camerlengo

plural camerlengos · alternative camarlengo · alternative camerlingo

1. The cardinal who administers the Roman Catholic Church in the interregnum between Popes.

   For the conclave, the camerlengo is now responsible for ensuring an “orderly election and its privacy”, according to Universi Dominici Gregis—the apostolic constitution governing papal succession.

   2025 May 3, Amy Kazmin, Jude Webber, “The cardinal running the papal conclave”, in FT Weekend, London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 3

   1 more example

   Benedict will also stop using the so-called fisherman’s ring to seal documents. It will be destroyed by the cardinal camerlengo, the acting head of state of Vatican City during the “sede vacante,” the canon law term used when the papacy is vacant.

   2013 February 26, Gaia Pianigiani, Elisabetta Povoledo, “Benedict XVI to Be Known as Emeritus in Retirement”, in New York Times