TheProtopriest of the College of Cardinals (Italian:protopresbitero, and, rare,Italian:protoprete) in theCollege of Cardinals, is the firstCardinal-Priest in the order of precedence, hence directly after theCardinal-bishops.
This title is always attached to the most senior Cardinal Priest according to date of his creation. From the 17th century until the end of the 19th century, the Protopriest was usually assigned to theTitular church ofSan Lorenzo in Lucina.[1] The lastprotoprete who opted for that title wasMieczysław Halka Ledóchowski in 1896.
The protopriest has the honor of pronouncing the formal prayer for the new pope at thepapal inauguration after theprotodeacon (most seniorCardinal deacon) bestows thepallium and before theDean of the College of Cardinals (most senior Cardinal-bishop) presents theRing of the Fisherman. This last happened at the inauguration ofPope Benedict XVI in 2005,[2] but did not happen at the inauguration ofPope Francis in 2013 because the protopriest, CardinalPaulo Evaristo Arns, then 91 years old, remained in São Paulo, Brazil, and did not attend.[3][4][5][a]
CardinalMichael Michai Kitbunchu of Bangkok has been the protopriest since 14 December 2016.
