Seeing red

This Saturday, St. Peter's will be awash in a sea of red as Pope Benedict raises 23 men to the Sacred College of Cardinals.

The red is a sign of the dignity of the office of a cardinal, signifying their willingness to act with fortitude, even to the point of the shedding of blood for the increase of the Christian faith, for peace and harmony among the people of God and for freedom and the spread of the Holy Roman Catholic Church. Let's remember them, and the Pope, in our prayers.

Cardinal robes are displayed on a tailor shop window in Rome, Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2007. 'When in doubt wear red' is a well-known fashion tip. But to a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, there's never much hesitation. Red is the color of his uniform, and the hue symbolizes a commitment to die for his church if necessary. In a formal ceremony on Saturday, 23 new 'princes of the Church' will don the crimson outfits when Pope Benedict XVI brings them into the elite circle of his closest advisers. They join a group which, when the time comes, will elect his successor from within their own ranks. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)