The Sacred Congregation of Ceremonies was a

dicastery A dicastery (from gr, δικαστήριον, dikastērion, law-court, from Dikastes, δικαστής, 'judge, juror') is the name of some departments of the Roman Curia. ''Pastor bonus'' ''Pastor bonus'' (1988), includes this definition: ...

of the Roman Curia that was charged with the direction of all papal ceremonies as well as of the ceremonial of cardinals.

History and functions

The congregation was established by Pope Sixtus V. It also communicated instructions to the

legate Legate may refer to: *Legatus, a higher ranking general officer of the Roman army drawn from among the senatorial class :*Legatus Augusti pro praetore, a provincial governor in the Roman Imperial period *A member of a legation *A representative, ...

s of the

Holy See The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of Rome ...

for the maintenance of due decorum in transacting the affairs of their missions. This congregation also instructed the members of the

Noble Guard The Noble Guard ( it, Guardia Nobile) was one of the household guard units serving the Pope, and formed part of the military in Vatican City. It was formed by Pope Pius VII in 1801 as a regiment of heavy cavalry. Conceived as the Pope's personal ...

and the ablegate who were sent to convey to new cardinals, living in Catholic states outside 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 ...

, the news of their promotion, together with the cardinal's hat and the red biretta. It instructed newly promoted cardinals, too, on the etiquette to be followed conformably with their new dignity. Finally, it solved the questions of precedence which arose among cardinals or among ambassadors to the Holy See. It was dissolved in 1967 in the Curial reforms 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 ...

Prefects since 1884

Carlo Sacconi Carlo Sacconi J.U.D. (9 May 1808 – 25 February 1889) was a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and Dean of the College of Cardinals. Carlo Sacconi was born in Montalto. He was educated at the seminary of Fermo and later at La Sapienza ...

(28 Mar 1884 – 25 Feb 1889) *

Raffaele Monaco La Valletta Raffaele Monaco La Valletta S.T.D. J.U.D. (23 February 1827 – 14 July 1896) was a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Secretary of the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office. Education Raffaele Monaco La Vallet ...

(1 Mar 1889 – 14 Jul 1896) *

Serafino Vannutelli Serafino Vannutelli (26 November 1834 – 19 August 1915) was an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church, a cardinal and official of the Roman Curia where he held several of the highest administrative posts. Made a cardinal in 1887, he was named ...

(14 Mar 1889 – 19 Aug 1915) *

Luigi Oreglia di Santo Stefano Luigi Oreglia di Santo Stefano (9 July 1828, Bene Vagienna, Italy – 7 December 1913, Rome, Italy) was a cardinal of the Catholic Church in the late nineteenth century. He was Bishop of Ostia e Velletri and Dean of the Sacred College of Cardi ...

(1897 – 7 Dec 1913) *

Vincenzo Vannutelli Vincenzo Vannutelli (5 December 1836 – 9 July 1930) was an Italian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He spent his career in the foreign service of the Holy See and was made a cardinal in 1890. At his death he was the oldest member o ...

(15 Dec 1914 – 9 Jul 1930) * Gennaro Granito Pignatelli di Belmonte (14 Jul 1930 – 16 Feb 1948) * Francesco Marchetti-Selvaggiani (5 Feb 1948 – 13 Jan 1951) * Eugène-Gabriel-Gervais-Laurent Tisserant (10 Mar 1951 – 1967)

Bibliography

* Günther Wassilowsky, Hubert Wolf: ''Päpstliches Zeremoniell in der Frühen Neuzeit – Das Diarium des Zeremonienmeisters Paolo Alaleone de Branca während des Pontifikats Gregors XV. (1621–1623)''. Rhema-Verlag, Münster 2007, (with the complete original Latin text of the diarium)

References

1588 establishments in the Papal States 1967 disestablishments in Vatican City Catholic organizations established in the 16th century Religious organizations established in the 1580s Former departments of the Roman Curia Congregations of the Roman Curia {{VaticanCity-stub