camerlengo

American  

[kam-er-leng-goh] / ˌkæm ərˈlɛŋ goʊ /

noun

Roman Catholic Church.

• camerlengos
  plural

1. the cardinal appointed treasurer of the Holy See, who, upon the death of the pope, presides over the conclave that elects the new pope.

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camerlengo British  

/ ˌkæməˈlɛŋɡəʊ, ˌkæməˈlɪŋɡəʊ /

noun

1. RC Church a cardinal who acts as the pope's financial secretary and the papal treasurer

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• camerlengos
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of camerlengo

1615–25; < Italian camerlingo < Germanic; akin to Old High German chamarlinc chamberlain

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

camerlengo

During this time, Cardinal Kevin Farrell is acting as the cardinal camerlengo, a person appointed by the pope and tasked with certain duties during the transition to a successor, NPR reported.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 22, 2025

Normally, the camerlengo has the role of officially confirming the pope's death, traditionally by tapping his head three times with a small silver hammer and calling out his name.

From BBC ● Dec. 29, 2022

The camerlengo has no role or duties if the pope is merely sick or otherwise incapacitated.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 6, 2021

What matters today is that the camerlengo bails out just before the chopper explodes and, wearing a parachute, floats celestially to the basilica roof, where he kneels in prayer and is proclaimed a hero-savior.

From Washington Post ● Dec. 8, 2020

As cardinal camerlengo, the pope's chamberlain, you could bring before the pope a traveler from far away whose testimony might influence his decisions about the Tartars.

From The Saracen: Land of the Infidel by Robert Shea

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