What does cardinal mean. The gray cardinal - who is this? What does the expression "gray cardinal" mean? New explanatory and derivational dictionary of the Russian language, T. F. Efremova

The phrase "gray cardinal" is a mystery to many people who have not met this term. What does it mean? A high-class Catholic clergyman wearing all grey? But the "princes of the church" wear red vestments... So, the literal interpretation of the term is unacceptable here. So who is this then?

Understand this issue, find out the meaning of these words and get acquainted with specific examples from world history and Everyday life this article will help the reader.

How did the expression

The phrase has its roots in medieval France, in those days when religion and politics were still relatives, and not half-sisters. One of the most famous French characters of the 17th century is Armand Jean du Plessis, better known as Cardinal Richelieu. According to historians, this figure actually led the external and internal politics the French crown and had a tremendous influence on the king. For the scarlet colors of the vestments laid down by a clergyman of his rank, one of Richelieu's nicknames was the "Red Cardinal".

But very few people know who guided Richelieu himself. This person is known under the name Francois Leclerc du Tremblay. This is a man of noble blood who chose for himself the path of a monk of the Capuchin order, forever dressed in a gray cassock and taking the monastic name Father Joseph. It was he who led the “Richelieu Office”, an organization that kept the whole of France in fear. It was this man who carried out the most subtle and dark assignments for his patron, while caring about the final result, and not about the ways to achieve it. Father Joseph is the "gray cardinal", or "gray reverend." So he was called for the color of the Capuchin attire and his outstanding ability to conduct a political process without attracting attention to himself. The paradox is that a real cardinal catholic church du Tremblay became only in the year of his death.

"Gray Cardinal" in the paintings of artists

The painting by the French artist Jean-Leon Gerome depicts Father Joseph in modest grays calmly descending the stairs of the palace and immersed in reading. The reaction of the courtiers to his presence is amazing. Absolutely everyone, even the wealthiest people, bowed their heads in unison before the monk and tore off their hats. The monk did not honor the people bowing before him even with a fleeting glance, not paying any attention to their respect. So great was the importance of the "gray eminence" at the French court.

Another canvas depicting Father Joseph is by Charles Delo and is called Richelieu and his Cats. In addition to the red cardinal and his favorites, in a dark corner, at a table littered with papers, one can distinguish a man in a gray robe with a surprisingly concentrated and intelligent face. This is how the artist depicted the “gray cardinal”.

What does "gray cardinal" mean?

Many years have passed since the life of Father Joseph, but this expression has gained such popularity that it is still used today. The business suit has replaced the sutan, religion has ceased to play one of the main roles in politics, but the "gray cardinals" still exist.

Who is called the "gray cardinal"? This is an influential person of a greater mind, as a rule, from the category of high-ranking politicians. "Eminence Gray" is a strategist who prefers to solve his problems not directly, but through the hands of other people, while remaining in the shadows, not going on stage. This is a master puppeteer, skillfully pulling the strings of his puppets, forcing them to do their will.

"Eminence Gray" is a person who masterfully owns a number of skills, such as compromising evidence, PR, black PR, brute force through third parties, financial impact, and so on.

Examples from history

"Eminence grise" is an expression widely used in the period of modern and recent history. Let's look at a few examples.

Adolf Frederick Munch, an 18th-century Swedish politician, enjoyed the unconditional confidence of King Gustav III. On his wise advice, the Swedish monarch, in confrontation with Russian Empire launched the production of counterfeit Russian coins of high quality. The economic advantage allowed the Swedes to start military operations, which at that time brought a positive result.

Who was called the "grey eminence" in China? Shoemaker Li Lianying's son. But how did a simple poor man manage to become a “grey eminence”? Hearing that eunuchs, castrated men, enjoyed the greatest influence at the court of the emperor, the young man performed the operation himself. In the service of the emperor, a young servant colluded with one of his rejected concubines, eventually making her his beloved wife and the last empress of China.

Joseph Fouche, French police minister at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries, was a classic "gray eminence". Collecting compromising evidence on every significant figure, Fouche achieved enormous influence, while remaining in the shadows. The unique ability of this man was the ability to change patrons with such ease and naturalness, as some people take off and put on gloves. Five times he managed to survive the transfer of power from the royalists to Napoleon and all five times to remain in his high position, and, moreover, one of the favorites of the ruler.

"Grey cardinals" of the Kremlin

In the recent history of Russia, there are also figures who have received such a nickname. So, who were called the "gray cardinals" of the Kremlin?

In the first years of the third millennium, such a nickname was attached to Alexander Stalyevich Voloshin, who led the Administration of the President of Russia. In the picture taken on December 31, 1999, Voloshin is symbolically depicted behind the backs of two leaders - Boris Yeltsin and Vladimir Putin.

In the second decade of the 21st century, Vladislav Surkov began to be called such an expression. The “grey eminence” of the Kremlin, holding the position of assistant to the President, plays a crucial role in the political processes of the country. Vast experience in the media and in the field of public relations allows this person to subtly feel the conjuncture of people's mood and skillfully manage it.

Expression in music and films

In the album of the domestic rock group "Prince" there is a song with the same name. The first quatrain perfectly reveals the whole essence of the “shadow ruler”.

Secret power is the business of the smart,
And in any game you need to be able to
Get to the point, quietly and silently,
Subjugate and take over.

In the cult TV series The X-Files, not one person acts as a “shadow power”, but a whole secret government, the existence of which is unknown to ordinary people.

And board games

There are several board games that use the expression "grey eminence". For example, in the game of the same name from Russian authors Alexander Nevsky and Oleg Sidorenko, the player will have to feel himself in this difficult role. In a card game, you need to draw cards of the inhabitants of the palace from the deck: a jester, a general, a seer, a bard, an alchemist, a murderer, a judge, a king and a queen. With their help, it is necessary to gain political influence at the court. The winner of the game is the one who, at the end of the game, has the greatest "weight".

Another mention is found in another board game - Runebound. One of the skills in this game is called "Eminence Gray" and allows you to remove any enemy combat token, significantly weakening it with this action.

cardinal

m. the highest rank of the Catholic clergy, except for the pope, who is elected from among the cardinals.

Tanagra bird. Cardinals, belonging to him; cardanal, characteristic of them. Cardinal piece, khlupik, tip of fried, boiled poultry rump, kuprik. Cardinality cf. the rank of cardinal.

Explanatory dictionary of the Russian language. D.N. Ushakov

cardinal

cardinal, m. (Latin cardinalis - chief).

One of the 70 highest clergy of the Roman Catholic Church, appointed by the pope from bishops, priests and deacons, helping him in important matters and choosing from his midst a successor to the deceased pope (church.). San Cardinal. Cardinals wear a red hat and robe.

The name of the variety of red paint (special).

Name of a genus of American birds with red plumage (zool.).

Explanatory dictionary of the Russian language. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova.

cardinal

For Catholics: the highest (after the pope) spiritual rank, as well as a person who has this rank.

unchangeable The same as crimson (according to the color of the cardinal's mantle). * Gray cardinal - a person with great power, but not occupying a corresponding high position and remaining in the shadows [by the name of the monk - father Joseph, confidant, inspirer and participant in the intrigues of Cardinal Richelieu (mid-17th century)].

adj. cardinal, -th, -th (to 1 value).

cardinal

A, m. A small songbird of this family. bunting with bright red plumage in males, living in America.

New explanatory and derivational dictionary of the Russian language, T. F. Efremova.

cardinal

m. Songbird of the oatmeal family with bright red plumage in the male, living in America.

Encyclopedic Dictionary, 1998

cardinal

CARDINAL (from lat. cardinalis - chief) in the hierarchy of the Catholic Church is a clergyman, following after the pope, a step above the bishop. Cardinals are the closest advisers and assistants to the pope in the management of the church. Appointed by the Pope.

cardinal

bird of the oat family. Length approx. 20 The male is bright red. All in. America (USA, Mexico) and in the north Center. America.

cardinal

CARDINAL (false neon) is a fish of the carp family. Length up to 4 Along the body a golden stripe, the middle of the caudal fin is bright red. In fast flowing streams Yuzh. China. Aquarium fish.

Big Law Dictionary

cardinal

(from lat. cardinalis - chief) - in the hierarchy of the Catholic Church, a clergyman following the pope, a step above the bishop. K. - the closest advisers and assistants to the pope in the management of the church. Appointed by the Pope.

Cardinal

Cardinal- the highest clergyman of the Catholic Church after the Pope, belonging to any of the three degrees of priesthood. In Latin: Cardinalis sanctæ romanæ Ecclesiæ (Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church). In accordance with the 1983 Code of Canon Law, the functions of the cardinals include the election of the pope at the conclave and assistance in the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church, which they provide collegially, acting in an advisory capacity to the pope during consistories, and individually, heading departments and other permanent services of the Roman Curia and the city-state of the Vatican. Collectively, the cardinals make up the College of Cardinals (until 1983 - the Sacred College of Cardinals; despite the abolition of the epithet sacred, it is still sometimes called that), headed by the dean.

Cardinal (fish)

Cardinal- ray-finned fish of the carp family.

Cardinal (color)

Cardinal- a bright shade of red, so named because the cassocks of cardinals were dyed in it. Because of the coloring in this color, the name "cardinal" was given to a genus of birds.

Cardinal (grape)

Cardinal- American table grape variety.

Cardinal (Church of England)

Cardinal in the Church of England is a title held by two high-ranking members of the College of Minor Canons at St. Paul in London. They are known as senior and junior cardinals (Senior and Junior Cardinal). This term was used long before the English Reformation. In 1898, a complete, at that time, list of cardinals was published.

Examples of the use of the word cardinal in the literature.

But advisor Albedo doesn't date anyone but the Pope and cardinal Lurdzamisky.

Dad nodded sadly: - Now we will listen cardinal mustafa, cardinal du Noyer, Isozaki's director and Albedo's adviser, and that's it.

Your suitors, daughters of Amati, are the fingers of dukes and bankers, cardinals and margraves!

At the end of the meeting, in a hurry to return to Amiens, the king departed first, while Cardinal and both princes were delayed by some business for half an hour or a little longer.

In almost the same terms he wrote cardinals Aragon, Santicquattro, Ancona and Lavaglia.

Fiery barbs beat in transparent jars, cardinals, gourami, macropods, catfish, angelfish and cockerels.

Richelieu was groundlessly accused even of the murder of Father Joseph, who allegedly sought to become the successor cardinal.

Riesenkampf, Rajumsdal, cardinal Call, Wolf Claw, Possessed Gerla, abbot of the strays, Darkness, devils - all these are just vivid memories.

Julius appointed legate to Bologna cardinal Giovanni de Medici, wishing to keep Tuscany at gunpoint and quickly bring it under the authority of the Vatican.

Alexandra, Don Cesare, cardinal Valencia, and Don Giovanni, the standard-bearer of the Roman Church, hating each other to the point of Cain's fratricide because of unclean lust for their sister Lucrezia.

If so, Olivares probably forwarded the treaty through the French commander in Catalonia to de Breze, brother-in-law cardinal.

When Salviati and Buoninsegni wrote to him, one from Florence and the other from Rome, that the pope and cardinal discouraged by the fact that Michelangelo still did not start work on the facade, he concluded an agreement with Francesco and Bartolomeo from Torano for the extraction of fifty new wagonloads of marble, and the project of the facade made very little progress, determining only the size and shape of the blocks that were to be processed for him master masons.

And indeed: could France have been in this war otherwise, if at that time there lived cardinal, on whose orders two pendants from the Duke of Buckingham were once meanly cut off at a ball?

In the central pier stood cardinal and gazed searchingly at the newcomers with glazed eyes with eyelids sewn to the eyebrows.

CARDINAL

1. One of the 70 highest clergy of the Roman Catholic Church, appointed by the pope from bishops, priests and deacons, helping him in important matters and choosing from his midst a successor to the deceased pope (church.). San Cardinal. Cardinals wear a red hat and robe.

2. The name of the variety of red paint (special).

3. Name of a genus of American birds with red plumage (zool.).

Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov. D.N. Ushakov. 1935-1940.

Synonyms:

See what "CARDINAL" is in other dictionaries:

- (lat. cardinalis main, predominant, from cardo essence). 1) first, the title of the first minister at the court of Emperor Theodosius the Great; then the title of the most important, after the pope, spiritual. persons electing a new pope. 2) a bird from the bird department, similar, ... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

CARDINAL, a, husband. 1. For Catholics: the highest (after the pope) spiritual rank, as well as a person who has this rank. 2. unchanged The same as crimson (according to the color of the cardinal's mantle). The gray cardinal is a person who has great power, but does not occupy ... ... Explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov

Cm … Synonym dictionary

- (from lat. cardinalis chief) in the hierarchy of the Catholic Church, a clergyman following the pope, a step above the bishop. K. closest advisers and assistants to the pope in the management of the church. Appointed by the Pope... Law Dictionary

- (from the Latin cardinalis chief), in the hierarchy of the Catholic Church, a clergyman following the pope, a step above the bishop. The cardinals are the closest advisers and assistants to the pope in the management of the church. Appointed by the Pope. See also… … Modern Encyclopedia

- (from lat. cardinalis chief) in the hierarchy of the Catholic Church, a clergyman following the pope, a step above the bishop. The cardinals are the closest advisers and assistants to the pope in the management of the church. Appointed by the Pope...

A bird of the oat family. Length approx. 20 cm. The male is bright red. All in. America (USA, Mexico) and in the north Center. America... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

- (false neon) fish of the carp family. Length up to 4 cm. Along the body there is a golden stripe, the middle of the caudal fin is bright red. In fast flowing streams Yuzh. China. Aquarium fish... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

- (in Latin, chief) in the hierarchy of the Catholic Church, a clergyman following the Pope of Rome, a step above the bishop. They are appointed by the pope, being his closest advisers and assistants ... Historical dictionary

CARDINAL 1, a, m. Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949 1992 ... Explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov

Books

Cardinal Richelieu, Cherkasov Petr Petrovich, Cardinal Richelieu is perhaps the most famous French politician in Russia, but the real Richelieu is not known to us. Meanwhile, this man four centuries ago to a large extent ... Category: Politicians, businessmen Series: History. Geography. Ethnography Publisher: Lomonosov,
Cardinal, Sheng D., Stylish, gripping novel that will keep you reading all night long as you immerse yourself in its wonderful world.

Above all archbishops and bishops.

Notable offices of papal government are held by cardinals. These are:

Cardinal Camerlengo (Camerlengo) - in charge of finances and from the death of one to the choice of another pope, he holds the position of guardian of the papal throne;
cardinal vicar - deputy pope in the diocese of Rome;
cardinal vice-chancellor - chairman of the Roman chancellery;
Cardinal Secretary of State (Minister of Foreign Affairs)
Cardinal Secretary of State for Home Affairs
cardinal grand penitentiary,
Cardinal Librarian of the Vatican Library

The main external differences of the cardinal dignity:

red mantle,
red Riding Hood,
red (during mourning and fasting - purple) hat with two silk cords and tassels at the ends, which is obtained in Rome from the hands of the pope (hence: "to receive a red hat" in the sense of "to be appointed by a cardinal"),
ring,
an umbrella covered with red or purple cloth,
throne (in their own church),
coat of arms.

A complete list of cardinals can be found in the annual "La ierarchia catolica e la famiglia pontificia" published in Rome, replacing the former "Notizie per l" anno ... ", called (by typography)" Cracas ".

Used materials

Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron
List of cardinals
Complete Orthodox Bogosovsky Encyclopedic Dictionary. T. II. St. Petersburg: Publishing house of P.P. Soykin.

- "Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church"). In accordance with the 1983 Code of Canon Law, the functions of the cardinals include the election of the pope at the conclave and assistance in the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church, which they provide collegially, acting in advisory functions to the pope during consistories, and individually, heading departments and other permanent services of the Roman Curia and the city-state of the Vatican. Collectively, the cardinals make up the College of Cardinals (until 1983 - the Sacred College of Cardinals; despite the abolition of the epithet sacred, it is still sometimes called that), headed by the dean.

Ranks of cardinals

Historically, there have been three ranks of cardinals:

Title history

The history of cardinals dates back to the first century AD. e. - to the seven ancient deacons, chosen by the apostles and appointed to take care of poor Christians (Acts -6). Under the Bishop of Rome, for a long time, the tradition was preserved to elect seven privileged archdeacons, who soon concentrated enormous financial, administrative and even spiritual power in their hands, as they were directly subordinate to the pope. Moreover, the popes themselves often depended on their closest and most powerful subordinates - papal archdeacons - who began to be respectfully called cardinals. The papal archdeacons did not lose the title of cardinal even when they were promoted, ordained presbyters and, further, bishops. Over time, all cardinals began to be ordained bishops, but at the same time they receive a double (parallel) clergy. That is, those Catholic bishops who bear the title of cardinal, in whatever part of the world they head their dioceses, are necessarily assigned to one of the parish churches of the city of Rome as a simple priest or even a deacon.

Information about the cardinals

Foreigners (non-Italians) who received dignity cardinals, on the recommendation of Catholic governments and representing their sovereigns in papal elections, were called cardinals of the crown. The cardinals, together with the pope, form the Sacred College, of which the oldest cardinal-bishop is considered the dean. Forming a papal consistory, they assist him in the most important matters (causae majores). To manage a certain range of affairs, commissions are formed from the cardinals, called "congregations".

Camerlengo Cardinal ( Camerlengo) - manages finances and from the death of one to the choice of another pope, he holds the position of guardian of the papal throne;
cardinal vicar - deputy assistant to the pope in the diocese of Rome;
cardinal vice-chancellor - chairman of the Roman chancellery;
Cardinal Secretary of State - Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs,
cardinal Secretary of State for Home Affairs,
cardinal grand penitentiary,
Cardinal Librarian of the Vatican Library, etc.

Vestments and privileges

The main external differences of the cardinal rank: a red mantle, a red cap, a ring, an umbrella covered with red or purple matter, a throne (in their own church) and a coat of arms. A complete list of cardinals can be found in the annual Rome