When Cardinal Desmond Connell returns to Dublin many may wonder how to address him.
The answer is simple, according to the Catholic Press Office. There is no need to bow or curtsy, which was a tradition in the past stemming from cardinals being "in essence princes of the church", according to the communications officer, Ms Brenda Drumm.
The new cardinal can be addressed in a formal manner as "Your Eminence" or in a less formal way as "Cardinal", she said.
Cardinals did not emerge until the eighth century as part of a developing system of church government.
The word comes from the Latin word cardo, meaning a hinge, because originally they were clergy of the church in Rome on whose work the central administration was said to "turn". However, cardinals are now also appointed from dioceses outside Rome.
The present College of Cardinals, as the group is called, is more international than ever. This has led to speculation that the next pope could be from South America.
Any priest can be named a cardinal, but before he is elevated he must first be ordained a bishop.
The most important collective function of cardinals is to elect the pope, but only those under 80 may attend a conclave, at which a pope is elected. Not all those elevated yesterday will have a say in who the next pope will be.
However, all other cardinals must attend a conclave unless they are ill or suffering from some other grave impediment.
A conclave is held between 15 and 20 days after the death or resignation of a pope. All those attending are bound to preserve for life the secrecy of a conclave, including who voted for whom.
During a conclave the cardinals attending are not allowed to communicate with or receive communications from the outside world. They can discuss the election of the pope but are encouraged not to form pacts between each other on who should be selected for the papacy.
Cardinals are not confined to electing one of their own number. In principle, any male Catholic who has been confirmed may be elected pope.
If the choice is a layman, he is ordained priest and bishop. If a priest, he is ordained bishop. However, no non-cardinal has been chosen for the papacy since 1378.