Apostolic Pronotary
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

In the
Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
, protonotary apostolic (PA;
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
: ''protonotarius apostolicus'') is the title for a member of the highest non-episcopal college of
prelate A prelate () is a high-ranking member of the Christian clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin , the past participle of , which means 'carry before', 'be set above or over' or 'pref ...
s in the Roman Curia or, outside Rome, an honorary prelate on whom 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 ...
has conferred this title and its special privileges. An example is
Prince Georg of Bavaria Prince Georg of Bavaria (german: Georg Franz Joseph Luitpold Maria Prinz von Bayern; 2 April 1880 – 31 May 1943) was a member of the Bavarian Royal House of Wittelsbach and a Catholic priest. Birth and family Georg was born in Munich, Bava ...
(1880–1943), who became in 1926 Protonotary by papal decree.


History

In
late antiquity Late antiquity is the time of transition from classical antiquity to the Middle Ages, generally spanning the 3rd–7th century in Europe and adjacent areas bordering the Mediterranean Basin. The popularization of this periodization in English ha ...
, there were in
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 ...
seven regional
notaries A notary is a person authorised to perform acts in legal affairs, in particular witnessing signatures on documents. The form that the notarial profession takes varies with local legal systems. A notary, while a legal professional, is disti ...
who, on the further development of the papal administration and the accompanying increase of the notaries, remained the supreme palace notaries of the papal chancery (''notarii apostolici'' or ''
protonotarii The word prothonotary is recorded in English since 1447, as "principal clerk of a court," from Late Latin, L.L. ''prothonotarius'' (Wiktionary:circa, c. 400), from Greek ''protonotarios'' "first scribe," originally the chief of the college of rec ...
''). In the Middle Ages, the protonotaries were very high papal officials and were often raised directly from this office to the
cardinal Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to: Animals * Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **''Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae **''Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, the ...
ate. Originally numbering seven,
Pope Sixtus V Pope Sixtus V ( it, Sisto V; 13 December 1521 – 27 August 1590), born Felice Piergentile, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 24 April 1585 to his death in August 1590. As a youth, he joined the Franciscan order ...
(1585–90) increased their number to twelve. Their importance gradually diminished, and at the time of the
French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...
, the office had almost entirely disappeared. On 8 February 1838,
Pope Gregory XVI Pope Gregory XVI ( la, Gregorius XVI; it, Gregorio XVI; born Bartolomeo Alberto Cappellari; 18 September 1765 – 1 June 1846) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 2 February 1831 to his death in 1 June 1846. He h ...
re-established the college of real protonotaries with seven members called ''protonotarii de numero participantium'', also known as ''numerary protonotaries'', because they shared in the revenues, as officials of the Roman Chancery. Since the sixteenth century, the popes had also appointed honorary protonotaries, who enjoyed the same privileges as the seven real members of the college; and titular protonotaries, who held a corresponding position in the administration of the episcopal ordinariate or in the collegiate chapter. By the
motu proprio In law, ''motu proprio'' (Latin for "on his own impulse") describes an official act taken without a formal request from another party. Some jurisdictions use the term ''sua sponte'' for the same concept. In Catholic canon law, it refers to a do ...
''Inter multiplices'' of 21 February 1905,
Pope Pius X Pope Pius X ( it, Pio X; born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto; 2 June 1835 – 20 August 1914) was head of the Catholic Church from 4 August 1903 to his death in August 1914. Pius X is known for vigorously opposing modernist interpretations of C ...
defined the position of the protonotaries, ... privileges, dress, and insignia of the members of the four classes: *the ''protonotarii apostolici de numero participantium'', members 'within the number' of the college of prelates, who exercised their office in connection with the acts of consistories and canonizations, had a representative in the Congregation of the Propaganda, and, according to the reorganization of the Curia by the Constitution "Sapienti consilio" of 29 June 1908, signed the papal Bulls instead of the earlier abbreviatores. They enjoyed the use of pontificals and numerous privileges, and also, after examining the candidates, named annually a fixed number of doctors of theology and of canon law; *the ''protonotarii apostolici supranumerarii'', a dignity to which only the canons of the four Roman patriarchal
basilica major In the Catholic Church, a basilica is a designation given by the Pope to a church building. Basilicas are distinguished for ceremonial purposes from other churches. The building need not be a basilica in the architectural sense (a rectangular ...
s (the Lateran, St. Peter's, St. Mary Major, St. Paul Outside the Walls), and of cathedral chapters outside Rome to which the privilege had been granted, could be raised; *the ''protonotarii apostolici ad instar (sc. participantium)'', who were appointed by the pope and had the same external insignia as the real protonotaries; *the ''protonotarii titulares seu honorarii'', who were found outside Rome, and who received this dignity from the
nuncio An apostolic nuncio ( la, nuntius apostolicus; also known as a papal nuncio or simply as a nuncio) is an ecclesiastical diplomat, serving as an envoy or a permanent diplomatic representative of the Holy See to a state or to an international or ...
s or as a special privilege. *The Professed Conventual Chaplains of the 1st Class of Sovereign Order of Malta, SMOM.


Present practice

An example from more recent times: * Msgr. Roger Morin, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Ottawa, Episcopal Vicar for the Religious Orders and Chaplain of Rideau Hall, became a Protonotary Apostolic during the Mass of Thanksgiving on April 22, 1987 (Notre Dame Cathedral - Ottawa ON Canada - Archbishop Joseph Aurele Plourde, presider). Since 1969 (following
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 ...
's issuing of two motus proprios, ''
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 Co ...
'' of March 28, 1968 and ''Pontificalia Insignia'' of June 21, 1968), the four classes are reduced to two: *Apostolic protonotaries ''de numero''—who continue the work of the College of Protonotaries and still have certain duties with regard to papal documents; they may be addressed formally as "Most Reverend Sir or Monsignor (in Italian: Reverendissimo Signore, Monsignore)", and they may wear the
mantelletta A mantelletta, Italian diminutive of Latin ''mantellum'' 'mantle', is a sleeveless, knee-length, vest-like garment, open in front, with slits instead of sleeves on the sides, fastened at the neck. It was for a period of time even more common than ...
, the purple
choir cassock The cassock or soutane is a Christian clerical clothing coat used by the clergy and male religious of the Oriental Orthodox Churches, Eastern Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church, in addition to some clergy in certain Protestant denominat ...
and
rochet A rochet () is a white vestment generally worn by a Roman Catholic or Anglican bishop in choir dress. It is unknown in the Eastern churches. The rochet in its Roman form is similar to a surplice, except that the sleeves are narrower. In its Ang ...
for liturgical services, the black
cassock The cassock or soutane is a Christian clerical clothing coat used by the clergy and male religious of the Oriental Orthodox Churches, Eastern Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church, in addition to some clergy in certain Protestant denomi ...
with red piping and purple
fascia A fascia (; plural fasciae or fascias; adjective fascial; from Latin: "band") is a band or sheet of connective tissue, primarily collagen, beneath the skin that attaches to, stabilizes, encloses, and separates muscles and other internal organs. ...
at other times, and may add the purple
ferraiuolo The ferraiolo (also ferraiuolo, ferraiolone) is a type of cape traditionally worn by clergy in the Roman Catholic Church on formal, non-liturgical occasions. It can be worn over the shoulders, or behind them, extends in length to the ankles, is t ...
and the
biretta The biretta ( la, biretum, birretum) is a square cap with three or four peaks or horns, sometimes surmounted by a tuft. Traditionally the three-peaked biretta is worn by Catholic clergy and some Anglican and Lutheran clergy. A four-peaked bire ...
with red tuft to the black cassock for formal ceremonies of a non-liturgical nature (e.g., a graduation). *Apostolic protonotaries supernumerary—The title is awarded to priests 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 ...
, however the title is purely honorary and is not attached to any duties in the Curia. This is the type of
protonotary The word prothonotary is recorded in English since 1447, as "principal clerk of a court," from L.L. ''prothonotarius'' ( c. 400), from Greek ''protonotarios'' "first scribe," originally the chief of the college of recorders of the court of the B ...
found outside Rome, and it is considered the highest grade of
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" ca ...
found in most dioceses. Priests so honored are addressed as "reverend monsignor", may put the
post-nominal letters Post-nominal letters, also called post-nominal initials, post-nominal titles, designatory letters or simply post-nominals, are letters placed after a person's name to indicate that the individual holds a position, academic degree, accreditation, ...
"P.A." after their names, may wear the purple choir cassock (with rochet) for liturgical services, the black cassock with red piping and purple sash at other times, and may add the purple ferraiuolo to this for formal non-liturgical ceremonies, but use none of the other accoutrements mentioned above. This title will no longer be bestowed by the pope , except in the case of the Ordinaries of the three Personal Ordinariates who are not to be made bishops (because they are married), but all existing supernumerary protonotaries are allowed to keep their titles. The name of the
prothonotary warbler The prothonotary warbler (''Protonotaria citrea'') is a small songbird of the New World warbler family. It is named for its plumage which resembles the yellow robes once worn by papal clerks (named prothonotaries) in the Roman Catholic church. ...
derives from the supposed similarity between its plumage and the golden robes worn by protonotaries. File:Protonotary Apostolic COA template.svg, Generic coat of arms of a protonotary apostolic


See also

*
Chaplain of His Holiness A Chaplain of His Holiness is a priest to whom the Pope has granted this title. They are addressed as Monsignor and have certain privileges with respect to ecclesiastical dress and vestments.Honorary Prelate A Prelate of Honour of His Holiness is a Catholic prelate to whom the Pope has granted this title of honour. They are addressed as Monsignor and have certain privileges as regards clerical clothing.Prefecture of the Papal Household
lists the current protonotaries ''de numero'' * {{Papacy