Orders, decorations, and medals of the Holy See

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The orders, decorations, and medals of the Holy See include titles, chivalric orders, distinctions and medals honoured by the Holy See, with the Pope as the fount of honour, for deeds and merits of their recipients to the benefit of the Holy See, the Catholic Church, or their respective communities, societies, nations and the world at large.

Contents

Some of these honours are defunct or currently dormant, while some are still actively conferred.

Chivalric orders

Papal orders of knighthood or Pontifical orders of knighthood are orders of knighthood bestowed in the name of the Pope of the Catholic Church by his authority as head of the Holy See and sovereign of the Vatican City State. Historically, membership in these orders was either conferred by Papal bulls not signed by the Pope or by apostolic letters signed by the Pope himself. Since the reforms of these orders in the beginning of the 20th century, the diplomas have been signed by the Cardinal Secretary of State.

The Papal Orders of Knighthood comprise five orders awarded directly by the Holy See and two others which it 'recognises and supports': the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. (The term equestrian in this context refers to the nature of these orders as knightly – conferring knighthood on members – derived from the Equestrians (Equites), a social class of Ancient Rome.)

Of the papal orders, the highest and most infrequently awarded is the Supreme Order of Christ; the second order is the equally rare Order of the Golden Spur; the third is the Order of Pius IX; the fourth is the Order of Saint Gregory the Great; and the fifth is the Order of Saint Sylvester.

Supreme Order of Christ

Tracing its origins to the dissolution of the Knights Templar, the Military Order of Our Lord Jesus Christ was established in 1319 in the Kingdom of Portugal and recognised by the Papal bull Ad ea ex quibus of 15 March 1319 of Pope John XXII. [1] Some historians claim that under the terms of Ad ea ex quibus, the Popes instituted the right to award the membership of the Order themselves, though its text does not explicitly treat of this right. [2] The position of the Catholic Church is that the Pope is the head of every religious order, and thus he can grant admission to these orders without the permission of their superiors general. [3] The awarding of the Pope of the Supreme Order of Christ motu proprio brought the Papacy and the Crown of Portugal into conflict on several occasions, as the King of Portugal believed himself to be the only legitimate fons honorum of the Order. Protests regarding this conflict were made to Rome as late as 1825. [1]

During a reorganisation of the Papal orders in 1905, Pope Pius X rendered the Supreme Order of Christ as the most senior Papal honour. On 15 April 1966, in the Papal bull Equestres ordinis, Pope Paul VI limited the award to Roman Catholic heads of state in commemoration of significant events that the Pope personally attended. The most recent presentation of the Order was to Frà Angelo de Mojana, 77th Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, in 1987. The last living member of the Order was King Baudouin of Belgium, who died in 1993. [4]

Order of the Golden Spur/Militia

The second highest Papal order is the Order of the Golden Spur, also denominated the "Order of the Golden Militia". There is a lack of clear historical evidence of its foundation, but it is certain that it is the oldest of the Papal Orders. Broad authority to grant the Order diminished its prestige, and led Pope Gregory XVI to place the Order under the patronage of the Order of St. Sylvester in 1841. As part of this reorganization, the Pope limited the ability to grant the Order and revoked the appointments of those who were not granted it by Papal brief. In 1905 Pope Pius X separated the Order from the Order of St. Sylvester, establishing it as the Order of the Golden Militia. [3] He also limited the number of knights to one hundred. A Papal bull of 1966 further limited it to Christian sovereigns and heads of state. That bull also denominated it the "Order of the Golden Militia", but the Annuario Pontificio lists it under two names, both as the "Order of the Golden Spur" and as the "Order of the Golden Militia". [5] Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg was the last living knight of the Order. [6]

Order of Pius IX

The third highest Papal order is the Order of Pius IX, founded on 17 June 1847 by Pope Pius IX. [3] The Order of Pius IX is the highest Papal order currently awarded. [7] There previously existed an Order of Pian Knights, founded in the 16th century, which later fell into abeyance. It is not related to this order. The Order of Pius IX is the first of the Papal Orders, by order of precedence, to include different grades. The highest grade is the Collar, followed by the Grand Cross, Commander with Star, Commander, and Knight. The Order may be presented to non-Catholic Christians and to non-Christians. [5]

Order of Saint Gregory the Great

The fourth highest Papal order is the Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great. Pope Gregory XVI established the order on 1 September 1831 by the Papal brief Quod summis. It is awarded in four classes, with military and civil divisions. It was initially founded to reward meritorious civic or military service to the Papal States. [3] Through the reforms of 1905, the Order was modified so that the classes paralleled those of the Order of Pius IX, excluding the collar. The Order is currently awarded for conspicuous service to the Catholic Church, without regard to religious affiliation. [5] These awards are typically given premised on recommendations from bishops or Papal nuncios for specific services rendered to the Catholic Church. Membership in the Order of St. Gregory the Great does not carry the religious obligations of the military orders, making it the preferred award of merit for individual service to the Catholic Church. Since 1994, women have been appointed as "dames" in the same classes as men. [8]

Order of Saint Sylvester

The fifth highest Papal order is the Order of St. Sylvester. In 1841, Pope Gregory XVI reformed the Order of the Golden Spur as an order of merit, with recipients appointed by Papal brief. This reformed order was known as the "Order of St. Sylvester and the Golden Militia". The reforms of 1905 resulted in the separation of that order into the Order of St. Sylvester and the Order of the Golden Spur. [3] The Order of St. Sylvester is presented in the same classes and grades as the Order of St. Gregory the Great, and is typically awarded to recognize and reward members of the laity for active service in the apostolates. It may also be presented to non-Catholics. [5]

Orders under the protection of the Holy See

The term Papal Orders of Knighthood officially includes the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre, a religious order of chivalry, as it is under the direct protection of the Pope, who is sovereign of the order, and which has a Cardinal as Grand Master. The Order is headquartered in the Vatican City State.

Several military religious orders were established at the time of, and since, the Crusades. Of these, only the Order of the Holy Sepulchre and the Order of Malta are recognised by the Holy See. [9]

The Sovereign Military Order of Malta is a sovereign order of chivalry. The Order and the Holy See exchange ambassadors. The Pope is not Sovereign of the Order nor does he appoint members to the ranks of knighthood. He is, however, the first to be informed following the election of the Grand Master and appoints a Cardinal Protector of the Order. The Grand Master, a lay professed religious, ranks as a Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church and his accorded the title Eminent Highness and Prince.

Order of the Holy Sepulchre

The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem traces its founding to the First Crusade, although not as an organised crusading order but an association of knights. After the fall of Jerusalem in 1182, it remained an order of chivalry. In 1489, Pope Innocent VIII suppressed the Order and ruled that it was to be merged with the Knights Hospitaller. In 1496, Pope Alexander VI restored the independence of the Order, decreed that the Order would no longer be governed by the office of Custodian, and further decreed that the senior office of the Order would henceforth be raised to the rank of "Grand Master", reserving this title for himself and his successors. In 1847, Pope Pius IX reorganized the Order and placed it under the direct protection of the Holy See. In 1949, Pope Pius XII decreed that the Grand Master of the Order would henceforth be a cardinal appointed directly by the Pope, who would remain Sovereign of the Order. The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem is ex officio Grand Prior of the Order, while the lay head is the Governor-General. [10] The present Cardinal Grand Master is Fernando Filoni succeeding Edwin Frederick O'Brien, on 8 December 2019. [11]

Sovereign Military Order of Malta

The Order of Malta also traces its history to the late 11th century, but it first became a religious military order by a bull of Pope Paschal II of 1113. The Grand Master is elected by the Council Complete of State of the Order [12] and serves for life or until abdication. Before a person elected as the Grand Master takes the oath of office, the Pope must be informed of the election. [13] The Pope also appoints the Cardinal Patron and a prelate of the Order. [14]

Defunct/dormant orders

Other Catholic chivalric orders

Historically, many military orders and other chivalric orders were founded in association with the Holy See. Most of them became extinct, were suppressed, or merged with contemporary chivalric orders. Some of them survived under the protection of the Holy See as in the list above. A few of them remained as patrimony of dynastic royal houses. Some of these dynastic orders of knighthood were recognised as Roman Catholic by Papal bulls of the Holy See, and although they are no more affiliated with or protected by the Holy See, some of them are still exclusively designated for Catholics. [15]

In response to a proliferation of self-proclaimed chivalric orders claiming recognition from the Roman Catholic Church, the Holy See's Secretariat of State issued a statement clarifying that "other than its own Equestrian Orders [...] the Holy See recognises and supports only the Sovereign Military Order of Malta [...] and the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre". [16] All other self-styled chivalric orders, the statement continued, "whether of recent origin or mediaeval foundation, are not recognised by the Holy See" and "the Holy See does not guarantee their historical or juridical legitimacy, their ends or organisational structures... to prevent the continuation of abuses which may result in harm to people of good faith, the Holy See confirms that it attributes absolutely no value whatsoever to certificates of membership or insignia issued by these groups, and it considers inappropriate the use of churches or chapels for their so-called 'ceremonies of investiture'." [9]

The Teutonic Order is no longer an order of chivalry, but is a purely religious order within the Roman Church. [17] The Teutonic Order was founded as a hospital brotherhood in 1190 in Acre, Israel. In 1198, the Order became a religious military order of chivalry. However, since 1929 it has been a purely religious order of priests, brothers and sisters, with a category of 12 honorary knights and an unlimited number of associates, known as Marianer. Its headquarters are in Vienna, Austria. The current Grand Master of the Teutonic Order is Frank Bayard. [18]

Other distinctions

Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice

The medal was established in 1888 and is awarded by the Pope to members of the clergy and laity for service to the Catholic Church and the Pope. Until 1996, it was the highest Papal decoration that could be awarded to women. [19]

Benemerenti medal

The Benemerenti Medal is awarded by the Pope to members of the clergy and laity for service to the Catholic Church. The tradition can be traced back to the 18th century.

Jerusalem Pilgrim's Cross

The Jerusalem Pilgrim's Cross was established in 1901. It is an honour awarded in the name of the Pope as a recognition of merit to pilgrims to the Holy Land. [20]

Golden Rose

The Golden Rose is a gold ornament. Recipients have included churches and sanctuaries, royalty, military figures, and governments.

Defunct/dormant distinctions

Titles and honours

Political titles

Of ecclesiastical or religious authorities

Noble

Clerical

Lay members

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sovereign Military Order of Malta</span> Catholic lay religious order

The Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM), officially the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta, and commonly known as the Order of Malta or the Knights of Malta, is a Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of a military, chivalric, and noble nature. Though it possesses no territory, the order is often considered a sovereign entity under international law.

Sir is a formal honorific address in English for men, derived from Sire in the High Middle Ages. Both are derived from the old French "Sieur" (Lord), brought to England by the French-speaking Normans, and which now exist in French only as part of "Monsieur", with the equivalent "My Lord" in English.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Military order (religious society)</span> One of a variety of Christian societies of knights

A military order is a Christian religious society of knights. The original military orders were the Knights Templar, the Knights Hospitaller, the Order of the Holy Sepulchre, the Order of Saint James, the Order of Calatrava, and the Teutonic Knights. They arose in the Middle Ages in association with the Crusades, in the Holy Land, the Baltics, and the Iberian peninsula; their members being dedicated to the protection of pilgrims and Christians, as well as the defence of the Crusader states. They are the predecessors of chivalric orders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Order of the Holy Sepulchre</span> Catholic order of knighthood

The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, also called the Order of the Holy Sepulchre or Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, is a Catholic order of knighthood under the protection of the Holy See. The Pope is the sovereign of the order. The order creates canons as well as knights, with the primary mission to "support the Christian presence in the Holy Land". It is an internationally recognised order of chivalry. The order today is estimated to have some 30,000 knights and dames in 60 lieutenancies around the world. The Cardinal Grand Master has been Fernando Filoni since 2019, and the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem is ex officio the Order's Grand Prior. Its headquarters are situated at the Palazzo Della Rovere and its official church in Sant'Onofrio al Gianicolo, both in Rome, close to Vatican City. In 1994, Pope John Paul II declared the Virgin Mary as the order's patron saint under the title "Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Palestine".

The fount of honour is a person, who, by virtue of their official position, has the exclusive right of conferring legitimate titles of nobility and orders of chivalry on other persons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Order of St. Gregory the Great</span> Papal Order of Knighthood of the Holy See

The Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great was established on 1 September 1831, by Pope Gregory XVI, seven months after his election as Pope.

A dynastic order, monarchical order, or house order is an order under royal patronage. Such an order is bestowed by, as a legitimate fons honorum, a sovereign or the head of a once-sovereign ruling family. These are often considered part of the cultural patrimony of the ruling family. Dynastic orders were often founded or maintained to reward service to a monarch or their subsequent dynasty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Supreme Order of Christ</span> Order of the Holy See

The Supreme Order of Christ is the highest order of chivalry that can be awarded by the pope. No appointments have been made since 1987 and following the death in 1993 of the last remaining knight, King Baudouin of Belgium, the order became dormant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Order of the Golden Spur</span> Papal order of knighthood

The Order of the Golden Spur, officially known also as the Order of the Golden Militia, is a papal order of knighthood conferred upon those who have rendered distinguished service in propagating the Catholic faith, or who have contributed to the glory of the Church, either by feat of arms, by writings, or by other illustrious acts. With the death in 2019 of the last remaining knight, Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg, the order is considered dormant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Order of chivalry</span> Order, confraternity or society of knights

An order of chivalry, order of knighthood, chivalric order, or equestrian order is an order of knights, typically founded during or inspired by the original Catholic military orders of the Crusades and paired with medieval concepts of ideals of chivalry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand master (order)</span> Head of a knighthood

Grand Master is a title of the supreme head of various orders, including chivalric orders such as military orders and dynastic orders of knighthood.

Virgil C. Dechant was the twelfth Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus, a position he held from January 21, 1977, to September 30, 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Order of Pope Pius IX</span> Papal Order of Knighthood of the Holy See

The Order of Pope Pius IX, also referred as the Pian Order, is a papal order of knighthood originally founded by Pope Pius IV in 1560. Currently, it is the highest honor conferred by the Holy See. The awarding of the order fell into disuse and was re-instituted by Pope Pius IX as a continuation on 17 June 1847.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Order of St. Sylvester</span> Papal Order of Knighthood of the Holy See

The Pontifical Equestrian Order of Saint Sylvester, sometimes referred to as the Sylvestrine Order, or the Pontifical Order of Pope Saint Sylvester, is one of five orders of knighthood awarded directly by the Pope as Supreme Pontiff and head of the Catholic Church and as the Head of State of Vatican City. It is intended to honour Catholic laypeople who are actively involved in the life of the Church, particularly as it is exemplified in the exercise of their professional duties and mastership of the different arts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George</span> Dynastic chivalric order of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicola Canali</span> Italian cardinal

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palazzo Malta</span> Palace in Rome, Italy

Palazzo Malta, officially named as the Magistral Palace, and also known as Palazzo di Malta or Palazzo dell'Ordine di Malta, is the more important of the two headquarters of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, a Roman Catholic lay religious order and a sovereign subject of international law. It is located in Via dei Condotti, 68 in Rome, Italy, a few minutes' walk from the Spanish Steps, and has been granted extraterritoriality by the Italian Government. The Palace has been a property of the Order of Malta since 1630.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orders, decorations, and medals of Italy</span> Prizes from the Italian Government

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Order of Saint Lazarus (statuted 1910)</span> Charitable order

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">John T. Dunlap</span> Prince & Grand Master of the Order of Malta

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References

  1. 1 2 de Bragança, José Vicente. "The Military Order of Christ and the Papal Croce di Cristo". Portuguese Military Orders. Archived from the original on 6 May 2008. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
  2. ↑ Sainty, Guy Stair. "The Papal Orders". Chivalricorders.org. Archived from the original on 11 May 2008. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Rock, P.M.J. (1913). "Pontifical Decorations"  . In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia . New York: Robert Appleton Company.
  4. ↑ Todorov, Borislav (15 April 1966). "Association of Papal Orders in Great Britain". PapalKnights.org.uk. Archived from the original on 6 March 2012. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Sainty, Guy Stair. "History of the Papal Orders". Burke's Peerage. Archived from the original on 13 August 2007. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
  6. ↑ World Orders of Knighthood & Merit. "Did you know?". wokm.co.uk. Retrieved 8 April 2012.
  7. ↑ Todorov, Borislav. "Association of Papal Orders in Great Britain". PapalKnights.org.uk. Archived from the original on 6 February 2012. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
  8. ↑ Sainty, Guy Stair (7 February 1905). "The Papal Order of Saint Gregory the Great". Chivalricorders.org. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
  9. 1 2 "Note of Clarification From the Secretariat of State". Vatican News. December 2012. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016.
  10. ↑ "Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem". Vatican City. Grand Magisterium of OESSG. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  11. ↑ "Rinunce e Nomine, 15.03.2012". press.catholica.va. Retrieved 14 April 2012.[ permanent dead link ]
  12. ↑ "Sovereign Order of Malta". Orderofmalta.int. 11 February 2018. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
  13. ↑ Constitutional Charter 1998, Article 14.
  14. ↑ "Sovereign Order of Malta". Orderofmalta.int. 11 March 2008. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  15. ↑ "Le Associazioni dei". icocregister.org.
  16. ↑ "NOTE OF CLARIFICATION FROM THE SECRETARIAT OF STATE". Order of Malta. 7 November 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  17. ↑ Deutscher Orden. "Ausschließliche Authentizität des Deutschen Ordens". deutscher-orden.at. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  18. ↑ "Deutscher Orden". Teutonic Knights . Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  19. ↑ "Ehrenzeichen (auch als ""Ehrenkreuz"" bezeichnet) ""Pro Ecclesia et Pontefice""" . Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  20. ↑ "The decoration created by Leon XIII for the Holy Land Pilgrims". custodia.org. Gerusalemme – San Salvatore Convento Francescano St. Saviour's Monastery. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
  21. ↑ Fraser, Antonia. The Wives of Henry VIII. p. 95.