cardinaldeacons
Cardinal deacons are a rank within the College of Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church. They constitute the lowest of the three orders of cardinalate: cardinal deacons, cardinal priests, and cardinal bishops. Most cardinal deacons are priests who have been ordained to the diaconate; occasionally a bishop is created cardinal deacon.
When named, a cardinal deacon is assigned a deaconry, a titular church in Rome, symbolically linking him
Functions: They participate in the governance of the Church, and, if under 80, participate in papal conclaves.
Promotion: Cardinal deacons may be elevated to cardinal priests, typically after about ten years, and, in some
Notes: The role, customs, and canonical provisions regarding cardinal deacons have evolved since the early Church