Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice ("For Church and Pope" in Latin) is a decoration of the Holy See. It is currently conferred for distinguished service to the Catholic Church by lay people and clergy.
History
The medal was established by Leo XIII on 17 July 1888 to commemorate his golden sacerdotal jubilee and was originally bestowed on the men and women who had aided and promoted the jubilee, and by other means assisted in making the jubilee and the Vatican Exposition successful.[1]
Until 1993, it was the highest honour that could be obtained by women.[3]
Appearance
1888 version of Leo XIII
The cross was initially only cast in gold and silver.[2] A bronze version was added later.[2] On the medal is a cross made octangular by fleurs-de-lis fixed in the angles of the cross. The arms of the cross narrow towards the center, with slightly indented ends, approaching the form of the patonce cross. In the center of the cross is a small medal with the image of Leo XIII. The words "Leo XIII P. M. Anno X" (tenth year of his pontificate) circle the image. In the center of the reverse side are the papal emblems. The mottoPro Ecclesia et Pontifice is stamped in the circle surrounding the emblems.
On the obverse side of the medal, the branches of the cross are comets, which, with the fleurs-de-lis, form the coat of arms of the Pecci family [it]. Stamped on the reverse side are the words "Pridie" (on the left branch), "Kal" (on the top branch), and "Januar" (on the right branch) and the year "1888" (at the foot of the cross). The medal's ribbon is red, with delicate lines of white and yellow on each border.[a] The cross is worn on the left side of the breast.[b][4]
Current version since Paul VI
The current version was introduced by pope Paul VI and is only awarded in gold. The obverse depicts the ApostlesSaint Peter and Saint Paul in the centre of the cross.[5] The inscription Pro Ecclesia (For Church) is stamped on the left arm, Et Pontifice (And Pope) on the right. Three small crosses are situated at the end of the left, bottom and right cross arm. During the reigns of Paul VI and John Paul II, the top arm of the cross bore the coat of arms of the reigning Pope and his name in Latin on the bottom cross arm. The decoration's ribbon is in the papal yellow and white.
This design was modified under Benedict XVI: the personal arms of the reigning pope were replaced by a small cross, while the coat of arms of the Holy See replaced the small cross on the bottom arm.[2] The name of the reigning pope no longer appears on the front.[2]
1979 Dr. A. Raja Pinheiro. Founder Chairman of Rajan Group of Companies M/s. Rajan Universals Mfrs. & Exports Pvt. Ltd. M/s. Amusements & Picnic Resort Pvt. Ltd. ( Dolphin City & Little Folks, Chennai ) M/s. Raj Inter Continental M/s. Raja Pinheiro Charitable Trust. he is from PunnaikayalPearl Fishery Coast of South India around Tuticorin.
1990 - Laureana Franco, for her exemplary service as a lay catechist in the Archdiocese of Manila
1991 - T. K. John Thekkumparampil, for exceptional service to the church and for his contributions to the establishment of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church.
1992 - Thomas Zullo, for Exceptional and Lifelong Service to the Church in New York and California (Archdiocese of Los Angeles)
1992 - Joaan Zullo, for Exceptional and Lifelong Service to the Church in New York and California: Financial Director of St. Paschal Baylon Church from 1990 to 2021 (Archdiocese of Los Angeles)
1995 - Constancia Baclig Madrid, Lay Minister and Catechist, St. Anne Parish of Buguey, Archdiocese of Tuguegarao, Cagayan Valley Philippines
1996 - Claire Henshall (Roman Catholic Diocese of Sale, Victoria Australia) Warragul Parish for her musical contribution as the organist to the parish for over 50 years
2016 - Léon Bernard Mathilde Giot. Belgian baritone, choirmaster of more than 5 choirs, conductor of the one and only church symphonic orchestra, singing teacher, National Coordinator for Belgium for the World Voice Day, member of the International Federation of Choral Music, chief editor, journalist, Knight of the Belgian Cross, diplôme de Médaille d'Or Arts-Sciences-Lettres de Paris, cantor and organist in more than 17 parishes and 4 dioceses, singer of the national anthem at various national ceremonies, founder of the international singing school based on natural breathing and diction for singers. ( Papal parchment dd 22 / 11 / 2016 )
2018 – Father Peter Michael Ryan,[31] Joseph Orzech, Henry Tupaj Sr.[32] Daisy Domingo, Diocese of San Jose, California USA.
2019 – Father Philip G. Bochanski, Helen McConnell, Philip J. Miraglia, Louise M. Sullivan,[33] Manuel A. Beltran, Sister Maureen Crissy, RSM, Becky Espanol, Kevin L. Hughes, Sister Patricia Kelly, MSBT, Brother Richard E. Kestler, FSC, Jose L. Lozad, Matthew McCloskey, Sister Anne Patricia Myers, SSJ, Sister M. Edward William Quinn, IHM, Thomas W. Smith[34]
^There is information about the existence of a purple ribbon with white-yellow edges, which should have been used from 1893 to 1908. Such a ribbon most certainly did not exist. It is probably the visual implementation based on the description in the papal letter Quod singulari Dei concessu: "[…] purpurei coloris linea alba flavaque ad utramque oram virgata dependeat […]". The translation of "purpurei coloris" as violet and "linea alba flavaque" as a yellow-white line leads to a different appearance of the ribbon. See:
^"Mayer, Milutin". knjiznica-kutina.hr (in Croatian). Kutina Library. Za to vrijeme (4. veljače 1916. godine) dobio je zlatnu kolajnu "Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice" od pape Benedikta XV. za svoje zasluge na književnom polju.
^Payten, Marianne, "Burrow, Kathleen Mary (Kate) (1899–1987)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 2022-08-26
^Cifrak, Mario (14 September 2017). "Odlazak evanđeoskog propovjednika". Vijenac (in Croatian). No. 613–614. ...najvažnije je došlo od pape Benedikta XVI – Pro Ecclesia et pontifice – koje mu je uručio kardinal Josip Bozanić u povodu 60. obljetnice svećeništva.
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