IN PECTORE. - Reservatio i. p. is a special form of election to the cardinalitial dignity, distinct from the ordinary form, consisting in the creation and publication in Consistory of the name of the person elected (can. 233).
The exception consists in the fact that the Supreme Pontiff announces in Consistory the creation as cardinal of an ecclesiastic who has at least received priestly dignity, without, however, publishing his name, which he keeps secret. The person thus elected enjoys no privilege or right until his name has been published; once publication has taken place, the appointment as cardinal is considered to have occurred from the day of the reservatio i. p. (can. 233 § 2).
The first pope to create cardinals without publishing their names was Martino V. BIBLICA.: J. P. Kirsch, Die reservatio i. p. bei der Cardinal-creation, in Archiv für kathol. Kirchenrecht, 81 (1901), p. 421 ff.; Wernz-Vidal, II, p. 548; S. Romani, Iust. iuris canon., I, Roma 1941, p. 214; I. Chelodi-P. Ciprotti, Ius canonicum de personis, Vicenza-Trento 1942, p. 252. Vincenzo Fagiolo