardinal Deacons. Only those under age 80 may vote in a conclave. When Cardinal Juan José Omella turned 80 on 21 April 2026, he lost his elector status, bringing the current eligible total to 119 (Wikipedia – current cardinal list).

Total cardinals

The 243 total cardinals come from 92 countries, with 66 of those nations having at least one voting cardinal. Italy leads with 50 total cardinals, followed by the United States with 16, and Spain with 13 (World Population Review – cardinal counts by country). The Vatican Press confirms the official count of cardinals from 92 countries and 66 with electors (Vatican Press – official composition data).

Cardinal electors

Italy has 17 voting cardinals, the most of any country, followed by the United States with 9 electors (World Population Review – cardinal counts by country). Brazil has 8 total cardinals with 7 electors, while France has 7 total with 5 electors. Spain rounds out the top tier with 13 total cardinals but only 3 electors, reflecting the age demographics of its college members.

Pew Research Center analysis shows that Europe accounts for 40% of all electoral cardinals, despite representing only 21% of the global Catholic population (Pew Research – Francis impact on cardinal composition). Meanwhile, Latin America and the Caribbean hold 18% of the electoral spots while being home to 41% of the world’s Catholics.

Recent changes

Pope Francis has appointed cardinals from 72 nations during his pontificate, including first-time countries like Mongolia (NC Register – countries with most representation). Under his tenure, Asia-Pacific representation among electors has risen to 18%, up from 10% in the 2013 conclave. Sub-Saharan Africa’s share has similarly grown from 8% to 12% (Pew Research – Francis impact on cardinal composition).

The 2013 conclave had 115 electors, with Italy holding 28 of those positions—a proportion that has since dropped significantly as Francis diversified the college.

Composition of Cardinals according to geographical region

The geographical distribution of cardinals reflects centuries of European-rooted church governance, but Pope Francis has accelerated a meaningful shift toward global representation.

By continent

• Europe: 40% of electoral cardinals, but only 21% of global Catholics
• Latin America & Caribbean: 18% of electors, yet 41% of global Catholics
• Asia-Pacific: 18% of electors, up from 10% in 2013
• Sub-Saharan Africa: 12% of electors, up from 8% in 2013

These figures, compiled by Pew Research Center, show a church slowly realigning its power base with where its faithful actually live (Pew Research – Francis impact on cardinal composition).

By country

Italy’s dominance is striking: 50 total cardinals and 17 electors make it the single most-represented nation. The United States has 16 total cardinals with 9 electors, while Brazil has 8 total with 7 electors (World Population Review – cardinal counts by country). Spain, France, Germany, and Poland round out significant European representation.

Some countries with tiny Catholic populations punch above their weight. Mongolia has 1 elector for just 1,116 Catholics—the best proportional representation of any country (NC Register – countries with most representation). Pakistan and Iran similarly have electoral representation despite having among the world’s smallest Catholic communities.

Elector distribution

The current 119 electors come from 66 countries, per Vatican Press data (Vatican Press – official composition data). By contrast, the 2013 conclave had only 115 electors from fewer nations, with Italy alone holding 28 positions. The US had 11 electors in 2013—the largest American contingent in election history—while Canada had 3 (Inside the Vatican – 2013 elector breakdown).

The Pillar Catholic reports that a potential 2025 conclave could see 135 electors, which would be the largest in modern history (The Pillar – elector projections), though this projection depends on the timing of any future papal election.

How much does a cardinal get paid?

Cardinal salaries are not publicly disclosed in detail, but the Vatican operates on a budget that determines stipends for clergy. In 2020, Pope Francis implemented a 10% pay cut for cardinals amid financial pressures on the Holy See.

Base salary

The base monthly stipend for a cardinal is reportedly around €3,000–€4,000, though this varies based on duties and residence. Vatican officials receive housing allowances and operational support. The BBC reported that the 2020 pay reduction affected all Vatican employees drawing Vatican-provided salaries, including cardinals (BBC News – Vatican pay cuts).

Recent cuts

The pandemic-era cuts came as Vatican finances faced shortfalls. Cardinal stipends were reduced by 10% as part of a broader austerity package. The cuts applied to anyone receiving a Vatican-provided salary above a certain threshold, with cardinals being the highest-profile affected group.

Additional benefits

Beyond base salary, cardinals serving in Rome often receive housing in Vatican-owned properties, travel allowances, and administrative support. Those serving in national churches typically receive support from their dioceses rather than the Vatican directly.

The NC Register noted that cardinals from countries with small Catholic populations—like Pakistan, Iran, and Mongolia—may face additional financial pressures, as their national churches are often among the smallest and least resourced globally (NC Register – countries with most representation).

The implication is that cardinals from wealthier nations can absorb stipend reductions more easily than those whose national churches depend heavily on Vatican support.

What is higher than a cardinal?

Within the Catholic Church hierarchy, the Pope stands above all cardinals. The cardinals themselves form the College of Cardinals, which is the body that elects the Pope—but once elected, the Pope holds supreme authority.

Church hierarchy

• Pope: Supreme authority; bishop of Rome; leader of the worldwide Catholic Church
• Cardinal Bishops: The highest rank among cardinals; many serve as suburbicarian bishops or hold Curia positions
• Cardinal Priests: Titular bishops assigned to churches in Rome; the largest group
• Cardinal Deacons: The lowest rank; many serve in Vatican departments

Roles above cardinal

Only the Pope ranks above a cardinal in ecclesiastical authority. The Pope appoints cardinals, convenes consistories, and can remove voting privileges by requiring resignation upon reaching age 80. There is no intermediate rank between Pope and cardinal, though within the cardinalate itself, Cardinal Bishops hold seniority over priests and deacons.

Pope’s role

The Pope serves as the head of the College of Cardinals but is not a member of it in the strict canonical sense. He alone can create new cardinals and determine when a papal conclave occurs. The College of Cardinals exercises its primary function only during a vacancy in the papacy.

What this means is that the 119 current electors wield enormous power only during a papal transition, while their day-to-day influence depends entirely on the current Pope’s management style and trust.

How many cardinals are there in Ireland?

Ireland’s representation in the College of Cardinals has diminished significantly in recent decades. As of 2026, there are fewer Irish cardinals with voting eligibility than in previous generations.

Current Irish cardinals

The most notable current Irish cardinal is Cardinal Seán Baptist Brady, who served as Primate of All Ireland until his resignation in 2014. Whether he remains an elector depends on his age relative to the 80-year threshold. The FIU Cardinals database tracks elector counts by nation and provides historical context for changes in regional representation (FIU Cardinals – national elector tracking).

Historical context

Ireland historically had multiple cardinals, reflecting the country’s strong Catholic identity and large seminary system. However, as older cardinals have passed away or exceeded the voting age threshold, and as the Church in Ireland has faced declining priestly ordinations, the country’s electoral influence within the College has diminished.

Notable figures

Beyond Cardinal Brady, Ireland has produced several notable cardinals in recent Church history. The country’s reduced representation mirrors broader trends in Western Europe, where aging rosters and lower ordination rates have diminished electoral strength compared to Africa and Asia, where Pope Francis has focused recent appointments.

Key facts table

Eight countries account for significant cardinal populations, with Italy leading and the United States close behind.

The catch is that Spain’s 13 total cardinals translate to only 3 electors, meaning age demographics skew heavily toward non-voting members—a pattern that reduces Spain’s actual influence in any conclave despite its large nominal representation.

“Pope Francis during his 12-year pontificate elevated a large majority of the current cardinal-electors, some of whom serve countries with very small Catholic populations, such as Pakistan, Iran and Mongolia.”

— NC Register – countries with most representation

“Vatican data from 2022 shows that 21% of the global Catholic population lives in Europe, so the continent remains heavily overrepresented among all voting cardinals.”

— Pew Research – Francis impact on cardinal composition

“The 11 US cardinals who will participate in the conclave to elect a successor to Pope Benedict XVI match the largest US group in election history.”

— Inside the Vatican – 2013 elector breakdown

The College of Cardinals stands at a historical inflection point. Pope Francis has appointed electors from 72 nations, fundamentally reshaping the college’s geographic identity compared to the 2013 conclave when Europe held over half the electoral seats. For those tracking global Catholicism’s center of gravity, the 119 current electors represent a church in transition.

For the Church’s global faithful—particularly in Africa and Asia where Catholic communities are growing fastest—the question of who will elect the next Pope carries concrete stakes. Any conclave will draw from a more globally diverse electorate than at any point in modern history, though European overrepresentation persists relative to Catholic population share.

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Among the 243 cardinals, the 119 electors under 80 convene for papal selection, as detailed in Vatican conclave analysis following Pope Francis’s recent passing.

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