Master of the Sacred Palace
Encyclopedia
In the Roman Catholic Church, Theologian of the Pontifical Household is a Roman Curia
l office which has always been entrusted to a Friar Preacher of the Dominican Order
and may be described as the pope's theologian. The title was formerly known as the Master of the Sacred Palace before the changes implemented in Pope Paul VI
's 1968 apostolic letter Pontificalis Domus
.
The current post is held by Fr. Wojciech Giertych
, a Polish Dominican friar, who was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI in 2005 to replace the previous Theologian, Cardinal Georges Cottier.
St. Dominic, appointed in 1218, was the first Master of the Sacred Palace. Among eighty-four Dominicans who consecutively succeeded him till the early 20th century, eighteen were subsequently created Cardinal
s, twenty-four were made archbishop
s or bishop
s (including some of the cardinals), and six were elected Superior general
s of the order. Several are famous for their works on theology etc., e.g. Durandus of Saint-Pourçain
, Cardinal Juan de Torquemada
, Sylvester Mazzolini
'Prierias', Thomas Maria Mamachi
and Giuseppe Agostino Orsi
; the majority were Italians, of the remainder ten Spaniards and ten Frenchmen, a German and an Englishman (i.e. William de Boderisham, or Bonderish, 1263-1270?).
It has sometimes been asserted that St. Thomas of Aquin was a Master of the Sacred Palace. This is due to a misconception: he was Lector of the Sacred Palace, these offices were not identical. (See Bullarium O. P., III, 18.) Though he and two other contemporary Dominicans, namely his teacher Blessed Albert the Great and his fellow pupil Bl. Ambrose Sansedonico (about both of whom the same assertion has been made) held successively the office of Lecturer on Scripture or Lecturer on Theology in the papal palace school
, not one of them was Master of the Sacred Palace. Their names do not occur in the official lists. While all Masters of the Sacred Palace were Dominicans, several members of other orders were Lectors of the Sacred Palace (e.g. Peckham O.S.F., who became Archbishop of Canterbury
in 1279).
St. Dominic's work as Master of the Sacred Palace consisted partly at least in expounding the Epistles of St. Paul. These exegetical lectures were delivered to prelate
s and to the clerical attendants of cardinals who, as the saint observed, had been accustomed to gather in the antechamber and to spend the time in gossip while their masters were having audiences with the pope. According to Renazzi (I, 25), St. Dominic may be regarded as the founder of the papal palace school, since his Biblical lectures were the occasion of its being established. The liturgist Josephus Catalanus, who, however, is not guilty of the confusion alluded to above, says he was the first Lector of the Sacred Palace as well as the first Master of the Sacred Palace.
In the thirteenth century the chief duty of the Master of the Sacred Palace was to lecture on Scripture and to preside over the theological school in Vatican: "in scholae Romanae et Pontificiae regimine et in publica sacrae scripturae expositione" (Echard). The Lectores or Magistri scholarum S. Palatii taught under him. It became customary for the Master of the Sacred Palace, according to Cardinal de Luca, to preach before the pope and his court in Advent and Lent. This had probably been sometimes done by St. Dominic. Up to the sixteenth century the Master of the Sacred Palace preached, but after it this work was permanently entrusted to his companion (another Dominican). A further division of labour was made by Benedict XIV (Decree, "Inclyta Fratrum", 1743); since the companion preaches to the papal household, and a Capuchin
preaches to the pope and to the cardinals.
But the work of the Master of the Sacred Palace as papal theologian continues to the present. As it has assumed its actual form by centuries of development, we may give a summary of the legislation respecting it and the various functions it comprises and also of the honours attaching to it. The "Acta" (or "Calenda") of the Palatine officials in 1409 (under Alexander V
) show that on certain days, the Master of the Sacred Palace was bound to deliver lectures, and on other days he was expected, if called upon, either to propose or to answer questions at the theological conference which was held in the pope's presence. On 30 October 1439, Eugene IV decreed that the Master of the Sacred Palace should rank next to the dean of the Sacred Rota, that no one should preach before the pope whose sermon had not been previously approved of by him, and that in accordance with ancient usage no one could be made a doctor of theology in Rome but by him (Bullarium O. P., III, 81). Callistus III (13 November 1455) confirmed and amplified the second part of this decree, but at the same time exempted cardinals from its operation (ibid., p. 356). It has fallen into disuse.
In the Fifth Lateran Council (sess. x, 4 May 1513) Leo X ordained that no book should be printed either in Rome or in its district without leave from the cardinal vicar
and the Master of the Sacred Palace (ibid., IV, 318). Paul V (11 June 1620) and Urban VIII added to the obligations imposed by this decree. So did Alexander VII in 1663 (Bullarium, passim). All these later enactments regard the inhabitants of the Roman Province or of the Papal States
. They were renewed by Benedict XIV (1 September 1744). And the permission of the Master of the Sacred Palace must be got not only to print, but to publish, and before the second permission is granted, three printed copies must be deposited with him: for himself, for his companion and for the cardinal vicar.
The Roman Vicariate never examines work intended for publication. For centuries the imprimatur
of the Master of the Sacred Palace who always examined them followed the Si videbitur Reverendissimo Magistro Sacri Palatii of the cardinal vicar; in virtue of custom but not of any ascertained law, since about the year 1825 the cardinal vicar gives an imprimatur, and it follows that of the Master of the Sacred Palace. The obligation once incumbent on cardinals of presenting their work to the Master of the Sacred Palace for his imprimatur has fallen into disuse, but through courtesy many cardinals do present their works.
In the Constitution "Officiorum ac Munerum
" (25 January 1897), Leo XIII declared that all persons residing in Rome may get leave from the Master of the Sacred Palace to read forbidden books, and that if authors who live in Rome intend to get their works published elsewhere, the joint imprimatur of the cardinal vicar and the Master of the Sacred Palace renders it unnecessary to ask any other approbation. As is well known, if an author not resident in Rome desires to have his work published there, provided that an agreement with the author's Ordinary has been made and that the Master of the Sacred Palace judges favourably of the work, the imprimatur will be given. In this case the book is known by its having two title pages: the one bearing the name of the domiciliary, the other that of the Roman publisher.
Before the establishment of the Congregation of the Inquisition (in 1542) and Congregation of the Index (1587), the Master of the Sacred Palace condemned books and forbade reading them under censure. Instances of his so doing occur regularly till about the middle of the sixteenth century; one occurred as late as 1604, but by degrees this task has been appropriated to the above-mentioned congregations of which he is an ex-officio member. The Master of the Sacred Palace was made by Pius V (29 July 1570; see "Bullarium", V, 245) canon theologian of St. Peter's Basilica
, but this Bull was revoked by his successor Gregory XIII (11 March 1575).
From the time when Leo X recognized the Roman University "Sapienza" (5 November 1513, by the decree "Dum suavissimos") he transferred to it the old theological school of the papal palace. The Master of the Sacred Palace became the president of the new theological faculty. The other members were the pope's grand sacristan (an Augustinian), the commissary of the Holy Office (a Dominican), the procurators general of the five Mendicant Orders
, i.e. Dominican, Franciscan (Conventual), Augustinian, Carmelite and Servite, and the professors who succeeded to the ancient Lectors of the Sacred Palace. Sixtus V is by some regarded as the founder of this college or faculty, but he may have only given its definite form. He is said to have confirmed the prerogative enjoyed by the Master of the Sacred Palace of conferring all degrees of philosophy and theology. Instances of papal diplomas implying this power of the Master of the Sacred Palace occur in the "Bullarium" passim (e.g. of Innocent IV on 6 June 1406). The presidential authority of the Master of the Sacred Palace over this, the greatest theological faculty in Rome, was confirmed by Leo XII in 1824.
Since the occupation of Rome in 1870 by Italy, the Sapienza has been laicized and turned into a state university, so that on the special occasions when the Master of the Sacred Palace held an examination, e.g. for the purpose of examining all that are to be appointed to episcopal sees in Italy, or again of conferring the title of S.T.D., he did so, with the assistance of the high dignitaries just mentioned, in his apartment in the Vatican. He is also examiner in the concursus for parishes in Rome which are held in the Roman Vicariate. Before Eugene IV issued the Bull referred to above, the Master of the Sacred Palace was in processions etc., the dignitary immediately under the Apostolic subdeacons, but when this pope raised the auditors of the Rota to the rank of Apostolic subdeacons, he gave the Master of the Sacred Palace the place immediately next to the dean who was in charge of the papal mitre. In 1655, Alexander VII put the other auditors of the Sacra Romana Rota above the Master of the Sacred Palace. This was done, according to Cardinal De Luca, solely because one white and black habit
looked badly among several violet soutanes. One of the occasional duties of the Master of the Sacred Palace is performed in conjunction with the auditors of the Rota; namely to watch over the three apertures or "drums" through which the cardinals receive all communications during a conclave
. In papal processions, the Master of the Sacred Palace walks next to the auditors, immediately behind the bearer of the papal tiara
.
Though he gradually lost some of his ancient authority and rank, nevertheless the Master of the Sacred Palace is a very high official. He is one of the three Palatine prelates (the others being the papal Maggiordomo and the Grand Almoner) to whom, as to bishops, the papal guards present arms. He is always addressed, even by cardinals, as "Most Reverend". In the Dominican Order he ranks next to the general, ex-general and vicar-general. He is ex-officio consultor
of the Holy Office, prelate-consultor of Rites, and perpetual assistant of the Index. He is consultor of the Biblical Commission, and is frequently consulted on various matters by the pope as his theologian. His official audience occurs once a fortnight. The official apartment of the Master of the Sacred Palace was in the Quirinal, and long contained the unbroken series of portraits of the Masters of the Sacred Palace, from St. Dominic down. These frescoes have been effaced by the Italian kingdom's occupants of the Quirinal, but copies of them were put in the temporary apartment of the Master of the Sacred Palace in the Vatican.
Roman Curia
The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Catholic Church, together with the Pope...
l office which has always been entrusted to a Friar Preacher of the Dominican Order
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
and may be described as the pope's theologian. The title was formerly known as the Master of the Sacred Palace before the changes implemented in Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
's 1968 apostolic letter Pontificalis Domus
Pontificalis Domus
The apostolic letter motu proprio Pontificalis Domus was issued by Pope Paul VI on March 28, 1968, in the fifth year of his pontificate. Its purpose was the reorganization of the Papal Household, which had been known as the Papal Court before the promulgation of the letter.-Introduction:Paul VI...
.
The current post is held by Fr. Wojciech Giertych
Wojciech Giertych
Wojciech Giertych, O.P. is a Polish Roman Catholic priest in the Dominican Order. He currently serves in the Prefecture of the Pontifical Household as theologian to the Pope.-Biography:...
, a Polish Dominican friar, who was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI in 2005 to replace the previous Theologian, Cardinal Georges Cottier.
History
- Stops at the early 20th century situation
St. Dominic, appointed in 1218, was the first Master of the Sacred Palace. Among eighty-four Dominicans who consecutively succeeded him till the early 20th century, eighteen were subsequently created Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
s, twenty-four were made archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
s or bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
s (including some of the cardinals), and six were elected Superior general
Superior general
A Superior General, or General Superior, is the Superior at the head of a whole religious order or congregation.The term is mainly used as a generic term, while many orders and congregations use other specific titles, notably:* Abbot general...
s of the order. Several are famous for their works on theology etc., e.g. Durandus of Saint-Pourçain
Durandus of Saint-Pourçain
Durandus of Saint-Pourçain , was a French philosopher and theologian.He was born at Saint-Pourçain, Auvergne, and entered the Dominican Order at Clermont, and obtained the doctoral degree at Paris in 1313...
, Cardinal Juan de Torquemada
Juan de Torquemada
Juan de Torquemada may refer to:* Juan de Torquemada , Spanish cardinal and ecclesiastical author; uncle to Inquisitor, Tomás de Torquemada...
, Sylvester Mazzolini
Sylvester Mazzolini
Sylvester Mazzolini, in Italian Silvestro Mazzolini da Prierio, in Latin Sylvester Prierias. was a theologian born at Priero, Piedmont; he died at Rome.At the age of fifteen, he entered the Dominican Order...
'Prierias', Thomas Maria Mamachi
Thomas Maria Mamachi
-Biography:He was born at Chios, an island in the Archipelago, 4 December 1713; died at Corneto, near Montefiascone in Italy on 7 June 1792. At the age of sixteen he entered the convent of Chios and passed later to St. Mark's at Florence and the Minerva at Rome....
and Giuseppe Agostino Orsi
Giuseppe Agostino Orsi
Giuseppe Agostino Orsi was a cardinal, theologian, and ecclesiastical historian.Born as Agostino Francesco Orsi at Florence on 9 May 1692, of the aristocratic Florentine family Orsi, he studied grammar and rhetoric under the Jesuits, but entered the Dominican Order at Fiesole on 21 February 1708...
; the majority were Italians, of the remainder ten Spaniards and ten Frenchmen, a German and an Englishman (i.e. William de Boderisham, or Bonderish, 1263-1270?).
It has sometimes been asserted that St. Thomas of Aquin was a Master of the Sacred Palace. This is due to a misconception: he was Lector of the Sacred Palace, these offices were not identical. (See Bullarium O. P., III, 18.) Though he and two other contemporary Dominicans, namely his teacher Blessed Albert the Great and his fellow pupil Bl. Ambrose Sansedonico (about both of whom the same assertion has been made) held successively the office of Lecturer on Scripture or Lecturer on Theology in the papal palace school
Palace school
The Palace school was part of the House of Osman's system, designated to educate the Ottoman Empire's governing elite. It consisted of two distinct branches. The Madrasa for the Muslims, which educated the scholars and the state officials in accordance with Islamic tradition...
, not one of them was Master of the Sacred Palace. Their names do not occur in the official lists. While all Masters of the Sacred Palace were Dominicans, several members of other orders were Lectors of the Sacred Palace (e.g. Peckham O.S.F., who became Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
in 1279).
St. Dominic's work as Master of the Sacred Palace consisted partly at least in expounding the Epistles of St. Paul. These exegetical lectures were delivered to prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
s and to the clerical attendants of cardinals who, as the saint observed, had been accustomed to gather in the antechamber and to spend the time in gossip while their masters were having audiences with the pope. According to Renazzi (I, 25), St. Dominic may be regarded as the founder of the papal palace school, since his Biblical lectures were the occasion of its being established. The liturgist Josephus Catalanus, who, however, is not guilty of the confusion alluded to above, says he was the first Lector of the Sacred Palace as well as the first Master of the Sacred Palace.
In the thirteenth century the chief duty of the Master of the Sacred Palace was to lecture on Scripture and to preside over the theological school in Vatican: "in scholae Romanae et Pontificiae regimine et in publica sacrae scripturae expositione" (Echard). The Lectores or Magistri scholarum S. Palatii taught under him. It became customary for the Master of the Sacred Palace, according to Cardinal de Luca, to preach before the pope and his court in Advent and Lent. This had probably been sometimes done by St. Dominic. Up to the sixteenth century the Master of the Sacred Palace preached, but after it this work was permanently entrusted to his companion (another Dominican). A further division of labour was made by Benedict XIV (Decree, "Inclyta Fratrum", 1743); since the companion preaches to the papal household, and a Capuchin
Order of Friars Minor Capuchin
The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin is an Order of friars in the Catholic Church, among the chief offshoots of the Franciscans. The worldwide head of the Order, called the Minister General, is currently Father Mauro Jöhri.-Origins :...
preaches to the pope and to the cardinals.
But the work of the Master of the Sacred Palace as papal theologian continues to the present. As it has assumed its actual form by centuries of development, we may give a summary of the legislation respecting it and the various functions it comprises and also of the honours attaching to it. The "Acta" (or "Calenda") of the Palatine officials in 1409 (under Alexander V
Antipope Alexander V
Alexander V was antipope during the Western Schism . He reigned from June 26, 1409, to his death in 1410 and is officially regarded by the Roman Catholic Church as an antipope....
) show that on certain days, the Master of the Sacred Palace was bound to deliver lectures, and on other days he was expected, if called upon, either to propose or to answer questions at the theological conference which was held in the pope's presence. On 30 October 1439, Eugene IV decreed that the Master of the Sacred Palace should rank next to the dean of the Sacred Rota, that no one should preach before the pope whose sermon had not been previously approved of by him, and that in accordance with ancient usage no one could be made a doctor of theology in Rome but by him (Bullarium O. P., III, 81). Callistus III (13 November 1455) confirmed and amplified the second part of this decree, but at the same time exempted cardinals from its operation (ibid., p. 356). It has fallen into disuse.
In the Fifth Lateran Council (sess. x, 4 May 1513) Leo X ordained that no book should be printed either in Rome or in its district without leave from the cardinal vicar
Cardinal Vicar
Cardinal Vicar is a title commonly given to the vicar general of the diocese of Rome for the portion of the diocese within Italy. The official title, as given in the Annuario Pontificio , is "Vicar General of His Holiness for the Diocese of Rome"...
and the Master of the Sacred Palace (ibid., IV, 318). Paul V (11 June 1620) and Urban VIII added to the obligations imposed by this decree. So did Alexander VII in 1663 (Bullarium, passim). All these later enactments regard the inhabitants of the Roman Province or of the Papal States
Papal States
The Papal State, State of the Church, or Pontifical States were among the major historical states of Italy from roughly the 6th century until the Italian peninsula was unified in 1861 by the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia .The Papal States comprised territories under...
. They were renewed by Benedict XIV (1 September 1744). And the permission of the Master of the Sacred Palace must be got not only to print, but to publish, and before the second permission is granted, three printed copies must be deposited with him: for himself, for his companion and for the cardinal vicar.
The Roman Vicariate never examines work intended for publication. For centuries the imprimatur
Imprimatur
An imprimatur is, in the proper sense, a declaration authorizing publication of a book. The term is also applied loosely to any mark of approval or endorsement.-Catholic Church:...
of the Master of the Sacred Palace who always examined them followed the Si videbitur Reverendissimo Magistro Sacri Palatii of the cardinal vicar; in virtue of custom but not of any ascertained law, since about the year 1825 the cardinal vicar gives an imprimatur, and it follows that of the Master of the Sacred Palace. The obligation once incumbent on cardinals of presenting their work to the Master of the Sacred Palace for his imprimatur has fallen into disuse, but through courtesy many cardinals do present their works.
In the Constitution "Officiorum ac Munerum
Officiorum ac Munerum
Officiorum ac Munerum was an Apostolic Constitution issued by Pope Leo XIII on 25 January 1897.The constitution terminated the rules regarding the punishment by excommunication for reading or possession of forbidden or heretical works, and replaced them by new general decrees....
" (25 January 1897), Leo XIII declared that all persons residing in Rome may get leave from the Master of the Sacred Palace to read forbidden books, and that if authors who live in Rome intend to get their works published elsewhere, the joint imprimatur of the cardinal vicar and the Master of the Sacred Palace renders it unnecessary to ask any other approbation. As is well known, if an author not resident in Rome desires to have his work published there, provided that an agreement with the author's Ordinary has been made and that the Master of the Sacred Palace judges favourably of the work, the imprimatur will be given. In this case the book is known by its having two title pages: the one bearing the name of the domiciliary, the other that of the Roman publisher.
Before the establishment of the Congregation of the Inquisition (in 1542) and Congregation of the Index (1587), the Master of the Sacred Palace condemned books and forbade reading them under censure. Instances of his so doing occur regularly till about the middle of the sixteenth century; one occurred as late as 1604, but by degrees this task has been appropriated to the above-mentioned congregations of which he is an ex-officio member. The Master of the Sacred Palace was made by Pius V (29 July 1570; see "Bullarium", V, 245) canon theologian of St. Peter's Basilica
St. Peter's Basilica
The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter , officially known in Italian as ' and commonly known as Saint Peter's Basilica, is a Late Renaissance church located within the Vatican City. Saint Peter's Basilica has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world...
, but this Bull was revoked by his successor Gregory XIII (11 March 1575).
From the time when Leo X recognized the Roman University "Sapienza" (5 November 1513, by the decree "Dum suavissimos") he transferred to it the old theological school of the papal palace. The Master of the Sacred Palace became the president of the new theological faculty. The other members were the pope's grand sacristan (an Augustinian), the commissary of the Holy Office (a Dominican), the procurators general of the five Mendicant Orders
Mendicant Orders
The mendicant orders are religious orders which depend directly on the charity of the people for their livelihood. In principle, they do not own property, either individually or collectively , believing that this was the most pure way of life to copy followed by Jesus Christ, in order that all...
, i.e. Dominican, Franciscan (Conventual), Augustinian, Carmelite and Servite, and the professors who succeeded to the ancient Lectors of the Sacred Palace. Sixtus V is by some regarded as the founder of this college or faculty, but he may have only given its definite form. He is said to have confirmed the prerogative enjoyed by the Master of the Sacred Palace of conferring all degrees of philosophy and theology. Instances of papal diplomas implying this power of the Master of the Sacred Palace occur in the "Bullarium" passim (e.g. of Innocent IV on 6 June 1406). The presidential authority of the Master of the Sacred Palace over this, the greatest theological faculty in Rome, was confirmed by Leo XII in 1824.
Since the occupation of Rome in 1870 by Italy, the Sapienza has been laicized and turned into a state university, so that on the special occasions when the Master of the Sacred Palace held an examination, e.g. for the purpose of examining all that are to be appointed to episcopal sees in Italy, or again of conferring the title of S.T.D., he did so, with the assistance of the high dignitaries just mentioned, in his apartment in the Vatican. He is also examiner in the concursus for parishes in Rome which are held in the Roman Vicariate. Before Eugene IV issued the Bull referred to above, the Master of the Sacred Palace was in processions etc., the dignitary immediately under the Apostolic subdeacons, but when this pope raised the auditors of the Rota to the rank of Apostolic subdeacons, he gave the Master of the Sacred Palace the place immediately next to the dean who was in charge of the papal mitre. In 1655, Alexander VII put the other auditors of the Sacra Romana Rota above the Master of the Sacred Palace. This was done, according to Cardinal De Luca, solely because one white and black habit
Religious habit
A religious habit is a distinctive set of garments worn by members of a religious order. Traditionally some plain garb recognisable as a religious habit has also been worn by those leading the religious eremitic and anachoritic life, although in their case without conformity to a particular uniform...
looked badly among several violet soutanes. One of the occasional duties of the Master of the Sacred Palace is performed in conjunction with the auditors of the Rota; namely to watch over the three apertures or "drums" through which the cardinals receive all communications during a conclave
Papal conclave
A papal conclave is a meeting of the College of Cardinals convened to elect a Bishop of Rome, who then becomes the Pope during a period of vacancy in the papal office. The Pope is considered by Roman Catholics to be the apostolic successor of Saint Peter and earthly head of the Roman Catholic Church...
. In papal processions, the Master of the Sacred Palace walks next to the auditors, immediately behind the bearer of the papal tiara
Papal Tiara
The Papal Tiara, also known incorrectly as the Triple Tiara, or in Latin as the Triregnum, in Italian as the Triregno and as the Trirègne in French, is the three-tiered jewelled papal crown, supposedly of Byzantine and Persian origin, that is a prominent symbol of the papacy...
.
Though he gradually lost some of his ancient authority and rank, nevertheless the Master of the Sacred Palace is a very high official. He is one of the three Palatine prelates (the others being the papal Maggiordomo and the Grand Almoner) to whom, as to bishops, the papal guards present arms. He is always addressed, even by cardinals, as "Most Reverend". In the Dominican Order he ranks next to the general, ex-general and vicar-general. He is ex-officio consultor
Consultor
A consultor is one who gives counsel, i.e. a counselor.In the Catholic Church, it is a specific title for various advisory positions:*in the Roman Curia, a consultor is a specially appointed expert who may be called upon for advice desired by a department...
of the Holy Office, prelate-consultor of Rites, and perpetual assistant of the Index. He is consultor of the Biblical Commission, and is frequently consulted on various matters by the pope as his theologian. His official audience occurs once a fortnight. The official apartment of the Master of the Sacred Palace was in the Quirinal, and long contained the unbroken series of portraits of the Masters of the Sacred Palace, from St. Dominic down. These frescoes have been effaced by the Italian kingdom's occupants of the Quirinal, but copies of them were put in the temporary apartment of the Master of the Sacred Palace in the Vatican.
Sources
- Creytens, Raymond, “Le Studium Romanae Curiae et le maître du Sacré Palais," Archivum Fratrum Praedicatorum 12 (1942): 5-83.