The Pontifical Household (Domus Pontificalis) or Papal Household, called until 1968 the Papal Court (Pontificalis Aula).^[1] consists of dignitaries who assist the Pope in carrying out particular ceremonies either of religious or civil character.

It is organised into two bodies - the Papal Chapel (Cappella Pontificia), which assists in the pope's functions as spiritual head of the church, especially in religious ceremonies, and the Papal Family or Household (Familia Pontificia), which assists him as head of a juridical body with civil functions.^[2]

In changing the denomination from what it had been for some centuries, Pope Paul VI said he was returning to the original noble name.^[3]

Contents 1 Papal Chapel 2 Papal Family (Familia Pontificalis) 3 References 4 See also 5 Sources

[edit] Papal Chapel

The Papal Chapel consists of ecclesiastics who participate in religious ceremonies wearing their liturgical vestments or the dress proper to their rank and office.^[4]

Chanted divine service was held daily in the papal palace, with the Pope in person celebrating or assisting at Pontifical Mass on certain days. After the return of the Popes from Avignon, these solemn public functions were held in the Sistine Chapel or, on days of special solemnity, in Saint Peter's Basilica. The liturgical celebration ceased to be daily in the course of the nineteenth century.^[5] The motu proprio Pontificalis Domus of 1968 abolished some of the titles borne by various groups that had membership of the Papal Chapel. The Annuario Pontificio of 1863 listed the membership of the Papal Chapel of that time on pages 343-366.^[6] At present its membership consists of the members of the Papal Family or Household in the narrow sense (Familia Pontificalis, not Domus Pontificalis) and in addition:

• 1) The College of Cardinals
• 2) The Patriarchs
• 3) The Archbishops who head departments of the Roman Curia
• 4) The Secretaries of the Congregations of the Roman Curia
• 5) The Regent of the Apostolic Signatura
• 6) The Dean of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota
• 7) The Presidents of the Pontifical Councils and Commissions
• 8) The Abbot of Montecassino and the Abbots General of Regular Canons and Monastic Orders
• 9) The Superior General or, in his absence, the Procurator General of the Mendicant Orders
• 10) The Auditors of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota
• 11) The Voting Members of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura
• 12) The Members of the Chapters of the three Papal Basilicas (Lateran, Vatican and Liberian)
• 13) The Concistorial Advocates
• 14) The Parish Priests (Pastors) or Rome
• 15) The (five) Clerics of the Papal Chapel
• 16) Those in the personal service of the Pope^[7]

[edit] Papal Family (Familia Pontificalis)

The members of this body are subivided into two groups: ecclesiastic and lay. (For the membership in 1863, see pages 367-392 of the Annuario Pontificio of that year.)^[6]

The ecclesiastics who have membership are:

• 1) The Substitute of the Secretariat of State
• 2) The Secretary for Relations with States
• 3) The Almoner of His Holiness
• 4) The President of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy
• 5) The Theologian of the Papal Household
• 6) The College of the Apostolic Protonotaries Participating
• 7) The Supernumerary Apostolic Protonotaries
• 8) The Papal Masters of Ceremonies
• 9) The Honorary Prelates of His Holiness
• 10) The Chaplains of His Holiness
• 11) The Preacher of the Papal Household^[8]

The lay members are:

• 1) The Assistant at the Throne
• 2) The General Counsellor of the State of Vatican City
• 3) The Commandant of the Papal Swiss Guard
• 4) The Counsellors of the State of Vatican City
• 5) The President of the Papal Academy of Sciences
• 6) The Gentlemen of His Holiness
• 7) The Procurators of the Apostolic Palaces
• 8) The Attachés of the Antechamber
• 9) Those in the personal service of the Pope
• 10) The Aide de Chambre
• 11) The Dean of the Hall of the Papal Antechamber^[9]

[edit] References

[edit] See also

• Roman Curia

[edit] Sources

• (Latin) Paul VI, Motu Proprio Pontificalis Domus, 28 March 1968
• Annuario Pontificio (annual publication)
• (French) X. Barbier de Montault, L'année liturgique a Rome, Roma 1862, p. 255