The Gonfalone or Vessillo of the Holy Roman Church, or the Vessillo of Saint Peter, was the vexillum, banner or symbol of the Roman Catholic Church throughout the world, and particularly its battle-standard during the Renaissance.

Description

History

The Vexillum of Saint Peter came into use under Pope Alexander II during a critical period in the Investiture Controversy. Though the king of Germany refused to recognise papal authority at this time, Alexander sought to strengthen his image via symbolic acts, such as granting the banner of St Peter and a blessing to kings who in return for these offered themselves as his vassals - William the Conqueror did so before invading England . A banner (in Italian bandiera, from ban, source of judicial power in the German world) or flag was used for the highest-level investiture ceremonies, which also granted judicial power, with the pope ending up becoming the formal master of the kings of Europe. Such banners were also present in the Crusades and at the battle of Lepanto.

Custody of the Vexillum of the Holy Roman Church was entrusted to a high-ranking figure, who assumed the title of "Vessillifero di Santa Romana Chiesa" (Standard-Bearer of the Roman Church). It was the highest role the pope could grant to a layman, as demonstrated by several of its holders having been kings. Kingly holders included James II of Aragon (1267-1327, king of Sardinia and Corsica, from Pope Boniface VIII) and Ladislas the Magnanimous (1376-1414, king of Naples, Sicily and Hungary, by Pope Innocent VII). It was also granted to

• Louis XI of France whilst Dauphin (by Pope Eugenius IV)
• Gianfrancesco Gonzaga marquess of Mantua (by Pope Julius II)
• Odoardo I Farnese, fifth duke of Parma and Piacenza, from Pope Gregory XV (1621-1623)
• Carlo Barberini by his brother Pope Urban VIII (1623-1644)
• Torquato Conti, duke of Guadagnolo, by Urban VIII after Carlo's death in 1630

Pope Innocent XI (1676-1689) made the post hereditary and conferred it on marquess Giovanni Battista Naro. When the Nero family died out, it then passed to the patrician Montoros. To confirm the office's importance Pope Clement XI (1700-1721) ordered that its holder had to be escorted, in solemn procession, by the captains of the Cavalleggeri. In 1801 Pope Pius VII, after the Cavalleggeri were dissolved, replaced them by instituting a new body of Guardia Nobile Pontificia, with the standard-bearer joining it as Captain, with the rank of Tenente Generale. Finally Pope Pius IX ordered that the office-holder was to be accorded a distinctive special collar showing the word Vexillifer and that the holder was always one of the Camerieri segreti.