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<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en"> <head> <title>CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Camerlengo</title><script src="https://dtyry4ejybx0.cloudfront.net/js/cmp/cleanmediacmp.js?ver=0104" async="true"></script><script defer data-domain="newadvent.org" src="https://plausible.io/js/script.js"></script><link rel="canonical" href="https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03217a.htm"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> <meta name="description" content="The title of certain papal officials"> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="RSS" href="http://feeds.newadvent.org/bestoftheweb?format=xml"><link rel="icon" href="../images/icon1.ico" type="image/x-icon"><link rel="shortcut icon" href="../images/icon1.ico" type="image/x-icon"><meta name="robots" content="noodp"><link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="../utility/screen6.css" media="screen"></head> <body class="cathen" id="03217a.htm">  <br/> <div id="capitalcity"><table summary="Logo" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 width="100%"><tr valign="bottom"><td align="left"><a href="../"><img height=36 width=153 border="0" alt="New Advent" src="../images/logo.gif"></a></td><td align="right"> <form id="searchbox_000299817191393086628:ifmbhlr-8x0" action="../utility/search.htm">  <input type="hidden" name="safe" value="active"> <input type="hidden" name="cx" value="000299817191393086628:ifmbhlr-8x0"/> <input type="hidden" name="cof" value="FORID:9"/>  <label for="searchQuery" id="searchQueryLabel">Search:</label> <input id="searchQuery" name="q" type="text" size="25" aria-labelledby="searchQueryLabel"/>  <label for="submitButton" id="submitButtonLabel" class="visually-hidden">Submit Search</label> <input id="submitButton" type="submit" name="sa" value="Search" aria-labelledby="submitButtonLabel"/> </form> <table summary="Spacer" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr><td height="2"></td></tr></table> <table summary="Tabs" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr> <td bgcolor="#ffffff"></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../"> Home </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_white_on_color" href="../cathen/index.html"> Encyclopedia </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../summa/index.html"> Summa </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../fathers/index.html"> Fathers </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../bible/gen001.htm"> Bible </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../library/index.html"> Library </a></td> </tr></table> </td> </tr></table><table summary="Alphabetical index" width="100%" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr><td class="bar_white_on_color"> <a href="../cathen/a.htm"> A </a><a href="../cathen/b.htm"> B </a><a href="../cathen/c.htm"> C </a><a href="../cathen/d.htm"> D </a><a href="../cathen/e.htm"> E </a><a href="../cathen/f.htm"> F </a><a href="../cathen/g.htm"> G </a><a href="../cathen/h.htm"> H </a><a href="../cathen/i.htm"> I </a><a href="../cathen/j.htm"> J </a><a href="../cathen/k.htm"> K </a><a href="../cathen/l.htm"> L </a><a href="../cathen/m.htm"> M </a><a href="../cathen/n.htm"> N </a><a href="../cathen/o.htm"> O </a><a href="../cathen/p.htm"> P </a><a href="../cathen/q.htm"> Q </a><a href="../cathen/r.htm"> R </a><a href="../cathen/s.htm"> S </a><a href="../cathen/t.htm"> T </a><a href="../cathen/u.htm"> U </a><a href="../cathen/v.htm"> V </a><a href="../cathen/w.htm"> W </a><a href="../cathen/x.htm"> X </a><a href="../cathen/y.htm"> Y </a><a href="../cathen/z.htm"> Z </a> </td></tr></table></div> <div id="mobilecity" style="text-align: center; "><a href="../"><img height=24 width=102 border="0" alt="New Advent" src="../images/logo.gif"></a></div>  <div id="mi5"><span class="breadcrumbs"><a href="../">Home</a> > <a href="../cathen">Catholic Encyclopedia</a> > <a href="../cathen/c.htm">C</a> > Camerlengo</span></div> <div id="springfield2"> <div class='catholicadnet-728x90' id='cathen-728x90-top' style='display: flex; height: 100px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; '></div> <h1>Camerlengo</h1> <p><em><a href="https://gumroad.com/l/na2"><strong>Please help support the mission of New Advent</strong> and get the full contents of this website as an instant download. Includes the Catholic Encyclopedia, Church Fathers, Summa, Bible and more  all for only $19.99...</a></em></p> <p>(Latin <em>camerarius</em>).</p> <p>The title of certain <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">papal</a> officials. The Low Latin word <em>camera</em> (chamber) means the treasure of the prince, <a href="../cathen/04340c.htm">monastery</a>, etc.; also in general the royal treasury (<em>fiscus</em>), the temporal administration of a <a href="../cathen/04340c.htm">monastery</a>. The term <em>camerarius</em> was, therefore, very frequently equivalent to civil treasurer, and in the case of <a href="../cathen/04340c.htm">monasteries</a> meant the <a href="../cathen/10487b.htm">monk</a> charged with the administration of the monastic <a href="../cathen/12462a.htm">property</a>. This is also the sense of the Italian term <em>camerlengo</em>, still borne at <a href="../cathen/13164a.htm">Rome</a> by three <a href="../cathen/04049b.htm">ecclesiastics</a>, (1) The Camerlengo of the <a href="../cathen/07424b.htm">Holy Roman Church</a>, (2) the Camerlengo of the <a href="../cathen/03333b.htm#x">Sacred College (of Cardinals)</a>, and (3) the Camerlengo of the Roman Clergy. The Roman confraternities have also an officer similarly entitled.</p> <h2 id="section1">The camerlengo of the holy Roman Church</h2> <div class="CMtag_300x250" style="display: flex; height: 300px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; "></div> <p>The Camerlengo of the <a href="../cathen/07424b.htm">Holy Roman Church</a> is the administrator of the <a href="../cathen/12462a.htm">property</a> and the revenues of the <a href="../cathen/07424b.htm">Holy See</a>, and as such is successor both of the <a href="../cathen/01693a.htm">Archdeacon</a> of <a href="../cathen/13164a.htm">Rome</a> and of the <em>Vicedominus</em>, the former of whom administered the <a href="../cathen/12462a.htm">property</a> of the entire <a href="../cathen/07424b.htm">Roman Church</a>, i.e. the Diocese of <a href="../cathen/13164a.htm">Rome</a>, while the latter was especially charged with the administration of the <em>mensa</em> of the <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">pope</a> and the entire personnel of the <em>patriarchium Lateranense</em> (St. John Lateran).</p> <p>This latter official was the same as the syncellus at Constantinople. The office of <a href="../cathen/01693a.htm">Archdeacon</a> of <a href="../cathen/13164a.htm">Rome</a> was suppressed by <a href="../cathen/06791c.htm">Gregory VII</a>, himself its last incumbent under <a href="../cathen/01286a.htm">Alexander II</a>; owing to its numerous ancient privileges and <a href="../cathen/13055c.htm">rights</a> it had come to be a frequent hindrance to independent <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">papal</a> action. When these were lopped off, the (Roman) office of arch-deacon shrank to its original proportions. Thereafter the <a href="../cathen/03333b.htm">cardinal</a> to whom was committed the supervision of the <em>Camera Apostolica</em> (a term even then customary for the administration of the temporalities of the <a href="../cathen/07424b.htm">Holy See</a>) was known as <em>Camerarius</em> or, in popular language, Camerlengo. The subordinates of this official are known as clerks (<em>chierici</em>) of the Camera; chief among them are the treasurer and the auditor <em>di Camera.</em> Their body is known as <em>Reverenda Camera Apostolica</em> (see <a href="../cathen/01633b.htm">APOSTOLIC CAMERA</a>). When the cardinal-camerlengo happened to be absent on some pontifical business, a vice-camerlengo was chosen in his place. The office of camerlengo included not only the supervision of the immediate properties of the <a href="../cathen/07424b.htm">Holy See</a>, but also the fiscal administration of the <a href="../cathen/14257a.htm">Pontifical States</a>, the <em>Patrimonium Petri.</em></p> <p>The following were its chief attributions:</p> <div class="bulletlist"><ul><li>the collection of the <em>taxæ</em>, or dues paid for the delivery of the <a href="../cathen/03052b.htm">Bulls</a> of appointment to <a href="../cathen/05001a.htm">dioceses</a> and <a href="../cathen/01010a.htm">abbeys</a> (see APOSTOLIC CHANCERY);</li><li>the registry of the oblations or gifts of the faithful;</li><li>charge of the <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">papal</a> <a href="../cathen/11152a.htm">coinage</a> (<em>Moneta</em>);</li><li>jurisdiction, civil and criminal, over officials of the Camera (<em>chierici di Camera</em>).</li></ul></div> <p>Under the <a href="../cathen/02158a.htm">Avignon</a> <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">popes</a> and their successors the office of camerlengo received more definite organization; at the same time its <a href="../cathen/13055c.htm">rights</a> and <a href="../cathen/08567a.htm">jurisdiction</a> were increased. When <a href="../cathen/02662a.htm">Boniface VIII</a> founded the Roman University (Sapienza) he decreed that the cardinal-camerlengo should be always its archchancellor. Briefly the Camerlengo of the <a href="../cathen/07424b.htm">Holy Roman Church</a> was, for the <a href="../cathen/14257a.htm">Papal States</a>, Minister of Finance, Public Works, and Commerce. From the sixteenth century the office was purchasable from the <a href="../cathen/14257a.htm">Papal</a> Government. Cardinal Cibo bought it in 1521 for 35,000 <em>scudi</em>; Cardinal Vitellozzo, under <a href="../cathen/12129a.htm">Pius IV</a>, for 70,000 <em>scudi</em>, and under <a href="../cathen/12130a.htm">Pius V</a> Cardinal Cornaro paid as much for the place; the revenue thus gained served to keep up the <a href="../cathen/15546c.htm">wars</a> against the <a href="../cathen/15097a.htm">Turks</a>, etc. By the Constitution "Post Diuturnos" <a href="../cathen/12132a.htm">Pius VII</a> restricted greatly the authority of the camerlengo, in keeping with the thorough reorganization of the <a href="../cathen/14257a.htm">Papal</a> Government undertaken by him. Between the death of the <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">pope</a> and the election of his successor (<em>sede vacante</em>) the cardinal-camerlengo is the head of the <a href="../cathen/03333b.htm#x">Sacred College</a>. It is his <a href="../cathen/05215a.htm">duty</a> to verify the death of the <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">pope</a> (see <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">POPE</a>), to direct the preparations for the <a href="../cathen/04192a.htm">conclave</a>, and to take charge of the same.</p> <h2 id="section2">The camerlengo of the sacred college</h2> <p>The Camerlengo of the <a href="../cathen/03333b.htm#x">Sacred College (of Cardinals)</a> does not antedate <a href="../cathen/09162a.htm">Leo X</a> (1513-21). He administers all fees and revenues belonging to the <a href="../cathen/03333b.htm#x">College of Cardinals</a>, pontificates at the requiem Mass for a deceased <a href="../cathen/03333b.htm">cardinal</a>, and is charged with the registry of the "Acta Consistoralia" (see <a href="../cathen/04285a.htm">PAPAL CONSISTORY</a>).</p> <h2 id="section3">The camerlengo of the Roman clergy</h2> <p>The Camerlengo of the Roman Clergy is elected by the canons and <a href="../cathen/11499b.htm">parish</a> <a href="../cathen/12406a.htm">priests</a> of <a href="../cathen/13164a.htm">Rome</a>; he has an honorary place in the great processions, presides over the ecclesiastical conferences of the <a href="../cathen/11499b.htm">parochial</a> <a href="../cathen/04049b.htm">clergy</a>, acts as arbiter in all questions of precedence, and administers the "oath of free estate" (<em>juramentum de statu libero</em>), <a href="../cathen/11189a.htm">obligatory</a> on <a href="../cathen/11726a.htm">persons</a> desirous of marrying.</p> <div class='catholicadnet-728x90' id='cathen-728x90-bottom' style='display: flex; height: 100px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; '></div> <div class="cenotes"><h2>Sources</h2><p class="cenotes">BOUIX, De Curia romana (Pari, 1880); BANGEN, Die römische Curie (Münster, 1854); HUMPHREY, Urbs et Orbis (London, 1899), 359-60.</p></div> <div class="pub"><h2>About this page</h2><p id="apa"><strong>APA citation.</strong> <span id="apaauthor">Benigni, U.</span> <span id="apayear">(1908).</span> <span id="apaarticle">Camerlengo.</span> In <span id="apawork">The Catholic Encyclopedia.</span> <span id="apapublisher">New York: Robert Appleton Company.</span> <span id="apaurl">http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03217a.htm</span></p><p id="mla"><strong>MLA citation.</strong> <span id="mlaauthor">Benigni, Umberto.</span> <span id="mlaarticle">"Camerlengo."</span> <span id="mlawork">The Catholic Encyclopedia.</span> <span id="mlavolume">Vol. 3.</span> <span id="mlapublisher">New York: Robert Appleton Company,</span> <span id="mlayear">1908.</span> <span id="mlaurl"><http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03217a.htm>.</span></p><p id="transcription"><strong>Transcription.</strong> <span id="transcriber">This article was transcribed for New Advent by Wm Stuart French, Jr.</span> <span id="dedication">Dedicated to Howard Dawson Taylor, Jr.</span></p><p id="approbation"><strong>Ecclesiastical approbation.</strong> <span id="nihil"><em>Nihil Obstat.</em> November 1, 1908. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor.</span> <span id="imprimatur"><em>Imprimatur.</em> +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York.</span></p><p id="contactus"><strong>Contact information.</strong> The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is webmaster <em>at</em> newadvent.org. Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.</p></div> </div> <div id="ogdenville"><table summary="Bottom bar" width="100%" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr><td class="bar_white_on_color"><center><strong>Copyright © 2023 by <a href="../utility/contactus.htm">New Advent LLC</a>. 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