CEREMONIAL AND PROTOCOL OF THE HOLY SEE – HISTORY AND CUSTOMS
In order to understand the role and mission of the Ceremonial and Protocol of the Holy See, it is appropriate to describe their historical and cultural evolution in an interpretative key.
The ceremonial has recently been revised by the Second Vatican Council, with a strong contribution made by Pope Paul VI with his Motu Proprio of 1968.
In the past, there was a congregation for ceremonial composed of a group of cardinals and masters of apostolic ceremonies. Currently, the responsibilities of the congregation for ceremonial have been assumed almost entirely by the Prefecture of the Papal Household.
The era of radical changes that was being witnessed in the 1960s (new technologies, multiculturalism, mass media) led the Holy Father Paul VI to want to revise some of the customs of the Ceremonial. The great work of reform carried out by the Pope was aimed at safeguarding the essential content of the ceremonial, eliminating all that was superfluous and not suited to the changing spirit of the times.
On the subject of protocol customs there is often little clarity and great susceptibility.
Constantine Porphyrius Genitus wrote the “De Cerimonis Aulae Palatinae”, a famous text in which he reported the customs of the Imperial Ceremonial and from which much has been taken to structure the contemporary ceremonial.
According to some theories, the Byzantine Empire would in fact have survived 500 years longer thanks to the culture and fascination of its ceremonial.
The development of ceremonial and protocol is closely linked to the history of the papacy. Its evolutions and changes crystallized between the 14th and 15th centuries.
Agostino Patrizi Bonomi is the author of a 1400 text divided into three volumes on the Ceremonial of the Roman Curia, used as a prototype for ceremonies with Sovereigns and Heads of State. The Papal Ceremonial was conceived as “honor to be rendered to God through the Sacred Rite,” as the functions of the Pope are expressed through those of the ceremonial.
Until a few decades ago, the entire structure that revolved around the figure of the Pontiff was defined as the Papal court. The Roman Curia was not defined as a “court” but more properly as a religious reality around the Pope. This religious reality uses two articulations: papal chapel and papal family, which are expressed through different customs, roles and ceremonies.
Papal Chapel: a relatively new term (about 700 years old) that derives from the period in which the residence of the Popes moved to Avignon and the consequent attempt to resume the Roman tradition by adapting it to the new environment.
A process of adaptation from the ordines to the new ceremonials developed.
John Burcardo wrote a series of diaries that were later used for customs and traditions of the papal ceremonial.
Until the transfer to Avignon, the liturgical celebrations of the Holy Father were referred to as the “Stationary Liturgy” (since they were held within the Churches of Rome according to well-defined calendars). With the transfer, the liturgies were celebrated inside papal chapels, originally intended to be closed once the Pope had returned to Rome. However, they were not closed and thus began a period of coexistence between papal chapels and stationary liturgies.
The papal chapels are divided into ordinary (about 60) and extraordinary.
The celebratory system maintained its organic structure until the reform of the papal chapels: it was composed of cardinals and the prelature colleges. The Cardinals are divided according to three orders: Bishops, Presbyters and Deacons. In the ceremonial, the Cardinals have precedence over many offices of state as they represent potential “heirs” of the Pope.
The sacred ministers of the papal chapel: it indicates ordinary and extraordinary celebrations and dignitaries who collaborate in the celebration in the presence of the pope or as if he were present. Ambassadors have participated since the 14th century with the privilege of carrying the shafts supporting the papal canopy.
Papal family: composed of members, both lay and non lay, that the Pope needs for his daily life. Specifically: palatine cardinals, palatine prelates, and masters of ceremonies.
The idea of the particular secretary is modern. Today, lay persons perform exclusively the functions of chamber assistants. Currently, this role is held by two prelates of the secret antechamber: Sanchirico and Ruiz. The deputy is responsible for current affairs and the management of representations abroad. The gentlemen of His Holiness have service functions.
There is also a second pontifical antechamber composed of 1) papal sediars, who welcomeguests together with the personnel of the antechamber and wear the traditional silver collar, and 2) the personnel of the antechamber.
The service of antechamber can be structured in simple or double depending on the level of solemnity.
The audiences, on the other hand, can be: table audiences (ordinary, often granted to collaborators according to established tables) or private audiences (granted to individuals who have something particularly urgent and serious to confer).
Then there are two other particular distinctions: special audiences (particularly brief, held inside the hall of the anctechamber) or kissing hands (even shorter than the previous ones, usually to greet the Pope during his passage).
Finally, we recall the distinction between State Visits and State Audiences. The former are characterized by elements of high solemnity and the religious aspect of the ceremony is maintained (visits also to the tomb of Peter). The latter are less solemn, no religious element is included and usually the civil authority is accompanied by his family.
There are still the visits of the regent Princes and the heirs of former rulers and the audiences to ministers of foreign affairs.
The customs for the presentation of Credential Letters have recently been revised with a return to the previous type of ceremonial, where there is no longer any distinction between Ambassadors (received in the “Sala del Trono”) and Plenipotentiary Ministers (received in the “Sala del Tronetto”).
Following the revision, this distinction has disappeared and the ceremony is totally public, in the presence of the delegation. The ceremony has the same characteristics as the State Visits.