Order of Gregorius

Order of Gregorius Ordo Sancti Gregorii Magni
Awarded by the Pope
Art	Order of knights
Awarded for	Services to the Catholic Church
status	is awarded
Data
Foundation year	September 1, 1831
Benefactor	Gregory XVI.
Precedence
Next higher award	Order of Pius
Next lower award	New Year's Order

Heinrich von Mattoni with the Commander's Cross of the Order of Gregory

The Order of St. Gregory the Great (short Order of St. Gregory the Great and Gregory Medal ; Latin Ordo Sancti Gregorii Magni ), officially Ordine Equestre Pontificio di San Gregorio Magno ( Papal Knights of St. Gregory the Great ) is the fourth-highest medal for services to the Roman Catholic Church . It is conferred indirectly by the Pope .

history

The Order of Gregory, on September 1, 1831 by Pope Gregory XVI. endowed with the breve “Quod summis quibusque”, is one of the highest awards that the Pope bestows on laypeople . As early as 1834 he was generally awarded as a knightly order "for zeal in the defense of the Catholic religion" . It got its name after Pope Gregory I , who bears the honorary title "the Great" (Pope from 590 to 604). During his pontificate he succeeded in laying the foundations for the later papal state through political skill and good administration of ecclesiastical property . Pope John Paul II renewed the order on June 2, 1993; since then the medal has also been awarded to women ( ladies ).

Order classes

The order is divided into two divisions, one civil and one military, with the following classes:

• Grand Cross Knight (Cavaliere di Gran Croce) and Grand Cross Lady (Dama di Gran Croce)
• Commander with Star (Commendatore con Placca) and Commander-Lady with Star (Dama di Commenda con Placca)
• Commander (Commendatore)
• Knight (Cavaliere) and Lady (Dama)

The bearers of the Order of Gregory do not enjoy any special privileges.

Wearing method of the order (from left to right) 4th to 1st class

Order decoration

The insignia shows the image of Gregory the Great with a dove on an eight-pointed, gold, red enameled cross on the front of the blue central shield . On the back there is the inscription PRO DEO ET PRINCIPE and in the middle of a golden circle GREGORIUS XVI. P. M. ANNO 1 .

The medal is worn on a red ribbon with a yellow border. The uniform consists of a dark green, open-front tailcoat with rich silver embroidery, collar and lapels of the same color with silver embroidery, dark green trousers with silver stripes, a bicorn and a sword .

Well-known knights of the order

• see: Knights of the Order of Gregory

See also

• List of papal orders and decorations

Web links

Commons : Order of Gregorius  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• Website of the "Association of Papal Orders in Great Britain of Pius IX, Saint Gregory and Saint Sylvester" with information about the order