Investiture (from the Latin preposition ''in'' and verb ''vestire'', "dress" from ''vestis'' "robe") is a formal installation or ceremony that a person undergoes, often related to membership in Christian religious institutes as well as Christian knighthoods or damehoods, in addition to government offices.
In an investiture, a person may receive an outward sign of their membership, such as their religious habit, an
ecclesiastical decoration
An ecclesiastical decoration is an order or a decoration conferred by a head of a church.
Catholic ecclesiastical decorations
Orders, decorations, and medals of the Holy See
Other Catholic distinctions
Local ecclesiastical distinctions
* J ...
(as with chivalric orders) or a scapular (as with confraternities); they may be given the authority and regalia of a high office. Investiture can include formal dress and adornment such as robes of state or headdress, or other
regalia
Regalia is a Latin plurale tantum word that has different definitions. In one rare definition, it refers to the exclusive privileges of a sovereign. The word originally referred to the elaborate formal dress and dress accessories of a sovereig ...
such as a throne or seat of office. An investiture is also often part of a coronation rite or enthronement.
Christianity
Religious institutes
Investiture indicates in religious orders the usually ceremonial handing over of the religious habit to a new novice. The investiture usually takes place upon admission to the novitiate (rarely only upon profession). The investiture which takes place either as part of a liturgical celebration in the
choir
A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which sp ...
of the church or in the community's chapter house.
In some places, a slightly shorter or even a white habit is lent to dress up, which is then exchanged for one in the way that the other professed people wear at the first profession. In some religious orders for women, the white veil of the novice is exchanged for a black veil when taking temporary vows (simple profession), while others only give the black veil for solemn profession.
Confraternities
Joining a confraternity (such as the Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception) occurs through an investiture, in which one is given a scapular as an outward mark of their membership.
A Christian is made a
knight
A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...
Investiture is the installation of individuals in institutions that usually have been extant from feudal times. For example, the installation of heads of state and various other state functions with ceremonial roles are ''invested'' with office. Usually, the investiture involves ceremonial transfer of the symbol of the particular office.
Judges in many countries, including justices of the Supreme Court of the United States, are invested with their office. American justices typically take two oaths: one to uphold the
Constitution of the United States
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, in 1789. Originally comprising seven articles, it delineates the natio ...
, and the other to apply justice equally. Likewise, university presidents, rectors and chancellors are invested with office.
Other uses
In the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
, around 2,600 people are invested personally by King
Charles III
Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person t ...
or another member of the royal family each year. A list of those to be honoured is published twice a year, in either the
New Year Honours
The New Year Honours is a part of the British honours system, with New Year's Day, 1 January, being marked by naming new members of orders of chivalry and recipients of other official honours. A number of other Commonwealth realms also mark this ...
or the
Birthday Honours
The Birthday Honours, in some Commonwealth realms, mark the reigning British monarch's official birthday by granting various individuals appointment into national or dynastic orders or the award of decorations and medals. The honours are prese ...
. Approximately 25 investitures are held annually, most in the Ballroom at Buckingham Palace, although the Waterloo Chamber in
Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is a royal residence at Windsor in the English county of Berkshire. It is strongly associated with the English and succeeding British royal family, and embodies almost a millennium of architectural history.
The original c ...
and the
Palace of Holyroodhouse
The Palace of Holyroodhouse ( or ), commonly referred to as Holyrood Palace or Holyroodhouse, is the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. Located at the bottom of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, at the opposite end to Edinburgh ...
in
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...
,
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...
, are also used. In 2014 The then-Prince of Wales held an investiture at Hillsborough Castle in
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
Governor General of Australia
The governor-general of Australia is the representative of the monarch, currently King Charles III, in Australia.Siegfried Sassoon is about a young man who was killed in battle during World War I.
The term is used in the Scouting movement when enrolling a new youth member or an existing member is moving to a different section such as from Cubs to
Scouts
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement employing the Scout method, a program of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activities, including camping, woodcraft, aquatics, hiking, backpack ...
, and for the ceremony in which a new member declares their commitment to Scouting traditions.
In Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere fictional universe, investiture is an underlying mechanic of magic.
anointing
Anointing is the ritual act of pouring aromatic oil over a person's head or entire body.
By extension, the term is also applied to related acts of sprinkling, dousing, or smearing a person or object with any perfumed oil, milk, butter, or ot ...
, equivalent terms for the assumption of royal office
* Enthronement, an equivalent term used for royal and episcopal office
*
Investiture controversy
The Investiture Controversy, also called Investiture Contest ( German: ''Investiturstreit''; ), was a conflict between the Church and the state in medieval Europe over the ability to choose and install bishops ( investiture) and abbots of mona ...
of Middle Ages
*
Ordination
Ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the denominational hierarchy composed of other clergy) to perform v ...
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...