MAESTRO DI CASA. - He is one of the dignitaries of the pontifical household, to whom is entrusted, or at least was, the governance of the personnel of the pontifical household, under the authority of the majordomo. Today he has under him the subordinate personnel of the Holy Apostolic Palaces.
Alexander V (1410) created this new office, to which he entrusted part of the attributions that had until then belonged to the vice-dominus, and later to the camerlengo. The new holder was called magister domus pontificiae, which in Italian was later translated with the title of m. of the h. of the Pope. He is found in the rolls of the pontifical household under Pius II (1458). He was a prelate who ordinarily later became a cardinal, and who had the superintendence of the Apostolic Palaces together with the master of the Holy Hospice.
In the 17th and 18th centuries he had different attributions. This dignity is sometimes found entrusted to a layman, and sometimes to an ecclesiastic. The organization for the 19th century was determined by the provisions issued by Pius VI. These provisions were revised and confirmed by Leo XII and by Gregory XVI in the last century.
He enjoyed great authority and directed in the civil sphere everything that could be required for the good running of the household or of the Apostolic Palace. Dependent on him were the sediar (v.) and the hall service, the supplies, the kitchens, the stables, the floreria, etc.
When in 1929 the Lateran Pacts were signed, and consequently the Vatican City was created, with its governorate, the governor gradually assumed various duties that had formerly belonged to the m. of the h. Other duties passed to the master of the chamber (v.) and others to the Administration of the properties of the Holy See (v.).
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Giuseppe Palazzini