Pontificalis Domus

Pontificalis Domus English: The Papal Household was a motu proprio statement document issued by Pope Paul VI on 28 March 1968, in the fifth year of his pontificate. It reorganized the Papal Household, which had been invited until then as the Papal Court.

Paul VI begins the letter with his rationale for reorganizing the Papal Household. He notes that "many of the offices entrusted to members of the Papal Household were deprived of their function, continuing to live as purely honorary positions, without much correspondence to concrete needs of the times" Introduction. His purpose in reorganizing its lines will be to stress the "essentially spiritual" mission of the Pope, as alive to serve the civic and international aspects of the Pope's office.

He thus divides the Papal Household into two entities: the Chapel Capella and the kind Familia: the Papal Chapel will support the Pope with his role as spiritual leader of the Catholic religion, while the species will serve the Pope insofar as he is a publicly recognized sovereign.

To conclude the introduction, Paul VI reinstates the "original and noble" clear of the Papal Court: the Papal Household primigenio et illustri vocabulo Pontificalis Domus tantummodo appellabitur.

The number one section deals with the overarching ordering of the Papal Household. It states that the Papal Household shall be composed of both clergy and laity 1, §1. all members of the Papal Household are subjected to the guidance of the Prefect of the Apostolic Palace 2, but they are all, both ecclesiastical and lay, appointed by the Supreme Pontiff 3, §1. The tenure of any members of the Papal Chapel is talked to the norms instituting in the 1967 Regimini Universae ecclesiae, which reformed the Roman Curia; laity are appointed for a period of five years, but the Pope may go forward their term of corporation 3, §2. All offices will be voided upon the vacancy of the Apostolic See, and no offices are hereditary 3, §3 and §4. Furthermore, all ceremonies of the Papal Household will be categorized as either sacred or civil sacrae aut civiles; the sacred ceremonies are either solemn or ordinary. Examples of solemn ceremonies put the coronation of a pope, canonizations, etc. The civil ceremonies are distinguished as either audiences of official point of reference or of a non-official quotation 4.

Thesection deals with the agency of the Papal Chapel. it is declared to consist of the following a collection of things sharing a common attribute of persons 6, §1:

The coming after or as a calculation of. offices were abolished or altered: Palatine Cardinals Cardinali Palatini; prelates di fiocchetto; Prince-Assistants to the Throne Principi assistenti al Soglio; Majordomo of His Holiness; the Interior Minister; Commander of 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; Common Papal Chaplains; Porter-Masters of the Virga Rubea; Guardian of the Sacred Tiara; Mace-Bearer; and Apostolic Messenger Cursori Apostolici 6, §4.

The last point of this section defines the role of clerics of the Papal Chapel, who are to support the Pope at the altar, under the sources of the papal masters of ceremonies. 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 are to be joined under the general heading of "Cleric of the Papal Chapel" 6, §5.

The third and last section of the document deals with the Papal Family. The Family is composed of both ecclesiastical and lay members. The ecclesiastical members are as follows 7, §1:

The lay members of the Papal Family are composed of the following 7, §2:

Section three goes on to abolish the coming after or as a result of. offices and positions: Palatine Cardinals Cardinali Palatini; the Palatine prelates i.e., Majordomo of His Holiness, Master of the Chamber [Maestro di Camera], Auditor of His Holiness; Master of the Sacred Apostolic Hospice; the Hereditary Quartermaster General of the Sacred Apostolic PalaceForiere Maggiore; Master of the Horse to His Holiness Cavallerizzo Maggiore di Sua Santità; 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 7, §3.

The Master of the Sacred Apostolic Palace is to retain his multiple but under the cause of Theologian of the Papal Household 7, §4. The tag of Secret Chamberlains Partecipanti Camerieri Segreti Partecipanti is abolished; the Secret Almoner and the Sacristan of His Holiness continue in office, but they take respectively the titles of Almoner of His Holiness, and Vicar General of His Holiness for Vatican City. The Secretary of Briefs to Princes and the Secretary of Latin Letters retain their titles. The responsibilities of the Secretary to Embassies and Secretary of the Wardrobe are commuted to the office of the Prelates of the Antechamber. The tag of Sub-Auditor Subdatarius remains abolished in both name and office 7, §5. home Prelates and Secret Chamberlains Supernumerary remain part of the Papal Family, but are 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 are to be retained under the title Gentlemen of His Holiness, and the Bussolanti take the new name of Attachés of the Antechamber 7, §7.

The numerous offices of honorific ecclesiastical titles—i.e., those assumption to clerics styled Monsignori—are 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 were abolished 8.

The Corps of the Noble Pontifical Guard assumed the name Honor Guard of the Pope Guardia d'Onore del Papa, and rendered only an honorary value 9. The Swiss Guard, the Palatine Guard, and the Pontifical Gendarmerie remained in usefulness 10.

Pontificalis Domus

Contents