Prince Assistants to the Papal Throne
Encyclopedia
The Princes Assistant to the Pontifical Throne are hereditary offices of the Roman Curia
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...

. They date from the early sixteenth century, and survived the reform of the Prefecture of the Pontifical Household in 1968. Today the only hereditary posts still in use at the Vatican are the Princes Assistant to the Pontifical Throne.

There are two posts, which are currently held by Prince Don Alessandro Torlonia, Prince Torlonia, Prince of Fucino, Prince of Canino and Musignano, and Prince Don Marcantonio Colonna, Prince and Duke of Paliano
Colonna family
The Colonna family is an Italian noble family; it was powerful in medieval and Renaissance Rome, supplying one Pope and many other Church and political leaders...

. The Colonna family
Colonna family
The Colonna family is an Italian noble family; it was powerful in medieval and Renaissance Rome, supplying one Pope and many other Church and political leaders...

 have been Princes Assistant since 1710. The Torlonia
Torlonia
200px|thumb|Coat of arms of the House of Torlonia.The princes Torlonia are an Italian noble family from Rome, who acquired a huge fortune in the 18th and 19th centuries through administering the finances of the Vatican.-History:...

 family were appointed in 1958 (their title dates from 1854 also), in succession to the Prince Orsini, who had been Princes Assistant from c.1735 to 1958.

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