PROTONOTARI APOSTOLICI. – The title of protonotary is first found in the fourteenth century (Ordo romanus XIV, chap. 70; cf. also P. Hinschius, Kirchenrecht der Kath. u. Prot., I, Berlin 1869, p. 412), designating the notaries attached to the first seven
(fot. Alinari)
PROTO e GIACINTO, saints, martyrs – S. P. Detail of the mosaic wall of S. Apollinare Nuovo (sixth century) – Ravenna.
regional notaries or all the notaries of the Apostolic See. These formed a college entrusted with recording all the acts issued by the Roman Curia, and were therefore called apostolici. Today the p. a. constitute a college of seven prelates bearing the title protonotarii de numero partecipantium.
The p. a. known as extra collegium are divided into three classes: 1) supernumerary p. a., who, although not members of the aforementioned college, possess almost all its privileges and are divided into: a) supernumerary ad vitam p. a., who are the prebendary prelates of the patriarchal basilicas of Rome, Lateran, Vatican and Liberian; b) supernumerary durante munere p. a., who are the canons of the cathedral churches of Concordia, Florence, Gorizia, Padua, Palermo (Metropolitan and Palatine Chapel), Treviso, Udine and Venice; 2) ad instar p. a., who in turn are divided into: a) ad instar ad vitam p. a., namely those invested with this dignity by the Supreme Pontiff; b) ad instar durante munere p. a., namely the canons of the collegiate church of S. Maria ad martyres (Pantheon) in Rome and of the metropolitan churches of Bologna, Cagliari, Malta, Modena and Strigonia; 3) titular or honorary p. a., appointed by the Pope or by the College of p. a. de numero partecipantium. All vicars general and capitular vicars, as well as the canons of certain Chapters, are also titular p. a.
The principal offices of the participating notaries since the fifteenth century were: to draw up authentic reports in public and semipublic consistories (Pius II, constitution Cum servare in rebus ordinem, 12 June 1459, in Bullarium Romanum, V, Turin 1860, p. 152); to draw up, or at least subscribe, the bulls for the collation of benefices made in Consistory, after the said benefices had been conferred, forma breviere per viam camerae, by virtue of the constitutions of Alexander VI (In eminent, 22 Aug. 1500) and Pius V (Pontifice dignum, 24 July 1570). The subscription of these bulls was later made by the secretary of the College of Protonotaries. It was also the office of the p. a. to collect the votes in councils and draw up the acts. Adrian VI, by the motu proprio: Cum una Sancta Catholica of 1522 (Moroni, LVI, Venice 1852, pp. 1 ff.), ordered that the p. a. de numero partecipantium should always attend the chapels, under penalty of excommunication. By the constitution Romanus Pontifex of 16 Nov. 1585 (Bullarium Romanum, VIII, part 4, Turin 1863, p. 621), Sixtus V increased the number of p. a. to twelve. By the constitution Laudabilis sedis of 15 Feb. 1586 (Bullarium Romanum, VIII, cited above, p. 624), he more precisely determined their privileges, granting the College, among other things: a) the power to create, after examination, doctors of theology or of another faculty (Urban VIII restricted the number of those promoted to four per year; Benedict XIV raised it again to six per year); b) the right to create public notaries; c) to legitimate children born ex quovis illicito et damnato coitu; d) to establish its own statutes; e) to be familiars, table companions and domestic prelates of the Pontiff; f) exemption from every jurisdiction of the Ordinaries; g) to appoint an honorary protonotary every year; h) the use of pontificals; i) and of the portable altar. Gregory XV (constitution Inscrutabili divinae Providentiae of 22 June 1622: Bullarium Romanum, XII, Turin 1867, p. 690), Urban VIII and Benedict XIV (De Servorum Dei beatif. et canoniz., I, chap. 17, no. XXXIII) established that a p. a. de numero partecipantium should take part in the preparation of the processes of beatification and canonization. This p. a., chosen by the Pope, was a consultor of the S. Congregation of Rites (he is currently instead an official Prelate). Alexander VII, by the brief Ex Romani Pontificis Supremi of 4 Sept. 1656 (Bull. Rom., vol. XVI, Turin 1869, p. 227), confirmed these provisions.
Gregory XVI, by the constitution Neminem certe latet of 8 Feb. 1838 (Acta Gregorii XVI, II, Rome 1901, p. 248), restored the College of p. a. de numero partecipantium, with all the privileges, indults and honors of the past.
The CIC did not regulate the matter in question except with regard to the p. a. official Prelate at the Congregation of Rites (canons 2013 § 2, 2073). The reorganization of the College, however, took place under Pius XI through the constitution Ad incrementum decoris of 15 Aug. 1934 (AAS, 26 [1934], pp. 497–521). In order of precedence, the p. a. de numero partecipantium come immediately after the assessors and secretaries of Congregations, while it is disputed whether this precedence also belongs to the p. a. extra collegium over the auditor prelates of the S. R. Rota. Among the munera of the p. a. de numero partecipantium are recalled: to authenticate the most important acts of the Apostolic See, except during the time when it is vacant, and the acts concerning the taking of possession by new cardinals of their titles or deaconries. Four members of the College must always take part in canonizations, councils, and public and semipublic consistories in order to draw up their acts, which have public probative force even if signed by only one member. The p. a. de numero partecipantium who hold degrees in utroque iure are ipso facto referendary prelates of the Apostolic Signatura. Two of them must subscribe, in place of the suppressed College of abbreviators de parco maiore, all the bulls of the Apostolic Chancery. It belongs to their dean to publish the bull of the Holy Year for the first time. During the conclave they are responsible for guarding one of the Wheels. As for the other p. a. extra collegium, Pius X’s motu proprio Inter multiplices curas provided that they could be elected conservators of religious Orders and of other more important institutes, synodal judges, and finally apostolic commissioners and judges, even in ecclesiastical beneficial cases. The p. a. must take possession of his office. The privileges of the p. a. are established in the aforementioned motu proprio of Pius X and in the aforementioned constitution of Pius XI, and reproduce the privileges belonging to other prelates, with the distinctive use of pontificals and the ring in sacred functions.
The dress of the p. a. de numero partecipantium is prelatical, violet in color; for the others, the provisions of Pius X’s motu proprio Inter multiplices curas remain in force. For titular or honorary p. a., the prelatical dress must be black. Pius X’s motu proprio also establishes the rite for the pontifical Masses, solemn Vespers and the other pontifical functions of the p. a.