The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-07-20

Among the various marks of honor
and distinction which the Papal Court
confers upon men of unblemisheo
character, who have in any way pro
NOTED the interests of society, the
Church, and the Holy See, are the
Orders of Christian Knighthood.
According to the Catholic Encyclo-
pedia and to the noted writer,
Moroni, these titles range from
Prince to Baron, inclusive. They are
bestowed by the Pope inasmuch as
he is a temporal Sovereign. The title
ordinarily conferred is that of Count
prefiXed to the family name.
The chief Papal Orders of Knight
hood are: Supreme Order of Christ;
Order of Plus TX; Order of st. Greg
ory the Great; Order of st. Sylvester;
Order of the Golden Militia, also called
of the Golden Spur; Order of the Holy
Sepulchre.
Various military Orders were
founded by Popes and Kings, as
Moroni says, las a reward of merit,
in defense of religion, the support of
the Church, the protection of pilgrims,
care of the sick, widows and orphans,
the defense of justice and public or
der" Altogether, the Papal Orders OF
Knighthood form a beautiful picture
of eminent men gathered together
under a solemn pledge to uphold
what charity dictates as a most
sublime work.
In the Middle Ages there were
many military Orders of different de-
grees, such as those of st. Lazarus,
Jerusalem, Calatraya, Constantine.
st. George, Teutonic, etc. According
to the best historians the Papal Or
ders began to appear about the time
of the Crusades. After the Crusades,
some of these Orders were founded
to protect the kingdom from the in.
vasions of the infidel; others were de,
signed as an honorable recompense
for eminent services to king and
country.
Order of ST. Gregory the Great.
Pope Gregory XVI founded this Or
der, which is the most coveted OF all
to reward the civil and military vir'
tues in the Papal states. In brief
"Quod Summis,'' September 1, 1881
he placed it under the patronage OF
the great Pope whose name it bears
1t has two divisions, civil and mill
tary, and each division is divided into
four classes. The decoration is an
eight-pointed red-enamelled gold
cross. in the center of which is a blue
medallion on which is engraved in
gold the image of st. Gregory, and al
the side of his head near the right
ear is dove; in a circle around the
image appears in golden letters, IS
Gregorius Magnus." On the reverse
side is the device PRO Dec ct Prin
cipe"-For God and Ruler-and il
the center around it, Gregorius XVI
P. M. Ammo /. The badge is the eros!
of the Order surrounded with silver
rays. The ribbon of the Order is rec
with orange borders. The cross worl
by a Knight of the Military Division
is surmounted by a military trophy
the cross of a Knight of the Civil Di
vision is surmounted by crown o
gold oak leaves. The costume of cere
mony is a dress coat of dark green
open i'm front, and covered on breas
and back with embroideries in tn,
form of oak leaves. White trouser
with silver side stripes, two
cornered ornamented hat, and tn
usual knightly sword, complete tn
costume.
Supreme Order of Christ.
The Supreme Order of Christ is @
Portuguese origin. The decoration
a long red cross, bordered with nal
row gold band surmounted by rea
crown, which, in turn, is surmounte
by a military trophy attached to tn
ribbon. Upon the center of the Ion
red cross is superimposed a small
white enamelled Latin cross. Th
decoration is worn suspended from
collar composed of shields bearing a
ternately the cross of the Order an
the Papal emblems connected wit
golden knots. The badge is a silvt
eight-rayed star ornamented vii
Jewels and bearing on its center Il
cross of the Order, surrounded by
crown of gold oak leaves.
The uniform is of bright scarf
with faeings of white cloth and ri'
gold embroideries on the collar, brea
and cuffs. Knee breeches of whi
smooth silk with gold side stripe
shoes of white silk with gold buckle
hat with white plumes and orn
mented with knot of twisted go
cord, terminating in tassels of gol
and a sword with a gold orname
mother-of-pearl hilt, and penda
tassels of twisted gold cord, compile
this official costume.
Order of Plus TX.
This Order was founded June
4S47, by the Pope whose name
bears. Its object is to ffttingly
ward noble and conspicuous dee
towards Church and society, and