MAESTRO DI CASA. - He is one of the dignitaries of the papal household, entrusted—or at least formerly entrusted—with the administration of the personnel of the papal household, under the majordomo. Today he has under his authority the subordinate personnel of the Sacred Apostolic Palaces.
Alessandro V (1410) created this new office, to which he entrusted part of the duties that had until then belonged to the vice-domino, and subsequently to the chamberlain. The new appointee was called magister domus pontificiae, which was later rendered in Italian by the title of m. di c. of the Pope. He is found in the rolls of the papal household under Pius II (1458). He was a prelate who ordinarily later became a cardinal, and who had general oversight of the Apostolic Palaces together with the master of the Sacred Hospice.
In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries he had various duties. At times this dignity was entrusted to a layman, and at times to an ecclesiastic. The organization for the nineteenth century was determined by the provisions issued by Pius VI. These provisions were revised and confirmed by Leo XII and Gregory XVI in the last century.
He enjoyed great authority and, in the civil sphere, directed everything that might be required for the proper running of the household or the Apostolic Palace. The sediar (v.) and the table service, supplies, kitchens, stables, flower department, etc., were under his authority.
When the Lateran Pacts were signed in 1929, and the Vatican City was consequently created, with its governorship, the governor gradually assumed various duties that had previously belonged to the m. di c. Other duties passed to the master of the chamber (v.) and others to the Administration of Holy See (v.).