camerlengo

noun

cam·​er·​len·​go ˌka-mər-ˈleŋ-(ˌ)gō 

plural camerlengos

: a cardinal who is appointed by the pope and charged with specific duties (such as certifying the pope's death and preparing a conclave) during a papal interregnum

The night before the funeral, the camerlengo presides over the closing and sealing of the coffin, in the presence of other senior cardinals.

—Nicole Winfield

Examples of camerlengo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The camerlengo places the Fisherman's Ring on the fourth finger of the pope's right hand, then kneels and kisses it. —Christopher Watson, ABC News, 8 May 2025

The cardinal camerlengo is responsible for multiple key moments in the transition to a new pope. —James Powel, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025

Conclave’s camerlengo was memorably portrayed by a reluctant Ralph Fiennes, and his real-life counterpart, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, is now the acting head of the Vatican who will be in charge of preparing for the conclave. —Emma Specter, Vogue, 22 Apr. 2025

Burial occurs within four to five days The camerlengo is tasked with arranging the funeral in accordance with instructions the pope leaves behind. —Rachel Treisman, NPR, 21 Apr. 2025

No cause of death was announced in a statement released by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Vatican camerlengo who will lead the church until a new pope is named. —Henry Chu, Los Angeles Times, 21 Apr. 2025

One of the main roles of the camerlengo is to certify the pope’s death. —Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Apr. 2025

Footage shared by Reuters shows Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, the camerlengo (acting head of the Vatican), overseeing the symbolic sealing process. —Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Apr. 2025

The camerlengo is also tasked with making practical arrangements for the conclave, to ensure the confidentiality of proceedings and orderly voting. —Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 21 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Italian, earlier with variants camarlengo, camarlingo "person charged with the financial administration of a public office, society, monastery, etc., papal official originally charged with administration of the Camera Apostolica (the papal treasury)," borrowed by uncertain mediation from the same West Germanic source as Old French cambrelenc, chamberlent chamberlain

Note: Italian camerlengo is the vernacular equivalent of camerarius, the term used in the Latin of Roman Catholic administrative documents to refer to this official.

First Known Use

1614, in the meaning defined above