Order of St. Gregory the Great
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The Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great (Template:Langx; Template:Langx) was established on 1 September 1831, by Pope Gregory XVI, seven months after his election as Pope.<ref name="BegniGrey1914">Template:Cite book</ref>
The order is one of the five orders of knighthood of the Holy See. The honor is bestowed upon Catholic men and women (and certain notable non-Catholics)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> in recognition of their personal service to the Holy See and to the Catholic Church, through their unusual labors, their support of the Holy See, and the examples they set in their communities and their countries.
History and appointment
Template:See also The inaugural brief states, in part, that "gentlemen of proven loyalty to the Holy See who, by reason of their nobility of birth and the renown of their deeds or the degree of their munificence, are deemed worthy to be honored by a public expression of esteem on the part of the Holy See". The end of the brief states that they must progressively maintain, by continued meritorious deed, the reputation and trust they had already inspired, and prove themselves worthy of the honor that had been conferred on them, by unswerving fidelity to God and to the sovereign Pontiff.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The awarding of the Order of St. Gregory the Great presents no particular obligations on the recipients toward the Catholic Church – except for the general ones stated above.
Insignia
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An eight-pointed cross, the insignia of the order, bears a representation of St. Gregory on the obverse and on the reverse the motto Template:Lang ("For God and Ruler"). The cross is suspended from a red and gold ribbon. In ecclesiastical heraldry, laymen awarded the high rank of Grand Cross can display a red and gold ribbon surrounding the shield in their personal coats of arms, but the recipients of the lower ranks place an appropriate ribbon below the shield.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The difference between the civilian and military insignia is that the former group wears the cross hanging from a green crown of laurel, whereas the latter group wears the cross hanging from a trophy of arms.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Vestments and accoutrements
The Order comprises four classes:
- Knight/Dame Grand Cross (GCSG)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Knight/Dame Commander with Star (KC*SG/DC*SG)
- Knight/Dame Commander (KCSG/DCSG)
- Knight/Dame (KSG/DSG)
A green uniform was later prescribed by Pope Pius IX. The uniform contains a black beaver-felt hat decorated with black silk ribbons, silver metallic twisted rope, buttons and black ostrich feathers. The jacket, made of green wool, is trimmed with silver metallic thread, and has a tail, nine yellow metal buttons in the front and three buttons on the cuffs and is lined with black satin. Finally, the costume contains suspenders, several yellow and red rosettes, white leather gloves, and a short sword with a handle made of mother of pearl with a medallion of the order at the end.
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:
Notable members
Knight/Dame Grand Cross
- Frederick Blakeney, 1964, Australian diplomat, Knight Grand Cross<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
- Dominique, Prince de La Rochefoucauld-Montbel, 2023, Knight Grand Cross
- Sir George Bowyer, 6th Baronet, Knight Grand Cross<ref name="archive.org">Template:Cite book</ref>
- General Sir Peter Cosgrove, 2013, Knight Grand Cross, Governor-General of Australia<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- João Carlos Saldanha de Oliveira Daun, 1st Duke of Saldanha, Knight Grand Cross of the First Class<ref>Diccionario bibliographico portuguez, 1859, p. 342</ref>
- Rodrigo Augusto da Silva, Knight Grand Cross of the First Class
- Baron Henry Delvaux de Fenffe, 1921, Governor of Liège<ref>Acta Apostolicae Sedis 13 (1921) [1]</ref>
- Duke Carl Ludvig Fouché d'Otrante (1930)<ref name="ReferenceA" />
- George Forbes, 7th Earl of Granard, Knight Grand Cross<ref name="archive.org"/>
- Édouard de Castelnau, French general<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Frank Hanna III, American entrepreneur and philanthropist, Knight Grand Cross
- Alice von Hildebrand, 2013, Dame Grand Cross<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Charles von Hügel, 1852, Knight Grand Cross<ref>Charles von Hügel by Anatole von Hügel</ref>
- Johno Johnson, 2015, Australian politician<ref>Acta Apostolicae Sedis 108 (2016) [2]</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Dina Kawar, previous ambassador of Jordan to France<ref>Acta Apostolicae Sedis 97 (2005) [3]</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Riccardo Muti, 2012, Italian conductor, Knight Grand Cross<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Gilbert Levine, 2016, American conductor, Knight Grand Cross<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- James Joseph Norris, February 11, 1947, American Catholic humanitarian, co-founder and president of the Papal agency, the International Catholic Migration Commission. European Director of War Relief Services (later Catholic Relief Services). Collaborated with the Holy See for thirty years on refugee resettlement and world poverty. (Also see James Joseph Norris, Knight Commander 1955)
- Juan Domingo Perón, Caballero de la Gran Cruz (28 de Junio de 1947)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Count Christopher de Paus (1930)<ref name="ReferenceA">Acta Apostolicae Sedis 22 (1930)</ref>
- Count Hippolyte d'Ursel
- Count Léo d'Ursel, ambassador
- Count Charles Woeste
Knight/Dame Commander with Star
- Bob Hope, 1998, American entertainer (convert to Catholicism)<ref name="LA Times Archived Article">Template:Cite news</ref>
- Francis Martin O'Donnell, 2007, Ambassador and Knight of Malta, previously in UN service for 32 years
- G. K. Chesterton,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 1934, English writer, philosopher, lay theologian, and literary and art critic (convert to Catholicism)
- Gloria, Princess of Thurn and Taxis,<ref>Fürstin Gloria von Thurn und Taxis erhält päpstlichen St.-Gregorius-Orden Template:Webarchive, Bistum Regensburg.</ref> 2008, Dame Commander with Star
- Albert Gubay, 2011, founder of Kwik Save supermarket chain and Total Fitness<ref>Albert Gubay 'overwhelmed' with Papal award – website BBC News, 23 February 2011</ref>
Knight Commander and Dame Commander
- Roy E. Disney, 1998<ref name="LA Times Archived Article" />
- Sir Patrick Duffy, 2017, British politician<ref name="thestar">Template:Cite web</ref>
- Joseph Ghougassian, 1989, United States Ambassador to Qatar who persuaded the Qatari government to end its prohibition against public worship by Christians and other non-Islamic groups<ref name="first">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="rey">Template:Cite news</ref>
- Charles Guthrie, Baron Guthrie of Craigiebank, 2008, Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)
- Hendrik Samuel Houthakker, 2003, Knight Commander with Silver Star, Member of Nixon's Council of Economic Advisers, husband of Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka.
- John Hume, 2012, Northern Irish politician and co-recipient of the 1998 Nobel Peace Prize<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Ignazio Jacometti, sculptor, appointed by Pope Pius IX.<ref>Jacometti, Ignazio Entry by Simona Sclocchi in Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani – Volume 62 (2004)</ref>
- Saunders Lewis, 1975, Welsh nationalist politician, founder of Plaid Genedlaethol Cymru and prominent figure in Welsh-language literature<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref> (convert to Catholicism)
- John McLoughlin, 1847, Hudson's Bay Company Chief Factor of Fort Vancouver, 1st mayor of Oregon City.
- Kevin McNamara, British Politician<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Maurice Gerard Moynihan, 1959, Secretary of the Government of the Irish Free State and Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland
- Rupert Murdoch, 1998, Australian-American publisher and media entrepreneur<ref name="LA Times Archived Article" />
- Oscar Niemeyer, 1990, Brazilian modernist architect<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Nikkyō Niwano, 1992, Japanese Buddhist practitioner who founded the Buddhist organization Risshō Kōsei Kai.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Better source needed
- James Joseph Norris, September 13, 1955, American Catholic humanitarian, Lay Auditor at the Second Vatican Council, delivered major address at the Council on "World Poverty and the Christian Conscience". Charter member of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum". Represented the Holy See at the funeral of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
- Casto Méndez Núñez, 1849, Spanish Navy officer, future contralmirante (counter admiral)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- James O'Donnell, 1999, organist and Master of the Choristers, Westminster Abbey
- Lilianne Ploumen, 2017, Dutch politician<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Charles Poletti, 1945, Governor of New York, Army officer in charge of post World War II civil affairs in Italy
- John J. Raskob, American financial executive and businessman (DuPont, General Motors); financed the building of the Empire State Building
- Carlo Emanuele Ruspoli, 3rd Duke of Morignano, 2004<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Paul Salamunovich, 1969, American choral conductor and expert on Gregorian chant.
- Sir Jimmy Savile, 1990, English radio DJ and television presenter-broadcaster<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> (In 2012, after Savile's death, an annulment of the honor was requested by the Archbishop of Westminster. This was declined on the basis that the life honor died with the individual.)<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Subscription required</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Roger Wagner, by Pope Paul VI, American choral conductor
- Mordecai Waxman, 1998, Rabbi (Conservative Judaism)
Knight/Dame
- Walter Annenberg, who created TV Guide<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Mariano Armellini, Italian archaeologist<ref name="Broderick">Template:Cite journal</ref>
- Thomas Bodkin, lawyer, art historian, art collector and curator<ref name="anon-obit">Unlabelled press clipping of contemporary obituary, in Royal Birmingham Society of Artists archives</ref>
- Joanna Bogle, 2013, British Roman Catholic writer and broadcaster<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Phyllis Bowman, 1996, British journalist and anti-abortion campaigner<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Esteban Campodónico, 1928, Italian-Peruvian medical doctor, university professor, and philanthropist<ref name="JAMA Ophthalmology obit">Template:Cite journal</ref>
- Henry Cooper, 1978, champion heavyweight boxer (convert to Catholicism)
- John J. Coppinger, 1861, US Army major general<ref name="Hennessy">Template:Cite news</ref>
- John A. Creighton, 1898, businessman and philanthropist in Omaha<ref>"Count John A. Creighton Dead: Nebraskan Who Founded Colleges Was Ennobled by the Pope", New York Times. 8 February 1907.</ref>
- John Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute<ref name="archive.org" />
- Ralph Downes, 1970, English organist, organist of the London Oratory, organ teacher and organ designer (including organ of the Royal Festival Hall London)<ref>Marc Naylor. The Independent, London, 1 January 1994.</ref>
- Jude Patrick Dougherty, 1999, American philosopher, Dean Emeritus of the School of Philosophy at the Catholic University of America<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>
- Eamon Duffy, 2017, Irish historian and emeritus Professor of the History of Christianity at the University of Cambridge<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Philip Duffy, 1982, Master of Music at the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral from 1966 to 1996
- Joseph Esposito, 2002, Chief of the New York City Police Department<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Brian Gill, Lord Gill, (2011) Lord President of Scotland 2012–2015<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Bhai Sahib Bhai Mohinder Singh Ahluwalia, chairman of the Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha UK, and Sikh interfaith dialogue leader<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Yuri Nikolayevich Maklakov, teacher of Russian language and literature
- Bambang Soegeng, Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Army
- Emanuele Luigi Galizia, Maltese architect and civil engineer<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
- Joe Gladwin, British actor and comedian<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>British Theatrelog volume 1 issue 8, TQ Publications, 1978, p. 14</ref>
- Sheilagh Kesting, 2016, former Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and former Ecumenical Officer of the Church of Scotland
- Ilyas Khan, British businessman and philanthropist, Chairman of Leonard Cheshire DisabilityTemplate:Citation needed
- George Malcolm, English choral conductor, harpsichordist and organist; former Master of the Music, Westminster Cathedral
- Colin Mawby, 2006, English choral conductor and composer<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> former Master of the Music, Westminster Cathedral
- John A. McCone, 1955, US Industrialist, former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and former head of the Atomic Energy Commission
- George Menachery, 2008, Editor of the St Thomas Christian Encyclopaedia of India and Director of the SARAS,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> philanthropist
- Jean Migneault, former Deputy Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus
- Patrick Millen, 1991, New Zealand public servant<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
- Ricardo Montalbán,<ref>Gallantry magazine online Template:Webarchive accessed 31 January 2008</ref> 1998, Mexican / American actor
- Paul Victor Obeng, 2009,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Ghanaian mechanical engineer and statesman
- Isabel Piczek, 1998, artist<ref name="shro_Brit">Template:Cite web</ref>
- Joseph Ryelandt, Belgian composer<ref>Ryelandt, Joseph (grandson of the knight of the same name), Histoire de la famille Ryelandt et des familles alliées (Brussels, 2003; a private publication; a copy has been deposited in the National Library), p. 120.</ref>
- Jovan Sundečić, 1886, Serbian Orthodox priest and Montenegrin officialTemplate:Sfn
- Ann Widdecombe, 2013, British politician<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Michael Williams, 2001, English actorTemplate:Citation needed
- Sebastian Kyalwazi, 1968, Ugandan surgeon, researcher and academic.<ref name="1R">Template:Cite web</ref>
- Alfred Grünberger, 1924, Austrian Minister of Foreign Affairs.<ref>AAS 17 (1925), n. 1, S. 36.</ref>
- J. L. P. Roche Victoria (Former State Minister from Tamil Nadu).
- James Carine, Royal Navy officer.
References
General and cited references
External links
- Association of Papal Orders in Great Britain Template:Webarchive
- Catholic Knighthood article from Time Magazine, 25 Jun 1928, reporting an award of the Order of St. Gregory the Great
Template:Papal Orders of Knighthood Template:Orders of Italian States before unification