The coats of arms of the cardinals: this is how the papabili present themselves to the world

How to guess something more about the personality of who will be the next pope? In the age of iconic communication, the coats of arms of cardinals reveal much more than one would think. The heraldry of the princes of the Church, in fact, envisages in the insignia of each eminence a red hat - the so-called galero with 15 red tassels - that surmounts a shield where the cardinal chooses to insert some Christian symbols that are most significant to him (from the cross, to the spikenard flower, to Peter's boat) and above all a motto that will reflect the specifics of his mission. It is usually written in Latin, but it is already significant to observe that half of the eminences of France express it in French.

The cardinal electors - from today locked up in the Sistine Chapel - are 133; we have selected the most papal candidates to analyse the message with which they present themselves to the world: a graphic image and an evangelical exhortation, synthesis and heart of their vocation.