Who Exactly Is a Cardinal?

A Cardinal is not simply a senior church title.

Behind the red robes is often decades of formation, study, leadership, pastoral responsibility and institutional experience.

Cardinal John Onaiyekan’s journey makes that clear.

Before becoming a Cardinal, he had already spent 43 years as a priest, nearly 30 years as a bishop, earned advanced qualifications in Sacred Scripture and Biblical Theology, and served in leadership roles across Nigeria, West Africa, Africa and the wider global Church.

So when he sits in a room with political power, he is not arriving there as someone whose relevance depends on government approval.

That kind of courage is rarely built overnight.

The Church needs leaders who are formed long before they are noticed.

Explore the carousel to understand who a Cardinal really is—and why deep formation matters for Christian leadership today.