Religion: Red Hats

The Pope, a slow figure in white, entered the great Hall of the Consistory in Rome last week. Cardinals, patriarchs, archbishops, bishops, abbots waited in silence as he came among them, made a prayer to the Holy Ghost, as he spoke on affairs of his Church.

At last, Pope and cardinals were left to secret consistory for the actual naming of the four new cardinals whom the Pope had recently mentioned (TIME, Dec. 12, 1927), and of a fifth one.

To the College of Cardinals His Holiness named:

Raymond Rouleau, to be archbishop of Quebec and Cardinal; and asked: "Has anyone anything to say?" The cardinals severally raised their red caps in silent & formal assent.

Pedro Segura y Saenz, to be archbishop of Toledo and Cardinal; and again asked: "Has anyone anything to say?" Again the cardinals severally raised their red caps in silent & formal assent.

Alexis Henry Lepicier, to be titular bishop of Tarsus and Cardinal; and again asked: "Has anyone anything to say?" Again the cardinals severally raised their red caps in silent & formal consent.

Charles Binet, to be archbishop of Besancon and Cardinal; and again asked: "Has anyone anything to say?" Again the cardinals severally raised their red caps in silent & formal consent.

Justinian Szeredy, to be archbishop of Gran and Cardinal; and again asked: "Has anyone anything to say?" Again the cardinals severally raised their red caps in silent & formal consent.

Later in the week took place the public consistory at which Cardinals Rouleau, Binet, Lepicier and Szeredy received the great rolled-brim hats of their princely ranks. (Cardinal Segura y Saenz could not attend in person; will receive his hat at a later date.)

On this occasion His Holiness referred with special affection to Cardinal Szeredy, calling him the "Benjamin" of the Sacred College of Cardinals. That was because Cardinal Szeredy, 43, is the youngest member of the Sacred College.

Benjamin was Jacob's youngest son (there were eleven others). But Benjamin was not his original name. Rachel, before she died in giving him birth, called him Benoni, which in Hebrew means "son of my sorrow." Widower Jacob renamed the baby Benjamin; "Child of my right hand."