SACRISTAN (Prefect of the Apostolic Sacristy). - He is a titular bishop (by tradition of Porfirione) who has charge of the Apostolic Sacrarium, and the custody of all the furnishings, ornaments, utensils, vessels, and vestments of the pontifical chapel, and of the precious ornaments of the Holy Father, including the mitres, the triregnum, as well as the Golden Rose (v.), the sword and the berrettone (v. BERRETTA) that have been blessed. He is an assistant at the Pontifical Throne, an official prelate of the S. Congr. of Rites, with residence in the Vatican.
Until the 15th century this office was combined with others of the Apostolic Palace; the s. was also confessor and penitentiary of the pope. In 1316 indeed John XXII assigned the office of confessor of the pope, together with that of s. and of librarian.
From 1352, by custom, albeit with some exceptions during the second half of the 15th century, the s. and the undersacristan (sub-praefectus sacrarii apostolici) who assisted the former in the exercise of the prefecture of the pontifical sacristy, were almost always chosen from among the Hermits of St. Augustine, until Alexander VI confirmed for them their exclusive privilege. To the office of s. was joined the dignity of abbot of the church of St. Sebastian outside the walls, by which dignity at the coronation of the pope episcopos omnes praecedit.
When the popes were accustomed to have the Holy Eucharist precede them on their journeys, the key of the small casket that contained it was entrusted to the custody of the s., who followed on horseback, carrying in his hand the white staff as a sign of jurisdiction: this occurred in certain solemn cavalcades of Rome, especially in those of the possession (v.).
Clement VIII elevated the s. to the dignity of bishop and Leo XII (1824) established that he be parish priest of the Apostolic Palaces. Pius XI with the constitution Ex Lateranensi pacto of 30 May 1929 (AAS, 21 [1920], p. 309) established that the s. be his perpetual vicar in the State of Vatican City (where the only parish is St. Anne's, held by the Augustinians), with jurisdiction extended also to the Lateran Palace, to the Villa Cybo and to the Villa Barberini at Castelgandolfo, the basilica and canonica of St. Peter and the Ethiopian College, situated in Vatican City, remaining exempt. The s., being a participating secret chamberlain of His Holiness, belongs to the family (v.) and to the Pontifical Chapel (v.), and therefore often accompanies the Holy Father at audiences and is present at papal functions. When he assists at the pope's Mass he pre-tastes the Host and the wine, according to the pontifical rite: he hands him the candle and shows him all that must be said.
As palatine parish priest, he brings the Viaticum to the dying Holy Father and also administers Extreme Unction to him. In time of sede vacante he enters the conclave (cf. no. 48 of the constitution Vacantia Apostolicae Sedis of Pius XII of 8 Dec. 1945: AAS 38 [1946] p. 65), where, every morning, before the Sacred College he recites the hymn Veni Creator with the prayer of the Holy Spirit (cf. no. 65 of the cited constitution).
Bibliography6 works
Guglielmo Felici