This photo taken and handout on May 18, 2025 by The Vatican Media shows Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle putting the Fisherman's Ring on a finger of Pope Leo XIV during a Holy Mass for the beginning of his pontificate, in St. Peter's Square in The Vatican. Handout / VATICAN MEDIA / AFP 

MANILA (UPDATED) — Fresh from the high media mileage of transitioning from one pope to another, social media remains ripe with ecclesial conversations wrapped in memes and trending TikTok posts.

So when news from the Vatican about a new title bestowed on the Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle came out, many on social media were more than happy to celebrate "a new milestone" for the prelate now popularly known online as "Cardi T" — a play on the cardinal's name and popular American rapper Cardi B.

A Vatican communique on Saturday announced that Pope Leo XIV has assigned Tagle the suburbicarian church of Albano as his titular church.

Pope Leo XIV appoints Cardinal Tagle as new titular bishop of Albano, Italy 

NO ROLE IN OVERSEEING DIOCESE

While several bloggers and content creators have framed it as a "new position", it is technically not.  

It is also not a promotion.

Tagle's role as titular of Albano is mainly honorary and ceremonial.

Albano, one of the suburbicarian sees associated with cardinal bishops, has its own bishop.

The incumbent bishop of the Diocese of Albano is Bishop Vincenzo Viva. As a diocesan bishop, he has full jurisdiction over the ecclesial territory.

Tagle, on the other hand, has no role in overseeing the diocese.

Tagle's main role in the Vatican is being a prefect, similar to a secretary or minister of a department in a secular government.

The Filipino cardinal, at present, is the pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization in the section for New Evangelization and the new particular Churches.

Cardinal Tagle celebrates Mass with Filipino faithful at his titular church in Rome

Pope Benedict XVI created Tagle as a cardinal in 2012 while he was archbishop of Manila.

At the time of his accession to the College of Cardinals, Tagle was assigned the rank of cardinal priest and given the titular church of San Felice da Cantalice a Centocelle.

RANKS AMONG CARDINALS

There are three ranks among cardinals: cardinal bishops, cardinal priests, and cardinal deacons.

Cardinal deacons are mostly officers of the Roman Curia, while cardinal priests are typically bishops and archbishops who work in various dioceses and archdioceses across the world.

Cardinal bishops, the highest among the ranks, are the most senior in Rome or are patriarchs of Eastern Catholic Churches.

All cardinals, except the patriarchs, are given titular churches in Rome to further highlight their special connection to the pontiff.

It is also a toss back to ancient times when cardinals were chosen from among Roman priests.

Cardinal bishops are traditionally assigned to one of the suburbicarian sees: Ostia, Velletri–Segni, Porto–Santa Rufina, Frascati, Palestrina, Albano, and Sabina–Poggio Mirteto.

The dean of the College of Cardinals is a special case. Aside from his assigned titular church, he is also automatically given the suburbicarian see of Ostia.

Pope Francis and Archbishop Cardinal Antonio Tagle gesture as they converse with a family headed by a deaf-mute couple at the Mall of Asia Arena on January 16, 2015.  Josh Albelda, ABS-CBN News/File

In 2020, Pope Francis raised Tagle to the rank of cardinal bishop but did not assign him to one of the suburbicarian churches.

Meanwhile, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, the future Pope Leo XIV, was promoted by Francis to the rank of cardinal bishop weeks before he died.

Serving as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops at that time, he was assigned to the church of Albano.

As Prevost is now Pope Leo XIV, he has assigned his old titular church to Tagle.

STATUS QUO BUT MOVEMENTS, APPOINTMENTS MAY FOLLOW

For now, all positions in the Roman Curia remain the status quo, as ordered by Pope Leo XIV.

Technically, curial roles lapsed upon the death of Francis.

Hence, one of the first orders of Pope Leo XIV was to reconfirm all the heads and members of the institutions of the Roman Curia, including Tagle.

Traditionally, popes wait for a significant amount of time before replacing or moving appointments of their predecessor. 

Soon, Pope Leo XIV is expected to make crucial appointments, including his successor as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops — a significant post given its role in appointing bishops all over the world and could help shape his papacy.

Meanwhile, some curial positions are held by cardinals who are already past or nearing the retirement age hence replacement is also in line.

Aside from being pro-prefect, Tagle is also a member of several departments and institutions, including dicasteries for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Legislative Texts, Inter-religious Dialogue, and the Oriental Churches.

He is also member of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See and the Council of the Section for Relations with States and International Organizations of the Secretariat of State.

Even without the new title, Tagle's position as one of the highest-ranking officials in the Vatican was already secured, making him one of the key figures to watch in the new Leonine papacy. 

RELATED VIDEO