Prefecture for the Pontifical Household
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The Prefecture of the Pontifical Household, or Papal Household, is an office of the Roman Curia. It is responsible for the famiglia pontificia, or Papal Family, and the cappella papale.
As the Pastor Bonus states "The Prefecture of the Papal Household looks after the internal organization of the papal household, and supervises everything concerning the conduct and service of all clerics and laypersons who make up the papal chapel and family. It is at the service of the Supreme Pontiff, both in the Apostolic Palace and when he travels in Rome or in Italy." [1].
At its broadest this includes all Cardinals - and especially the Palatine Cardinals - Patriarchs, Bishops Assistant to the Papal Throne, all other bishops who happen to be present at the Curia, other high officials of the Curia, Princes Assistant to the Papal Throne, secretaries and assessors of the Sacred Congregations, apostolic protonotaries, generals and procurators of the religious Orders, consistorial advocates, ecclesiastical privy chamberlains, and many others, including the monsignori.
The palatine prelates included the master of the chamber (the prefect of the Bedchamber), the auditor of the Household, and the Master of the Sacred Palace, who was usually a Dominican. The Participating Privy Chamberlains included an Archbishop as Privy Almoner, the Secretary of Letters to Princes, the Secretary of the Code, the Under-datary of the Household, the Secretary for Latin Letters, and three Participating Privy Chamberlains on weekly rotation. These were the Cupbearer (who was deputy master of the Chamber), the Secretary of Embassies, and the Keeper of the Wardrobe. Other Participating Privy Chamberlains included the sacristan of the Household (an Augustinian since 1352, ranking as an archbishop), and the Grand Master of the Sacred Apostolic Hospice, the Prince Ruspoli, Prince of Cerveteri, who was the sole layman in the Noble Privy Antechamber.
The Pontifical Household was severely reduced in magnificence in 1968, when many offices were abolished or reformed. Surviving offices include that of the Theologian of the Pontifical Household, currently Father Wojciech Giertych, of the Dominican Order of Preachers. The Pro-theologian of the Pontifical Household was Georges Marie Martin Cardinal Cottier, O.P. until Pope Benedict XVI appointed Fr Wojtech Giertych, O.P. in 2005.
The Prefecture includes the Papal Gentlemen. Other major offices include the Majordomo of the Household, or Papal Major Domo, who was a palatine prelate, and prefect of the Apostolic Palace.
The Papal guards, other than the Swiss Guard, were the Noble Guard and the Palatine Guard, and were abolished by Pope Paul VI in 1970.
The Prefectures runs the Apostolic Palace, containing the Papal Apartments, and the Pontifical Palace and Villa Barberini in the town of Castel Gandolfo.
The current Prefect of the household is Archbishop James Harvey, appointed in 1998 to replace Archbishop Dino Monduzzi. Cardinal Monduzzi, who had served under four popes, died in October of 2006. Until 2005 the adjunct prefect was papal secretary Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz, who is now the Cardinal Archbishop of Kraków. The Pope's private secretary is Monsignor Georg Gänswein.
Contents |
[edit] List of Prefects of the Papal Household
- Scipione Borghèse
- Giovanni Filippo Gallarati Scotti
- Camillo Caccia Dominioni
- Jacques-Paul Cardinal Martin
- Dino Cardinal Monduzzi
- James Michael Harvey
[edit] Former positions
These were also Participating Privy Chamberlains of the Sword and Cape (laymen, traditionally holding hereditary posts) -
- Marshal of the Holy Roman Church and Sacred Conclave (Prince Chigi)
- Grand Master of the Sacred Apostolic Hospice, or Quatermaster-General of the Sacred Palaces (Prince Ruspoli, Prince of Cerveteri) He was also in the Noble Privy Antechamber
- Hereditary Quartermaster General, or Foriere Maggiore (Marquess Sacchetti, Marquess of Castel Romano)
- Master of the Horse, or Hereditary Superintendent of the Stables of the Palaces, Cavallerizzo Maggiore (Marquess Serlupi Crescenzi)
- Postmaster-General, Grand Master of Pontifical Posts or Hereditary Superintendent of the Posts (Prince Massimo, Prince and Lord of Arsoli, Duke of Anticoli Corrado).
- Bearer of the Golden Rose, or Keeper of the Golden Rose destined for Members of Royal Houses (not hereditary) 1895-
- Secretary of Embassies (not hereditary, he was also in the Noble Privy Antechamber) 1948-
- Captain Commander, Lieutenants, and Colonel of the Papal Noble Guard (not hereditary)
The Colonel of the Swiss Guard is the sole survivor of these.
