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A Papal Gentleman, also called a Gentleman of His Holiness, is a
lay Lay may refer to: Places *Lay Range, a subrange of mountains in British Columbia, Canada *Lay, Loire, a French commune * Lay (river), France *Lay, Iran, a village * Lay, Kansas, United States, an unincorporated community People * Lay (surname) ...
attendant of the
pope The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...
and his
papal household The papal household or pontifical household (usually not capitalized in the media and other nonofficial use, ), called until 1968 the Papal Court (''Aula Pontificia''), consists of dignitaries who assist the pope in carrying out particular ceremoni ...
in
Vatican City Vatican City (), officially the Vatican City State ( it, Stato della Città del Vaticano; la, Status Civitatis Vaticanae),—' * german: Vatikanstadt, cf. '—' (in Austria: ') * pl, Miasto Watykańskie, cf. '—' * pt, Cidade do Vati ...
. Papal gentlemen serve in the
Apostolic Palace The Apostolic Palace ( la, Palatium Apostolicum; it, Palazzo Apostolico) is the official residence of the pope, the head of the Catholic Church, located in Vatican City. It is also known as the Papal Palace, the Palace of the Vatican and t ...
near
St. Peter's Basilica The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican ( it, Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vaticano), or simply Saint Peter's Basilica ( la, Basilica Sancti Petri), is a church built in the Renaissance style located in Vatican City, the papal e ...
in ceremonial positions, such as escorting dignitaries during state visits and other important occasions. It is a local name for the old court position of
valet de chambre ''Valet de chambre'' (), or ''varlet de chambre'', was a court appointment introduced in the late Middle Ages, common from the 14th century onwards. Royal households had many persons appointed at any time. While some valets simply waited on ...
. To be appointed is an honor. The appointee is an unpaid volunteer.


History

Papal Chamberlain was prior to 1968 a court title given by the
pope The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...
to high-ranking
clergy Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...
as well as laypersons, usually members of prominent Italian noble families.Pollard John F., ''Money and the Rise of the Modern Papacy: Financing the Vatican, 1850–1950'', Cambridge University Press, 2005, p. 48
Many came from families that had long served the
Papal Court The papal household or pontifical household (usually not capitalized in the media and other nonofficial use, ), called until 1968 the Papal Court (''Aula Pontificia''), consists of dignitaries who assist the pope in carrying out particular ceremoni ...
over the course of several centuries, while others were appointed as a high honor, one of the highest the papacy conferred on Catholic laymen (often prominent politicians or wealthy philanthropists). They were originally selected from members of Italian royal and aristocratic families. They were members of the Papal Court and it was one of the highest honours that could be bestowed on a Catholic layman by the pope. Known as Chamberlain of the Sword and Cape (''Cameriere Segreti di spada e cappa'') when conferred upon laypersons, it was mostly an honorary position, but a chamberlain generally served the pope for at least one week per year during official liturgical or state ceremonies. The position was much coveted. From the days of
Pope Leo I Pope Leo I ( 400 – 10 November 461), also known as Leo the Great, was bishop of Rome from 29 September 440 until his death. Pope Benedict XVI said that Leo's papacy "was undoubtedly one of the most important in the Church's history." Leo was ...
(440–461) the pontifical household had included papal chamberlains who were personal attendants on the pope in his private apartments. They took part in papal processions behind the '' sedia gestatoria'', each wearing formal court dress and distinguished by a golden
chain of office A livery collar or chain of office is a collar or heavy chain, usually of gold, worn as insignia of office or a mark of fealty or other association in Europe from the Middle Ages onwards. One of the oldest and best-known livery collars is the ...
. The number of papal chamberlains was never large, although their proximity to the pope meant that many chamberlains would enjoy notable ecclesiastical careers and some were even promoted to the
episcopacy A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
. For priests, it was often the final step before becoming a cardinal. Their privileges were considerable. They ranked ex officio as
Knights of the Golden Spur The Order of the Golden Spur ( it, Ordine dello Speron d'Oro, french: Ordre de l'Éperon d'or), officially known also as the Order of the Golden Militia ( la, Ordo Militia Aurata, it, Milizia Aurata), is a papal order of knighthood conferred ...
( Order of the Golden Militia) and
nobles Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The character ...
of
Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus ( legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...
and
Avignon Avignon (, ; ; oc, Avinhon, label= Provençal or , ; la, Avenio) is the prefecture of the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of Southeastern France. Located on the left bank of the river Rhône, the commune had ...
. Traditionally, priests who were papal chamberlains were addressed as "Very Reverend". All appointments were announced in the ''
Acta Apostolicae Sedis ''Acta Apostolicae Sedis'' ( Latin for "Acts of the Apostolic See"), often cited as ''AAS'', is the official gazette of the Holy See, appearing about twelve times a year.Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (Oxford University Press 2005 ...
''.


Present day

The title was abolished in 1968 by
Pope Paul VI Pope Paul VI ( la, Paulus VI; it, Paolo VI; born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini, ; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City, Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 to his ...
and replaced with the designation "Gentleman of His Holiness" for laypersons. The clerical rank has been superseded by the designation "Chaplain of His Holiness" which confers the title reverend
monsignor Monsignor (; it, monsignore ) is an honorific form of address or title for certain male clergy members, usually members of the Roman Catholic Church. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian ''monsignore'', meaning "my lord". "Monsignor" ...
. Prior to Vatican II they provided personal assistance to the pope on formal state occasions as members of the Papal Court. The Gentlemen of His Holiness are under the
Prefecture of the Papal Household The Prefecture of the Papal Household is the office in charge of the Papal Household, a section of the Roman Curia that comprises the Papal Chapel (''Cappella Pontificia'') and the Papal Family (''Familia Pontificia''). The current Prefect of th ...
. They participate in civil ceremonies and formal receptions for heads of state, heads of government and others. They welcome dignitaries such as ambassadors and ministers who come to the Vatican or Castel Gandolfo to present their credentials and serve as guides, escorting them to meetings with the pope. Of approximately 150 gentlemen who generally serve for at least one week per year during official functions, about two dozen are on staff at a time. They assist at papal audiences, including the Wednesday General Audiences, often bringing children to the pope for a blessing. In addressing an audience with the papal gentlemen, Pope Francis thanked them for their service and said,
The various Authorities and other personalities who visit the See of Peter experience their first contact with this House and receive their first impressions through you, dear Gentlemen. As your name indicates, the gifts of politeness and cordiality are therefore necessary to put these people at ease."
The livery is tails and white vest with six double-breasted buttons, bow tie, and a gold collar with the cross of St. Peter. In
ecclesiastical heraldry Ecclesiastical heraldry refers to the use of heraldry within Christianity for dioceses, organisations and Christian clergy. Initially used to mark documents, ecclesiastical heraldry evolved as a system for identifying people and dioceses. ...
, laypersons so honored may display a golden chain surrounding their
coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its ...
.


Grand Chamberlains

Charles Owen O'Conor, O'Conor Don,
Roscommon Roscommon (; ) is the county town and the largest town in County Roscommon in Ireland. It is roughly in the centre of Ireland, near the meeting of the N60, N61 and N63 roads. The name Roscommon is derived from Coman mac Faelchon who buil ...
,
Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...
1860.Irish Times, 1860


See also

* Index of Vatican City-related articles


References

{{Holy See Catholic ecclesiastical titles