Cardinals, according to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), are bishops and Vatican officials from all over the world who are personally chosen by the pope. They are recognizable by their red vestments and they elect a new pope when the time comes.

What happens when a pope is incapacitated? Is he still pope? Pope Francis' age and prolonged illness have raised questions about whether he might resign, and revived interest about how papal power is exercised.

The election of a new pope is a rigorous process involving a series of rituals that unfold in stages. First, there is the College of Cardinals. They play a major role in the election process. They are,