The Pontifical Equestrian Order of Saint Sylvester (Latin: Ordo Sancti Silvestri Papae, Italian: Ordine di San Silvestro Papa), sometimes referred to as the Sylvestrine Order, or the Pontifical Order of Pope Saint Sylvester, is one of five orders of knighthood awarded directly by the PopeasSupreme Pontiff and head of the Catholic Church and as the Head of StateofVatican City. It is intended to honour Catholic laypeople who are actively involved in the life of the Church, particularly as it is exemplified in the exercise of their professional duties and mastership of the different arts.
This Order was at one time united with the Order of the Golden Militia. Pope Pius X in his motu proprio of 7 February 1905, entitled Multum ad excitandos, divided the Sylvestrine Order into two Orders of Knighthood, one retaining the name of St. Sylvester and the other taking the ancient name of the Order, i.e. Order of the Golden Militia, or Order of the Golden Spur.[1]
It is intended to honour Catholic laypeople who are actively involved in the life of the Church, particularly as it is exemplified in the exercise of their professional duties and mastership of the different arts. It is also conferred on non-Catholics and in the UK current recipients include prominent Anglicans, Muslims and Jews. The Knights of Saint Sylvester used to have the privilege of riding a horse inside Saint Peter's in Rome, the same privilege accorded to the other major pontifical orders.[2]
Awards of the Order are generally made on the recommendation of DiocesanBishops or of Apostolic Nuncios (nominations may be made by parish priests to their bishop for his consideration). Awards are also granted on recommendation of the Papal Secretary of State. In 1994 Pope John Paul II extended membership in the Order to ladies as well as gentlemen.[2]
Prior to 1841, it was known as the Militia of the Golden SpurorGolden Militia, and though it is not historically established who among the many supposed founders is the true one, yet it undoubtedly is the oldest and, at one time, was one of the most prized of the papal orders. Faculties granted to the Sforza family,[3] to the College of Abbreviators,[4] and to bishops assistant at the throne[5] to create Knights of the Golden Militia resulted in lavish bestowal and diminished prestige of the decoration.
Pope Gregory XVI in his Papal Brief of 31 October 1841, entitled Quod hominum mentes, retained the ancient name of the Order and placed it under the patronageofSt. Sylvester (one of its alleged founders). He withdrew all faculties to whom and by whomsoever given, and forbade the use of the title or the decoration to all knights created by any means other than a Papal Brief. To restore the Order to its ancient glory and splendour, he limited the number of Commanders to 150 and knights to 300 (for the Papal States only),[6] and appointed the Cardinal of Apostolic Briefs as Chancellor of the Order, with the duty of preserving the name, grade, number and date of admission of each knight.
Golden Chain of the Order of Saint Sylvester and the Golden Militia prior to 1905.
Pope Gregory divided the Order into two classes:
Commander wore a large-sized decoration suspended at the neck, on a wide ribbon.
Knight wore a small-sized decoration on the left side of the breast, on a smaller ribbon.
The Order currently has four classes. In order of seniority they are:[2]
Knight / Dame Grand Cross (GCSS) – wears a large cross suspended from a broad ribbon (sash) over the right shoulder across the breast to the left hip, along with the breast star
Knight / Dame Commander with Star (KC*SS / DC*SS) – wears the star of the Order on the lower left breast
Knight Commander (KCSS / DCSS) – wears a smaller cross suspended by the ribbon of the Order encircling the neck. Dame Commander wears the same cross suspended from a bow on the left breast. This class is divided into two categories
Knight / Dame (KSS / DSS) – wears the smallest cross on a ribbon attached to the left breast of the tunic.
Each recipient may illustrate their Papal knighthood with post-nominal lettering as seen above.[2]
U.S. President Barack Obama escorted through the Clementine Hall by papal gentlemen wearing the insignia of Knight Grand Cross, 2009
The current decorationorcross of the Order is a gold cross of white enamelled surface, in the centre of which is impressed the image of St. Sylvester, surrounded by a blue enamelled circle bearing the inscription in letters of gold SANC. SYLVESTER P. M. Others state SANC. SILVESTER. PONT. MAX.,[7] indicating the title Pontifex Maximus. On the obverse, in the centre, are the papal tiara and crossed keys with the dates of the Order's restoration under Gregory, MDCCCXXXXR, and that of the Pius X renovation, MDCCCCV, impressed in characters of gold upon a blue circle. The ribbon of the decoration is black silk with three narrow red stripes. The starorbadge is the cross of the Order attached to a silver star.[1]
The official uniform is a black coat ornamented with one row of gilt buttons, black velvet, gold-embroidered collar and cuffs, black gold-striped trousers, a bicornered cocked silk (bicorne) hat with a cockade of the papal colours to which is added a white plume when worn by a Knight Grand Cross, a black plume when worn by a Commander, and a sword. 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. The uniform is considerably more embroidered for the higher ranks and white gloves are usually worn.[8]
In ecclesiastical heraldry, laypersons awarded the rank Grand Cross display a blue enamelled circle bearing the inscription in letters of gold SANC. SYLVESTER P. M around the shield in their coat of arms, while other ranks place an appropriate ribbon below the shield.[citation needed]
Papal knights and dames do not have any specific obligations by virtue of their having been given the personal honour of membership in an Order. However, it is customary for them to be invited to participate in major events of their diocese, such as the consecration of bishops, the ordination of priests, and the introduction of a new bishop into his diocese. On such formal occasions, they would wear the uniform of the Order.
^Museo Barracco, Storia della collezione, Quaderno 2, ed. by Maresita Nota Santi, Orietta Rossini, and Elena Cagiano de Azevedo, Commune di Roma, 2000.
^"MASUDA M° Kento". cavalierisansilvestro.it (in Italian). Associazione "Cavalieri San Silvestro". Archived from the original on 28 September 2021. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
Giobbio, Lezioni di diplomazia ecclesiastica (Rome, 1899), Part I, lib. I, cap. x, art. iv, 514 sqq.
André-Wagner, Dict. de Droit Canonique, III, 83, 501; IV, 361
Battandier, Ann. Pont. Cath., 1901, 483 sqq.; 1902, 468 sqq.; 1908, 646 sq. For a list of knights of all the decorations see Ann. for 1905. 1907, and 1908; Pii IX P. M. Acta, Part I, 43 sq., 195 sq.; IV, 391 sq.
Bernasconi, Acta Gregorii papæ XVI, 48; III, 179 sq.; Analecta Ecclesiastica (Rome, 1905), 99 sq.; 1907, 189; Leonis XIII Pont. Max. Acta (Rome), VIII, 259, 282; XXI, 74
Holy See
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