Pontificalis Domus

''Pontificalis Domus'' ( en, The Papal Household) was a ''motu proprio'' 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 known until then as the Papal Court.

Contents

Introduction

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 exist as purely honorary positions, without much correspondence to concrete needs of the times" (Introduction). His goal in reorganizing its structure will be to stress the "essentially spiritual" mission of the Pope, as well 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 Family (''Familia''): the Papal Chapel will assist the Pope with his role as spiritual leader of the Catholic religion, while the Family will serve the Pope insofar as he is a publicly recognized sovereign.

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

Section I: The Papal Household

The first section deals with the overarching structure 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 subject to the direction 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 all members of the Papal Chapel is subject to the norms established in the 1967 apostolic constitution '' Regimini Universae ecclesiae'', which reformed the Roman Curia; laity are appointed for a period of five years, but the Pope may extend their term of office (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 include the coronation of a pope, canonizations, etc.) The civil ceremonies are distinguished as either audiences of official character or of a non-official character (4).

Section II: The Papal Chapel

The second section deals with the organization of the Papal Chapel. It is declared to consist of the following classes of persons (6, §1):

* members of various orders of the Sacred College of Cardinals;
* patriarchs, archbishops, bishops, and eparchs, Assistants to the Papal Throne, of both the Latin and Eastern rites;
* Vice Camerlengo of Holy Roman Church;
* the superior prelate of each of the Sacred Congregations, the Secretary of the Supreme Tribunal of the Signatura, and the Dean of the Sacred Roman Rota;
* Regent of the Sacred Apostolic Penitentiary;
* Regent of the Apostolic Chancery;
* superior prelate of the three Secretariats;
* President of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications;
* the Abbot of Monte Cassino and the Abbots General of Canons Regular and Monastic Orders;
* the Superior General or, in his absence, the Procurator General of each of the Mendicant Orders;
* Auditors of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota;
* voting members of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura;
* members of the chapters of the three patriarchal basilicas (Lateran, Vatican and Liberian);
* Consistorial Advocates (''Avvocati Concistoriali'');
* parish priests of Rome;
* clerics of the Papal Chapel;
* members of the Council of the Laity and of the Commission ''Iustitia et Pax'';
* those in personal service (''familiari'') of the Pope.

The following 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 assist the Pope at the altar, under the guidance 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).

Section III: The Papal Family

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):

* Substitute of the Secretariat of State and Secretary ''della Cifra''
* Secretary of the Council for the Public Affairs of the Church;
* Almoner of His Holiness;
* Vicar General of His Holiness for Vatican City;
* President of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy;
* Theologian of the Papal Household;
* Secretary of Briefs to Princes;
* Secretary of Latin Letters;
* Protonotaries Apostolic;
* Prelates of the Antechamber;
* Masters of Pontifical Ceremonies;
* Honorary Prelates of His Holiness;
* Chaplains of His Holiness

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