Supreme Order of Christ, Breast Star

SKU: 01.VAT.0101.103.01

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Attributes

country

Vatican
date of institution

March 14, 1319
makers

Tanfani & Bertarelli, Rome
remarks

The company Tanfani and Bertarelli from Rome is the Vatican’s official manufacturer of Orders and decorations from 1905 onward. There are also some examples of earlier Knighthood awards, which date prior to 1905, that feature the marks “A. Tanfani” or “Tanfani.” The company name was changed after 1967 to Ditta Augusto Casazza, and they continue to be the modern supplier of the Supreme Order of Christ, the Order of the Golden Militia, the Order of Pius IX, the Order of St. Gregory the Great, and the Order of St. Sylvester. The image of the Knight Breast Star is a scanned image from pages 314-315 of "Handbuch der Ritter- und Verdienstorden" by Maximilian Gritzner. The book was published in 1893, and falls within the public domain in Canada {{PD-Canada-anon}} and the United States {{PD-1923}}. It is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 70 years or less.

History

The roots of this Order are believed to trace back to 1319 and the Papal Bull issued by Pope John XXII that created a way to recognize Catholics who fought to protect Catholicism by battling infidels.

In 1905, the honours awarded by the papacy were reorganized, and this Order was made the highest ranking papal Order by Pope Pius. Prior to 1905 the Order was known as the Order of Christ, but the name was changed in 1905 to the Supreme Order of Christ.

This Order is traditionally awarded to Catholic Heads of State, or to anyone the Pope deems worthy. In 1966, Pope Paul VI restricted the recipients to Catholic Heads of State, and made it so that it could only be conferred on extraordinary commemorative or celebratory occasions in the presence of the Pope. Thus the modern Order is rarely awarded.

As of 1993, and the death of King Baudouin I of Belgium, there are no living members of the Order.

Recipients of the Order are granted the title “Knight of the Order of Christ.”

The Order is also known as the Order of the Knights of Christ and the Order of Christ.

Recipients are bestowed with a prefix after being emitted into the Order, with Knight for men and Dame for women.

See Military Order of Christ PRT101 in the Orders of Portugal, and the Order of Christ BRA100 in the Orders of Brazil for more information.

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