Order of St. Sylvester
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- For the monastic order, see Sylvestrines
The Order of St. Sylvester Pope and Martyr (Latin: Ordo Sanctus Silvestri Papae, Italian: Ordine di San Silvestro Papa), sometimes referred to as the Sylvestrine Order, is one of the chivalric orders awarded by the Pope. This Order was at one time united with the Order of the Golden Militia. It is now the fifth-ranking Papal Order.
Pope Pius X in his motu proprio of 7 February 1905, entitled Multum ad excitandos, divided the Sylvestrine Order into two orders of knighthood, one retaining the name of St. Sylvester and the other taking the ancient name of the Order, i.e. Order of the Golden Militia, or Golden Spur.
It is intended to award Roman Catholic laymen 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. It is also conferred on non-Catholics, but more rarely than the Order of St. Gregory.
Awards of the Order are generally made on the recommendation of Diocesan Bishops, or of Apostolic Nuncios (nominations may be made by parish priests to their bishop for his consideration). Pope John Paul II extended membership in the Order to ladies as well as gentlemen. It is awarded directly by the Pope as Supreme Pontiff and head of the Catholic Church and as the Head of State of Vatican City.
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[edit] Before the Regulations of Pius X
Prior to the year 1841 it was known as the Militia of the Golden Spur or Golden Militia, and though it is not historically established who among the many supposed founders is the true one, yet it undoubtedly is the oldest and, at one time, was one of the most prized of the papal orders. Faculties granted to the Sforza family,[1] to the College of Abbreviators[2] and to bishops assistant at the throne[3] to create Knights of the Golden Militia resulted in lavish bestowal and diminished prestige of the decoration.
Pope Gregory XVI in his Papal Brief of 31 October, 1841, entitled Quod hominum mentes retained the ancient name of the Order and placed it under the patronage of St. Sylvester (one of its alleged founders). He withdrew all faculties to whom and by whomsoever given, and forbade the use of the title or the decoration to all knights created by any means other than a Papal Brief. In order to restore the Order to its ancient glory and splendour, he limited the number of Commanders to 150 and knights to 300 (for the Papal States only), and appointed the Cardinal of Apostolic Briefs as Chancellor of the Order, with the duty of preserving the name, grade, number and date of admission of each knight.
[edit] Insignia
Pope Gregory divided the Order into two classes:
- Commander wore a large-sized decoration suspended at the neck, on a wide ribbon.
- Knight wore a small-sized decoration on the left side of the breast, on a smaller ribbon.
The decoration or cross of the Order, according to Pope Gregory's Brief, was an eight-pointed gold cross with an image of St. Sylvester wearing the tiara on its white enamelled centre, and around this centre a blue enamelled circle bearing in letters of gold the inscription SANC. SYLVESTER P. M. On the reverse side, in golden characters, was stamped MDCCCXLI GREGORIUS XVI RESTITUIT. A small golden spur hung suspended from the two sides of the foot of the cross of the Order to mark the unity of the Sylvestrine Order with that of the Golden Militia.
The ribbon of the decoration was of silk composed of five strands, three of which were red, and two black.
The golden chain worn around the neck by members of both classes had the decoration with its tiny golden spur suspended from it.
The official uniform was a red evening dress coat with two rows of gold buttons with green collar and facing. The gold embroideries of the coat were of a more ornate design for Commanders than for Knights. White trousers, with gold side bands, hat with white plumes and a sword with a silver hilt and also gilt spurs, completed this rarely used costume.
[edit] Since the Regulations of Pius X
The order now has three classes of knights:
- Knight (or Dame) of the Grand Cross wears a large cross suspended from a broad ribbon (sash) over the right shoulder across the breast to the left hip, along with the breast star
- Knight Commander wears a smaller cross suspended by the ribbon of the Order encircling the neck. Dame Commander wears the same cross suspended from a bow on the left breast. This class is divided into two categories:
- Commander with Star wears the star of the Order on the lower left breast
- Commander does not wear the star
- Knight (or Dame) wears the smallest cross on a ribbon attached to the left breast of the tunic.
[edit] Insignia
The present decoration or cross of the Order is a gold cross of white enamelled surface, in the centre of which is impressed the image of St. Sylvester, surrounded by a blue enamelled circle bearing the inscription in letters of gold SANC. SYLVESTER P. M. On the obverse, in the centre, are the Papal tiara and crossed keys with the date of the Order's restoration under Gregory: MDCCCXXXXR, and that of the Pius X renovation, MDCCCCV, impressed in characters of gold upon a blue circle.
The ribbon of the decoration is black silk with three narrow red stripes.
The star or badge is the cross of the Order attached to a silver star.
The new uniform consists of a black evening dress coat with one row of gilt buttons, the cuffs and collar of black velvet embroidered in gold; black trousers, with gold stripes; a bicorne hat of rough silk adorned with papal-coloured cockade (white plume for Knight of the Grand Cross, black plume for Commander); and a sword with a hilt of mother-of-pearl ornamented with gold and worn suspended from a gilt belt.
Papal knights and dames do not have any specific obligations by virtue of their having been given the personal honor of membership in an Order. It is customary, however, for them to be invited to participate in major events of their diocese, such as the consecration of Bishops, the ordination of Priests, and the introduction of a new Bishop into his diocese. On such formal occasions they would wear the uniform of the Order.
There are National Associations of Papal Knights in France, Great Britain and the United States, as well as Diocesan Associations such as those in Milan and Los Angeles.
[edit] Noteworthy members
- In 1926, Pope Pius XI created Charles Dunbar Burgess King, President of the Republic of Liberia, Knight Grand Cross of the Order.
- In July 1944, Pope Pius XII created William Joseph Donovan Knight Grand Cross of the Order.
- In 1994, Pope John Paul II created the first woman member, Dame Leonida Laki Vera the Philippines Ambassador to the Holy See
[edit] Bibliography
- Rock, P.M.J. (1908) Pontifical Decorations, The Catholic Encyclopedia, New York, Robert Appleton Company
- Moroni, Diz., XI, 6 sqq.; XVIII, 210 sqq. ; XLIX, 81 sq q.; LXIV, 91 sqq.; LXVIII, 238 sqq.
- Giobbio, Lezioni di diplomazia ecclesiastica (Rome, 1899), Part I, lib. I, cap. x, art. iv, 514 sqq.
- André-Wagner, Dict. de Droit Canonique, III, 83, 501; IV, 361
- Battandier, Ann. Pont. Cath., 1901, 483 sqq.; 1902, 468 sqq.; 1908, 646 sq. (For a list of knights of all the decorations see Ann. for 1905. 1907, and 1908; Pii IX P. M. Acta, Part I, 43 sq., 195 sq.; IV, 391 sq.
- Bernasconi, Acta Gregorii papæ XVI, , 48; III, 179 sq.; Analecta Ecclesiastica (Rome, 1905), 99 sq.; 1907, 189; Leonis XIII Pont. Max. Acta (Rome), VIII, 259, 282; XXI, 74
[edit] References
- ^ Pope Paul III, Hinc est quod nos, 14 Apr., 1539
- ^ Pope Leo X, Const. 14 Summi
- ^ Pope Julius III, 6 Apr., 1557
[edit] See also
This article incorporates text from the entry Order of Saint Sylvester in the public-domain Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913.
