The Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great ( la, Ordo Sancti Gregorii Magni; it, Ordine di San Gregorio Magno) was established on 1 September 1831, by

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 ...

, seven months after his election as Pope. The order is one of the five orders of knighthood of the Holy See. The honor is bestowed upon

Catholic 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 ...

men and women (and certain notable non-Catholics) in recognition of their personal service to 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 R ...

and to the Catholic Church, through their unusual labors, their support of the Holy See, and the examples they set in their communities and their countries.

History and appointment

The inaugural brief states, in part, that "gentlemen of proven loyalty to the Holy See who, by reason of their nobility of birth and the renown of their deeds or the degree of their munificence, are deemed worthy to be honored by a public expression of esteem on the part of the Holy See". The end of the brief states that they must progressively maintain, by continued meritorious deed, the reputation and trust they had already inspired, and prove themselves worthy of the honor that had been conferred on them, by unswerving fidelity to God and to the sovereign Pontiff. The awarding of the Order of St. Gregory the Great presents no particular obligations on the recipients toward the Catholic Church – except for the general ones stated above.

Insignia

An eight-pointed

cross A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two intersecting lines or bars, usually perpendicular to each other. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally. A cross of oblique lines, in the shape of the Latin letter X, is termed a sa ...

, the insignia of the order, bears a representation of St. Gregory on the obverse and on the reverse the motto ("For God and Ruler"). The cross is suspended from a red and gold ribbon. In

ecclesiastical heraldry Ecclesiastical heraldry refers to the use of heraldry within Christianity for dioceses, organisations and Christian clergy. Initially used to mark documents, ecclesiastical heraldry evolved as a system for identifying people and dioceses. ...

, laymen awarded the high rank of Grand Cross can display a red and gold ribbon surrounding the shield in their personal coats of arms, but the recipients of the lower ranks place an appropriate ribbon below the shield. The difference between the civilian and military insignia is that the former group wears the cross hanging from a green crown of

laurel Laurel may refer to: Plants * Lauraceae, the laurel family * Laurel (plant), including a list of trees and plants known as laurel People * Laurel (given name), people with the given name * Laurel (surname), people with the surname * Laurel (mus ...

, whereas the latter group wears the cross hanging from a trophy of arms.

Vestments and accoutrements

A green uniform was later prescribed by Pope Pius IX. The uniform contains a black beaver-felt hat decorated with black silk ribbons, silver metallic twisted rope, buttons and black ostrich feathers. The jacket, made of green wool, is trimmed with silver metallic thread, and has a tail, nine yellow metal buttons in the front and three buttons on the cuffs and is lined with black satin. Finally, the costume contains suspenders, several yellow and red rosettes, white

leather glove A glove is a garment covering the hand. Gloves usually have separate sheaths or openings for each finger and the thumb. If there is an opening but no (or a short) covering sheath for each finger they are called fingerless gloves. Fingerless glov ...

s, and a short sword with a handle made of mother of pearl with a medallion of the order at the end. Knights Grand Cross wear a sash and a badge or star on the left side of the breast; Commanders wear a cross around the neck; and Knights wear a smaller cross on the left breast of the uniform:

Notable members

Knight/Dame Grand Cross

Sir George Bowyer, 6th Baronet Sir George Bowyer, 6th and 2nd Baronet, KStJ, GCSG, KCPO (3 March 1783 – 1 July 1860), was a British politician. He sat in the House of Commons in two periods between 1807 and 1818, first as a Tory and then as a Whig. He was the son of A ...

, Knight Grand Cross *

General A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED ...

Sir Peter Cosgrove General (Australia), General Sir Peter John Cosgrove, (born 28 July 1947) is a retired senior Australian Army officer who served as the 26th governor-general of Australia, in office from 2014 to 2019. A graduate of the Royal Military College, ...

, 2013, Knight Grand Cross, Governor-General of Australia *

João Carlos Saldanha de Oliveira Daun, 1st Duke of Saldanha João is the Portuguese equivalent of the given name John. The diminutive is Joãozinho and the feminine is Joana. It is widespread in Portuguese-speaking countries. Notable people with the name are enumerated in the sections below. Kings * ...

, Knight Grand Cross of the First Class *

Rodrigo Augusto da Silva Rodrigo Augusto da Silva (7 December 1833 — 17 October 1889), nicknamed "the diplomat", was a politician, diplomat, lawyer, monarchist and journalist of the Empire of Brazil. He is best known as the minister that authored and countersigned wit ...

, Knight Grand Cross of the First Class *

George Forbes, 7th Earl of Granard George Arthur Hastings Forbes, 7th Earl of Granard KP (5 August 1833 – 25 August 1889), styled Viscount Forbes from 1836 to 1837, was an Irish peer and soldier. Background and education He was the son of Major-General George Forbes, Viscount Fo ...

, Knight Grand Cross *

Johno Johnson John Richard "Johno" Johnson GCSG (26 July 1930 – 9 August 2017) was an Australian politician. He served as President of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1978 to 1991. Career Born in Murwillumbah, New South Wales, he was a groc ...

, 2015, Australian politician *

Frank Hanna III Frank J. Hanna III is an American entrepreneur, merchant banker and philanthropist. He was one of three entrepreneurs profiled in the Acton Institute and PBS documentary film '' The Call of the Entrepreneur''. Hanna has been described as "one ...

, American entrepreneur and philanthropist, Knight Grand Cross *

Gilbert Levine Sir Gilbert Levine, GCSG (born January 22, 1948) is an American conductor. He is considered an "outstanding personality in the world of international music television." He has led the PBS concert debuts of the Staatskapelle Dresden, Royal Phi ...

, 2016, American conductor, Knight Grand Cross *

Alice von Hildebrand Alice Marie von Hildebrand, Order of Saint Gregory the Great, GCSG (née Jourdain; 11 March 1923 – 14 January 2022) was a Belgian-born American Catholic philosopher, theologian, author, and professor. She taught philosophy at Hunter College fo ...

, 2013, Dame Grand Cross * Frederick Blakeney, 1964, Australian diplomat, Knight Grand Cross *

Charles von Hügel Charles von Hügel (born Carl Alexander Anselm Baron von Hügel; 25 April 1795 – 2 June 1870), sometimes spelt in English Huegel, was an Austrian nobleman, army officer, diplomat, botanist, and explorer, now primarily remembered for his t ...

, 1852, Knight Grand Cross *Christopher de Paus, Count Christopher de Paus (1930)''Acta Apostolicae Sedis'' 22 (1930) *Duke of Otranto, Duke Carl Ludvig Fouché d'Otrante (1930) *Dina Kawar, previous ambassador of Jordan to France * Count Charles Woeste * Count Hippolyte d'Ursel * Count Léo d'Ursel, ambassador * Baron Henry Delvaux de Fenffe, 1921, Governor of Liège * J. L. P. Roche Victoria, 1952, Indian politician

Knight/Dame Commander with Star

*Bob Hope, 1998, American entertainer (convert to Catholicism) *Francis Martin O'Donnell, 2007, Ambassador and Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Knight of Malta, previously in UN service for 32 years *G. K. Chesterton, 1934, English writer, philosopher, lay theologian, and literary and art critic (convert to Catholicism) *Gloria, Princess of Thurn and Taxis, 2008, Dame Commander with Star *Albert Gubay, 2011, founder of Kwik Save supermarket chain and Total Fitness

Knight Commander and Dame Commander

* Ignazio Jacometti, sculptor, appointed by Pope Pius IX. * Charles Poletti, 1945, Governor of New York, Army officer in charge of post World War II civil affairs in Italy * Maurice Gerard Moynihan, 1959, Secretary of the Government of the Irish Free State and Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland * John J. Raskob, American financial executive and businessman (DuPont, General Motors); financed the building of the Empire State Building * Paul Salamunovich, 1969, American choral conductor and expert on Gregorian chant. * Roger Wagner, by Pope Paul VI, American choral conductor * Saunders Lewis, 1975, Welsh nationalism, Welsh nationalist politician, founder of Plaid Cymru, Plaid Genedlaethol Cymru and prominent figure in Welsh language, Welsh-language literature (convert to Catholicism) * Sir Jimmy Savile OBE, 1990, English radio DJ and Television presenter, television presenter-broadcaster (In 2012, after Savile's death, an annulment of the honour was requested by the Archbishop of Westminster. This was declined on the basis that the life honour died with the individual.) * Oscar Niemeyer, 1990, Brazilian modernist architect * Nikkyō Niwano, 1992, Japanese Buddhist practitioner who founded and the Buddhist organization Risshō Kōsei Kai. * Roy E. Disney, 1998 * Rupert Murdoch, 1998, Australian-American publisher and media entrepreneur * Mordecai Waxman, 1998, Rabbi (Conservative Judaism) * James O'Donnell (organist), 1999, organist and Master of the Choristers, Westminster Abbey * Hendrik S. Houthakker, Hendrik Samuel Houthakker, 2003, Knight Commander with Silver Star, Member of Richard Nixon, Nixon's Council of Economic Advisers, husband of Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka. * Carlo Emanuele Ruspoli, 3rd Duke of Morignano, 2004 * John Hume, 2012, Northern Irish politician and co-recipient of the 1998 Nobel Peace Prize * Sir Patrick Duffy (British politician), Patrick Duffy, 2017, British politician * Lilianne Ploumen, 2017, Dutch politician

Knight/Dame

*Walter Annenberg, who created ''TV Guide'' *Thomas Bodkin, lawyer, art historian, art collector and curatorUnlabelled press clipping of contemporary obituary, in Royal Birmingham Society of Artists archives *Joanna Bogle, 2013, British Roman Catholic writer and broadcaster *Phyllis Bowman, 1996, British journalist and pro-life campaigner *Henry Cooper, 1978, champion heavyweight boxer (convert to Catholicism) *John A. Creighton, 1898, businessman and philanthropist in Omaha, Nebraska, Omaha *John Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute *Ralph Downes, 1970, English organist, organist of the London Oratory, organ teacher and organ designer (including organ of the Royal Festival Hall London) *Jude Patrick Dougherty, 1999, American philosopher, Dean Emeritus of the School of Philosophy at the Catholic University of America *Bambang Soegeng, Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Army *Emanuele Luigi Galizia, Maltese architect and civil engineer
Sofele Kakala
1986, renowned Polynesian composer of secular and liturgical music *Joe Gladwin, British actor and comedian *Sheilagh Kesting, 2016, former Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and former Ecumenical Officer of the Church of Scotland *Ilyas Khan, British businessman and philanthropist, Chairman of Leonard Cheshire Disability *George Malcolm (musician), George Malcolm, English choral conductor, harpsichordist and organist; former Master of the Music, Westminster Cathedral *Colin Mawby, 2006, English choral conductor and composer former Master of the Music, Westminster Cathedral *John A. McCone, 1955, US Industrialist, former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and former head of the Atomic Energy Commission *George Menachery, 2008, Editor of the St Thomas Christian Encyclopaedia of India and Director of the SARAS, philanthropist *Jean Migneault, former Deputy Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus *Patrick Millen, 1991, New Zealand public servant *Ricardo Montalbán, 1998, Mexican actor *Paul Victor Obeng, 2009, Ghanaian mechanical engineer and statesman *Isabel Piczek, 1998, artist *Joseph Ryelandt, Belgian composer *Jovan Sundečić, 1886, Serbian Serbian Orthodox Church, Orthodox priest and Principality of Montenegro, Montenegrin official *Ann Widdecombe, 2013, British politician *Michael Williams (actor), Michael Williams, 2001, English actor

Citations

General and cited references

External links

Association of Papal Orders in Great BritainPhotograph
article from ''Time Magazine'', 25 Jun 1928, reporting an award of the Order of St. Gregory the Great {{Orders of Italian States before unification Order of St. Gregory the Great, 1831 establishments in the Papal States Awards established in 1831