Monday, December 03, 2007

The Public Consistory I


The topic of this third post of the "Cardinali" thread is the acme, the most solemn moment of the creation of new Princes of the Church: the Public Consistory.

I thought I would share this topic into two posts.

In this first post the procession is described, with some interesting pictures of the dignitaries who take part into it.

On the day chosen for the solemn ceremony, the new Cardinals gather in a chapel of the Vatican Basilica and they, one by one, pledge the oath of fidelity in the presence of the Cardinal chief of their order (Bishops, Priests, Deacons) and of the Camerlengo of the Sacred College.

The Papal procession is thus composed:

The Procurators of the Sacred Apostolic Palaces

The Preacher Apostolic wearing his robe of Capuchin Friar

The Confessor of the Papal Household in his robes of Servite Friar

The Procurators of the Religious Orders wearing the robe proper to each Order

The Bussolanti


The Honorary Chaplains

The Consistorial Advocates
(Below: two Consistorial Advocates wearing their ceremonial vestments. They are laymen, but wear the ecclesiastical robe and cope)



The Promoter and the Deputy Promoter of the Faith

The Honorary and Privy Chamberlains

The Prelates of the Apostolic Segnatura

The Clerks of the Reverend Apostolic Chamber
(Below: a clerk of the Apostolic Chamber bearing the Stocco d'onore and Berrettone, on Christmas Night)



The Master of the Sacred Apostolic Palaces wearing his robe of Dominican Friar

The Prelates Auditores of the Sacred Rota bearing the Papal Cross

The Master Porter de virga rubea

The Sacred College of the Cardinals, wearing the cappa magna.

The Prince Assistant to the Throne
(Below: His Excellency don Marcantonio Colonna, prince Assistant to the Papal Throne in 1920's)



The two Cardinal-deacons assistant to the Throne

The Prefect and the Vice-prefect of the Papal Ceremonies



The Sovrintendente Generale of the Papal Posts

The Cavallerizzo Maggiore of His Holiness

The Foriere Maggiore of the Sacred Apostolic Palaces

(Below: Three Secret Chamberlains di cappa e spada partecipanti: Marquis Giulio Sacchetti, Foriere Maggiore of the Sacred Apostolic Palaces, H.E. Prince Leone Massimo,Sovrintendente Generale of the Papal Posts, and Marquis Giacomo Serlupi Crescenzi, Cavallerizzo Maggiore of His Holiness)


Then, comes the Holy Father in his majesty carried on the gestatorial chair by his sediarii
For the Public Consistory the Sovereigh Pontiff wears all liturgical vestments proper to his highest dignity with the red mantum and golden mitre and is carried down from the Apostolic Palace to the Basilica on the sedia gestatoria.

Around him, march the Commanders of the Papal Armed Forces, the mazzieri, and the Swiss Guards bearing the great swords with the coats of arms of their Cantons.



There follow the Privy Chamberlains participantes for the falda

The Dean of the Auditors of the Sacred Rota in charge of the Papal Mitre

the Adjutant Chamberlain of His Holiness



The Auditor-General of the Reverend Apostolic Chamber

The Bishops and Archbishops Assistant at the Pontifical Throne wearing, by exclusive privilege, silk robes.

The Master of the Chamber

The College of the Prothonotary Apostolic participantes, supranumerarii, and ad instar

The Abbots and Superior Generals of the Religious Orders.

Those Bishops and Archbishops who haven't the dignity of Assistant to the Throne don't take part into the procession, but wait at their proper place.

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