View source for Papal household

{{Short description|Collection of personal papal dignitaries}}
[[File:Christopher de Paus.JPG|thumb|[[Christopher de Paus|Christopher, Count de Paus]] (1862–1943), in the court dress of a [[papal chamberlain]]; he was a chamberlain to popes [[Pope Benedict XV|Benedict XV]], [[Pope Pius XI|Pius XI]] and [[Pope Pius XII|Pius XII]]]]
The '''papal household''' or '''pontifical household''' (usually not capitalized in the media and other nonofficial use,<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/whos-that-with-pope-francis-the-seven-kinds-of-people-you-meet-in-a-papal-entourage/2015/09/22/545822fc-5e30-11e5-9757-e49273f05f65_story.html Who’s that with Pope Francis? The seven kinds of people you meet in a papal entourage], Washington Post</ref> {{Langx|la|Pontificalis Domus}}), called until 1968 the '''Papal Court''' (''Aula Pontificia''),<ref>[https://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/motu_proprio/documents/hf_p-vi_motu-proprio_19680328_pontificalis-domus_lt.html Motu proprio ''Pontificalis Domus'', introductory paragraphs 5 and 6]; [https://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/motu_proprio/documents/hf_p-vi_motu-proprio_19680328_pontificalis-domus_it.html Italian translation of the document]</ref> consists of dignitaries who assist the [[pope]] in carrying out particular ceremonies of either a religious or a civil character.

It is organised into two bodies: the Papal Chapel (''Cappella Pontificia''), which assists the pope in his functions as the spiritual head of the church, especially in religious ceremonies; and the Papal Family or Household (''Familia Pontificia''), which assists him as head of a juridical body with civil functions.<ref>''Pontificalis Domus'', introductory paragraph 5 and section 4</ref>

==Modern organisation==
The Papal Household is a section of the [[Roman Curia]]. The [[Prefecture of the Papal Household]] is the office in charge of the Papal Household.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=9JmhEAAAQBAJ&dq=Prefecture+of+the+Papal+Household&pg=PT75 Noonan, James-Charles. ''The Church Visible: The Ceremonial Life and Protocol of the Roman Catholic Church'', Union Square, 2012, no pagination] {{ISBN|9781402790867}}</ref>

===Papal Chapel===
The Papal Chapel consists of ecclesiastics who participate in religious ceremonies wearing their liturgical vestments or the dress proper to their rank and office.<ref name="ReferenceA">''Annuario Pontificio'' 2013 (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2013 {{ISBN|978-88-209-9070-1}}), p. 1850</ref>

Historically, chanted divine service was held daily in the papal palace, with the Pope in person celebrating or assisting at Pontifical Mass on certain days. After the return of the popes from [[Avignon Papacy|Avignon]], these solemn public functions were held in the [[Sistine Chapel]] or, on days of special solemnity, in [[Saint Peter's Basilica]]. The liturgical celebration ceased to be daily in the course of the nineteenth century.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> The [[motu proprio]] ''[[Pontificalis Domus]]'' of 1968 abolished some of the titles borne by various groups that had membership in the Papal Chapel.{{efn|The ''Annuario Pontificio'' of 1863 listed the membership of the Papal Chapel of that time on pages 343-366.<ref name="AP1863">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O_AQAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA362|title=Annuario pontificio|date=1863|language=it}}</ref>}} At present its membership consists of the ecclesiastical members of the Papal Family in the narrow sense (''Familia Pontificalis'', not ''Domus Pontificalis'') and in addition:<ref name="Annuario2023">{{cite book | title=Annuario Pontificio per l'anno 2023 | location=Vatican City| publisher=Libreria editrice Vaticana| date=2023 | language=Italian| isbn=978-88-266-0797-9}}</ref>{{rp|1232–1233}}
# The [[College of Cardinals]]
# The [[patriarch]]s
# The [[archbishop]]s who head dicasteries of the [[Roman Curia]]
# The [[Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church|Vice Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church]]
# The secretaries of the dicasteries of the [[Roman Curia]]
# The regent of the [[Apostolic Penitentiary]]
# The secretary of the [[Apostolic Signatura|Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura]]
# The dean of the Tribunal of the [[Roman Rota]]
# The superiors of the pontifical commissions
# The [[abbot]] of [[Montecassino]] and the abbots general of [[canons regular]] and [[monastic orders]]
# The superior general or, in his absence, the procurator general of the [[mendicant orders]]
# The [[Auditor (ecclesiastical)|prelate auditors]] of the Tribunal of the [[Roman Rota]]
# The members of the [[chapter (religion)|chapters]] of the [[Basilica of Saint Peter|Vatican Basilica]], the [[Saint John Lateran|Lateran Archbasilica]], and the [[Basilica of Saint Mary Major|Liberian Basilica]]
# The parish priests (pastors) of Rome
# The (two) clerics of the Papal Chapel
# Those in the personal service of the Pope

===Papal Family (''Familia Pontificalis'')===
The members of this body are subdivided into two groups: ecclesiastic and lay.{{efn|For the membership in 1863, see pages 367-392 of the ''[[Annuario Pontificio]]'' of that year.)<ref name=AP1863/>}}

The ecclesiastics who have membership are:{{r|Annuario2023|p=1233}}

# The [[Secretariat of State (Holy See)#Substitute for General Affairs|Substitute]] of the [[Cardinal Secretary of State|Secretariat of State]]
# The [[Section for Relations with States|Secretary for Relations with States]]
# The [[Dicastery for the Service of Charity#Papal almoner|Almoner of His Holiness]]
# The President of the [[Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy]]
# The [[Theologian of the Pontifical Household]]
# The College of the [[Protonotary apostolic|Apostolic Protonotaries]] Participating
# The Supernumerary Apostolic Protonotaries
# The Papal [[Master of ceremonies|Masters of Ceremonies]] ([[Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff]])
# The [[Prelate of Honour of His Holiness|Honorary Prelates]] of His Holiness
# The [[Chaplain of His Holiness|Chaplains of His Holiness]]
# The [[Preacher of the Papal Household]]

The lay members are:<ref>{{cite book | title =Annuario Pontificio | date=2013 | publisher =Libreria Editrice Vaticana | isbn=978-88-209-9070-1 | page=1253}}</ref>

# [[Prince assistant to the papal throne|Assistants at the Throne]]
# The General Counsellor of the State of [[Vatican City]]
# The Commandant of the [[Swiss Guard|Papal Swiss Guard]]
# The Counsellors of the State of Vatican City
# The President of the [[Pontifical Academy of Sciences]]
# The [[Papal gentleman|Gentlemen of His Holiness]]
# The [[Procurator (Catholic canon law)|Procurator]]s of the Apostolic Palaces
# The [[Attaché]]s of the Antechamber
# Those in the personal service of the Pope
# The [[Valet de chambre|Aide de chambre]]
# The [[Dean (Christianity)|Dean]] of the Hall of the Papal Antechamber

==History==

===Papal Court===
By the late Middle Ages it was the most sophisticated bureaucracy in Europe.<ref>[https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780198662624.001.0001/acref-9780198662624 ''The Oxford Dictionary of the Middle Ages'', (Robert E. Bjork, ed.) OUP, 2010] {{ISBN|9780198662624}}</ref> In the [[Papal States]], from medieval times, the [[papal nobility]] formed a part of the Papal Court. The roles and positions in the papal household and court evolved and changed over time, and included hostiarii, [[vestararius]], ''vicedominus'', ''nomenclator'', ''cubiculario'' (chamberlain), ''sacellarius, praelatini palatini, bibliothecarius, scutiferi, cancellarius,'' protonotaries'', primicerius, secundicerius, defensor, and many more.''<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1j0pt7h |title=The History of Courts and Procedure in Medieval Canon Law |date=2016 |publisher=Catholic University of America Press |doi=10.2307/j.ctt1j0pt7h |jstor=j.ctt1j0pt7h |isbn=978-0-8132-2904-1}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Visceglia |first=Maria Antonietta |url=https://brill.com/view/book/edcoll/9789004206236/Bej.9789004206229.i-444_012.xml |title=The Pope's Household And Court In The Early Modern Age |date=2011-01-01 |publisher=Brill |isbn=978-90-04-20623-6 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Noble |first=Thomas F. X. |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/10100806 |title=The Republic of St. Peter : the birth of the Papal State, 680-825 |date=1984 |isbn=0-8122-7917-4 |location=Philadelphia |oclc=10100806}}</ref>

===Reform of Paul VI===
{{main|Pontificalis Domus}}

On March 28, 1968, [[Pope Paul VI]] reorganized the Papal Court with an apostolic letter ''motu proprio'', renaming it the "Papal Household" ({{langx|la|Pontificalis Domus}}). In changing the name from what it had been for some centuries, Paul VI said he was returning an "original and noble" name.<ref name="PDintr">''Pontificalis Domus'', Introduction.</ref> Moreover, many positions were consolidated into new ones or altogether abolished. According to the ''motu proprio'': "Many of the offices entrusted to members of the Papal Household were deprived of their function, continuing to exist as purely honorary positions, without much correspondence to concrete needs of the times."<ref name="PDintr"/>

In the Papal Chapel, the following positions were altered or suppressed: Palatine Cardinals (''Cardinali Palatini''); prelates ''di fiocchetto''; [[Prince Assistants to the Papal Throne|Prince-Assistants to the Throne]] (''Principi assistenti al Soglio''); [[Papal majordomo|Majordomo of His Holiness]]; the Interior Minister; Commander of ''[[Santo Spirito in Sassia|Santo Spirito]]''; Roman Magistrate; Master of the Sacred Apostolic Hospice; Chamberlains of Honor ''in abito paonazzo''; Secret Chaplains and Secret Chaplains of Honor; Secret Clerics; Confessor of the Pontifical Family; Candle-Carrying Acolytes (''Ceroferari''); Guardian of the Sacred Tiara; Mace-Bearer; and [[Cursores|Apostolic Messenger]] (''Cursori Apostolici'').<ref>''Pontificalis Domus'' 6, §4.</ref> Of these offices, the suppressed offices of Secret Chaplain and Secret Chaplain of Honor, Secret Cleric, Acolyte ''Ceroferari'', Common Papal Chaplain, and Porter-Masters of the ''Virga Rubea'' were consolidated under the general title of "Cleric of the Papal Chapel".<ref>''Pontificalis Domus'' 6, §5.</ref>

The Papal Family underwent even more radical changes. Abolished and considered were the following titles: the Palatine prelates (i.e., Majordomo of His Holiness, Master of the Chamber [''Maestro di Camera''], Auditor of His Holiness); [[Grand Master of the Sacred Apostolic Hospice|Master of the Sacred Apostolic Hospice]]; the [[Hereditary Quartermaster General of the Sacred Apostolic Palace]] (''Foriere Maggiore''); [[Master of the Horse]] to His Holiness (''Cavallerizzo Maggiore di Sua Santità''); [[Postmaster|General Superintendent of Posts]]; the Keepers of the [[Golden Rose]]; Secretary to Embassies; ''Esente'' of the Noble Guard of Service; Chamberlains of Honor ''in abito paonazzo''; Chamberlains of Honor ''extra Urbem''; Secret Chaplains and Secret Chaplains of Honor; Secret Chaplains of Honor ''extra Urbem''; Secret Clerics; Common Papal Chaplains; Confessor of the Pontifical Family; and Secret Steward (''Scalco Segreto'').<ref>''Pontificalis Domus'' 7, §3.</ref>

The Master of the Sacred Palace (the Pope's [[Dominican Order|Dominican]] theologian) has been renamed [[Theologian of the Pontifical Household]].<ref>''Pontificalis Domus'' 7, §4.</ref> Since 2005 the post has been held by Fr. [[Wojciech Giertych]], a Polish Dominican. The titles of Secret Almoner and Sacristan of His Holiness were changed to Almoner of His Holiness, and Vicar General of His Holiness for Vatican City, respectively, and the responsibilities of the Secretary to Embassies and Secretary of the Wardrobe were commuted into the office of the Prelates of the Antechamber. Domestic Prelates and Secret Chamberlains Supernumerary remained part of the Papal Family, but were henceforth to be called Prelates of Honor of His Holiness and Chaplains of His Holiness, respectively. Likewise, the Secret Chamberlains of the Cape and Sword (''di cappa e spada'') were retained under the title Gentlemen of His Holiness, and the ''Bussolanti'' took the new name of Attachés of the Antechamber.<ref>''Pontificalis Domus'' 7, §7.</ref> The ''Camerieri Segreti Partecipanti'' were outright abolished, as was the title of Sub-Auditor (''Subdatarius'').<ref>''Pontificalis Domus'' 7, §5.</ref>

There was also a change in honorific ecclesiastical titles, which were reduced to three categories: Protonotaries Apostolic (''de numero'' and supernumerary), Prelates of Honor of His Holiness, and Chaplains of His Holiness. All the other categories of ''[[Monsignor]]i'' were abolished.<ref>''Pontificalis Domus'' 8.</ref>

==See also==
*[[Prefecture of the Pontifical Household]]
*[[Roman Curia]]
*[[Index of Vatican City-related articles]]

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Sources==
* {{in lang|la}} Paul VI, [https://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/motu_proprio/documents/hf_p-vi_motu-proprio_19680328_pontificalis-domus_lt.html Motu Proprio ''Pontificalis Domus''], 28 March 1968 
* Annuario Pontificio'' (annual publication)
* {{in lang|fr}} X. Barbier de Montault, [https://books.google.com/books?id=P04NAAAAYAAJ&dq=Famiglia+Pontificia&pg=PA255 L'année liturgique a Rome], Roma 1862, p.&nbsp;255

{{Pope Francis}}
{{Vatican City topics|state=collapsed}}
{{Papal orders, decorations, and medals}}
{{Papacy}}
{{Holy See}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Papal household| ]]