Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice
| Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice | |
|---|---|
 Obverse of the current medal |
|
| Awarded by His Holiness the Pope | |
| Country |  Vatican City |
| Eligibility | Laity and clergy |
| Awarded for | Rewarding those who in a general way deserve well of the pope on account of services done for the Church and its head. |
| Status | Currently awarded |
| Statistics | |
| Established | 17 July 1888 |
| Precedence | |
| Next (lower) | Benemerenti medal |
 Current ribbon .png){kind=small} Ribbon 1893-1908  Ribbon 1888-1893 |
|
The Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice (Latin: For the Church and the Pope) medal is an award of the Roman Catholic Church. It is also known as the "Cross of Honour"[1]. The medal was established by Leo XIII on July 17, 1888, to commemorate his golden sacerdotal jubilee and was originally bestowed on those women and men who had aided and promoted the jubilee, and by other means assisted in making the jubilee and the Vatican Exposition successful.[2]
It is currently given for distinguished service to the church by lay people and clergy.[3] It is the highest medal that can be awarded to the laity by the Papacy.[4]
The medal may be cast in gold, silver or bronze. On the medal is a cross made octangular by fleurs-de-lis fixed in the angles of the cross. The arms of the cross narrow towards the center, with slightly indented ends, approaching the form of the patonce cross. In the center of the cross is a small medal with the image of Leo XIII, the words "Leo XIII P. M. Anno X" (tenth year of his pontificate) circle the image. In the center of the reverse side are the papal emblems. The motto Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice is stamped in the circle surrounding the emblems.
On the obverse side of the medal, the branches of the cross are comets, which, with the fleurs-de-lis, form the coat of arms of the Pecci family. Stamped on the reverse side are the words "Pridie" (on the left branch), "Kal" (on the top branch), and "Januar" (on the right branch) and the year "1888" (at the foot of the cross). The medal's ribbon is red, with delicate lines of white and yellow on each border and is worn on the right side of breast.[5]
[edit] See also
Category:Recipients of the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice
[edit] References
- ^ ODM of the Vatican: Cross of Honour "Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice"
- ^
Catholic Encyclopedia. Wikisource. 1913. - ^ Jubilee awards.[dead link]
- ^ E.g., the award was given by Pope Benedict XVI to Hammond resident Alfred J. Cox, Ph.D., professor emeritus of mathematics at Southeastern Louisiana University, for 37 years of service to the Knights of Columbus, the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, and Hammond's Holy Ghost Catholic Church and Saint Thomas Aquinas Regional Catholic High School in addition to other community service activities such as Dixie Youth Baseball. ("Al Cox receives highest papal award" in Daily Star [Hammond, Louisiana], 2009 March 26, p. 1A.)
- ^ Catholic Encyclopedia: Pontifical Decorations
