ABLIGATO. — This term designates an ecclesiastic appointed by the Pope to undertake special missions, such as: 1) to present blessed sashes to the sovereigns for newborn princes; 2) to deliver the blessed insignia of the sword and cap to new sovereigns or military leaders who have rendered distinguished service to the Church in defense of the faith; 3) to bring the cardinal's biretta to new cardinals absent from Rome; 4) to present the golden rose (v.) to princesses or other individuals who have distinguished themselves in service to the Church, or to notable shrines and cathedral churches. For this latter, now rare ceremony, nuncios or bishops are usually designated, accompanied by a prince chosen from among two delegates who serve as bearers of the golden rose, one belonging to the Barberini family and the other to the Lancellotti family.
More common, and almost the sole function of ablati today, is the delivery of the cardinal's biretta. When an apostolic nuncio is created a cardinal while in office, the Pope sends him the red biretta through an ablatus, who is, or becomes on this occasion, a papal secret chamberlain. The secret chamberlain specifically tasked with this mission would be the one bearing the title of Nuntius; however, the Pope may entrust this duty to others and even, exceptionally, to a layman.