Catholic Church. Camera apostolica

The Apostolic Camera, one of the most ancient of the offices of the Roman Curia, was originally responsible for the administration of the temporalities and revenues of the Holy See. Although the term Camera appeared for the first time in Benedict VIII's constitution Quoties illa a Nobis (24 May 1017), some authors state it was the continuation of an office that had existed and been known for a long time as palatium or fiscus under the direction of the archdeacon who remained at the head of the Camera domini papae until the suppression of the position in 1073 by Gregory VII. In the twelfth century the head of this administration was called the camerarius or camerlengo (ID VATV778-A) and the office absorbed the functions of the vestiarius (who took care of the sacred vessels and treasures of the Church), the arcarius (who administered papal finances from at least 599), and the sacellarius (who took care of expenses from about 700).

During the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries the office acquired various judicial functions, not only in fiscal matters but in certain penal and civil cases as well. Urban V added to these with his constitution Apostolatus officium (12 Oct 1363), and Urban VI extended its competencies, even though indirectly, to all cases regarding the rights and interests of the Church of Rome and of the Papal States (constitution Apostolicae Camerase, 8 Sep 1379).

The camerlengo was assisted in his many duties by various collaborators called chierici (clerici) Camerae (ID VATV603-A). Eugene IV organized them into a college and gave them their first statutes (In eminenti, 6 Jul 1444). They varied in number throughout the centuries. Eugene IV set the number at seven (constitution Inter cetera gravia, 11 Jul 1438). Pius V raised it to twelve (Romanus Pontifex, 7 Mar 1571); Gregory XIII reduced it to eight; Sixtus V increased it to ten, then twelve. From Leo XIII on there were nine. From the chierici developed the posts of vice-camerlengo (later also governor of Rome) (ID VATV782); auditor general (with functions chiefly judiciary) (ID VATV715); and treasurer general (charged with all financial activities of the papacy) (ID VATV651). Several special assignments, branching off from the office of the camerlengo, subsequently developed into independent offices.

Gregory X with his constitution Ubi periculum (7 Jul 1274) decreed that the camerlengo should not leave his office during the Sede Vacante, a decree confirmed later by Clement V (constitution Ne Romani, 1311) and again by Pius IV (constitution In elegendis, 9 Oct 1562).

Leo X in his constitution Etsi pro cunctarum (28 Jun 1514) clarified the functions in the matter of civil and penal matters, to which were added later on that of public security. To the other duties was added in the second half of the fifteenth century the task of governor of Rome (ID VATV782-A). This had been true in practice from the beginning but had never been formally established. Sixtus V issued procedural norms for the office (In sublimi beati, 1 Dec 1587).

The auditor general's office (ID VATV715-A) attained such importance that to refer to it one had only to use the initials A.C. (Auditor Camerae). This office remained unaltered even after the reform of Pius IV in 1562 and of Clement VIII in 1596. For a short time, nevertheless, in the middle of the fifteenth century the office of auditor was suppressed by Paul IV who substituted for it a new position of regent (constitution Si ex praecepto, 1558) with the same powers and faculties of the camerlengo and the vice camerlengo. This position lasted but a short time; it was suppressed by Pius IV (constitution Romano Pontifex, 14 Apr 1561) and the office of auditor general was reinstated along with all its former powers (constitution Ad examiae devotionis, 1 May 1561).

By the seventeenth century the Camera had become less a ministry of finance than a ministry of public works. It was in charge of the papal army, public works in the Papal States, agriculture, mining, archaeological excavations, food provisions for cities, and supervision of the police force.

The constitution of Sixtus V (In conferendis praecipuis, 23 Jan 1590) had recognized the need for stabilizing a central office responsible for the vast financial concerns of the Holy See. For a certain time the general treasurer (ID VATV651-A) took to himself, under Benedict XIV (1740-1758), the task of supervising all the pontifical customs (tolls), the fortress of the Castel Sant'Angelo, and the general commissary of the Sea. Later these tasks were withdrawn and the authority of the office was confined to economic matters.

Pius VII, at first with his constitution Post diuturnas (30 Sep 1800) which reorganized the administrative structure of the Papal States, then with two motu proprios (6 Jul 1816 and 22 Nov 1817), had restricted the various functions of this office which was gradually declining in power. Its competencies were further limited by Gregory XVI's Regolamento legislativo e quidiziarii e gli affari civili (10 Nov 1834).

With his motu proprio of 12 Jun 1847 Pius IX set up the Consiglio dei ministri (ID VATV794-A) and called the camerlengo to take part as the minister of commerce, fine arts industry, and agriculture (ID VATV797-A). But by Feb of 1848 the pope, because of political pressure, had to give these assignments to the ministers of these areas.

With the pope's loss of temporal power in 1870 every remaining competence exercised by the Camera during the papal administration was lost; there remained only the function to be exercised during the Sede Vacante. After the dissolution of the Papal States Pius IX entrusted the administration of all the temporalities and goods of the Holy See to the Prefect of the Apostolic Palace (chirograph, 18 Dec 1876) (ID VATV130-A). In 1878, so that the chierici of the Camera would not remain inactive because of the changed territorial conditions of the Holy See, Leo XIII decreed that their college would form the first section of prelates attached to the Congregation of the Council (ID VATV011-A) charged with the revision of the quinquennial reports on the general state of the dioceses which the residential bishops had to submit to the Holy See.

From the description of Agency history record. (University of Michigan). WorldCat record id: 145570278

The Apostolic Camera, one of the oldest of the offices of the Roman Curia, was originally responsible for the administration of all the revenue and temporal holdings of the Holy See. Although the term camera appeared for the first time in Benedict VIII's constitution Quoties illa a Nobis (May 24, 1017), some authors state it was the continuation of an office that had existed and been known for a long time as Palatium or Fiscus under the direction of the archdeacon who remained at the head of the Camera domini papae until the suppression of the position in 1073 by Gregory VII. In the twelfth century the head of this administration was called the camerarius or chamberlain (ID VATV778-A)and the office absorbed the functions of the vestiarius (who took care of the sacred vessels and treasures of the church), the arcarius (who administered papal finances from at least 599), and the sacellarius (who took care of expenses from about 700).

In the thirteenth century the chamberlain was a cardinal, but when the servitia communia, a tax for the appointment of bishops and abbots, began to be shared by the cardinals and the pope, two chief fiscal officials were needed. The College of Cardinals was served by a cardinal-camerarius, while the fourteenth-century popes appointed a succession of archbishops to the office of camerarius apostolicus. This powerful officer was in effect a minister of finance and prime minister. The Camera Apostolica under the direction of several talented chamberlains developed efficient methods of administration and record-keeping that were imitated by other European monarchies. The various registers of the Camera from the Avignon period are very rich, recording the fiscal activity of the department and its regional agents the collectors, and also the judicial work of the auditor of the Camera and of the chamberlain himself. By virtue of a generous commission, Apostolicae Camerae, granted by Innocent VI (6 December 1361) and repeated by his successors, a chamberlain had absolute, final, summary jurisdiction in any cause that he considered to involve the interest of the Camera.

The chamberlain's subordinates in the fourteenth-century Camera, the auditor, the treasurer, and some six clerks, constituted an informal cameral council. Eugene IV fixed the number of clerici Camerae at seven (constitution Inter cetera gravia, Jul. 11, 1438) and gave them the statutes of a college (In eminenti, July 6, 1444). Pius V raised their number to twelve (Romanus Pontifex, Mar. 7, 1571); Gregory XIII reduced it to eight; Sixtus V increased it to ten, then twelve. From Leo XIII on, there were nine. From this college of chierici developed the posts of vice-camerlengo (later also governor of Rome); auditor general (with functions chiefly judiciary); and treasurer general (charged with all financial activities of the papacy).

The auditor's office attained such importance that to refer to it one had only to use the initials A.C. (Auditor Camerae). This office remained unaltered even after the reform of Pius IV in 1562 and of Clement VIII in 1596. For a short time, nevertheless, in the middle of the sixteenth century, the office of auditor was suppressed by Paul IV who substituted for it a new position of regent (constitution Si ex praecepto, 1558), with the same powers and faculties of the camerlengo and the vice-camerlengo. The position of regent lasted but a short time; it was suppressed by Pius IV (constitution Romano Pontifex, Apr. 14, 1561). At the same time the office of auditor general was reinstated with all its former powers (constitution Ad examiae devotionis, May 1, 1561).

For a certain time, under Benedict XIV (1740-1758), the general treasurer took to himself the task of supervising all the pontifical customs (tolls), the fortress of the Castel Sant'Angelo, and the general commissary of the sea. Later these tasks were withdrawn and the authority of the office was confined to economic matters.

Leo X in his constitution Etsi pro cunctarum (Jun. 28, 1514) clarified the functions of the camerarius, now commonly called camerlengo, in civil and penal matters. Shortly thereafter the Camera assumed responsibility for public security. More was added in the second half of the fifteenth century. These latter assignments were subsumed in the title governor of Rome. This title reflected a general set of responsiblities that had been true in practice from the beginning but had never been formally established. Sixtus V issued procedural norms for the office in Sublimi beati (Dec. 1, 1587).

By the seventeenth century the Camera had become less a ministry of finance for the broad interests of the Holy See and more a ministry of public works and general administration for Rome and the Papal States. It was in charge of the papal army, public works, agriculture, mining, archaeological excavations, food provisions for cities, and supervision of the police force.

Pius VII, at first with his constitution Post diuturnas (Sept. 30, 1800), which reorganized the administrative structure of the Papal States, then with two motu proprios (July 6, 1816 and Nov. 22, 1817), restricted the various functions of the Camera. This began the gradual decline in the power of the department once so central to the Holy See. Its functions were further limited by Gregory XVI's Regolamento legislativo e giudiziario e negli affari civili (Nov. 10, 1834). With his motu proprio of June 12, 1847, Pius IX set up the Consiglio dei ministri and called on the camerlengo to take overall responsibility for commerce, fine arts, industry, and agriculture. But by February 1848 the pope, because of political pressure, had to return full authority to the ministers of these areas.

With the pope's loss of temporal power over the Papal States in 1870 whatever remained of the administrative authority of the the Camera over those territories was lost. For the camerlengo, there remained only the functions to be exercised during the Sede Vacante (the period between the death of one pope and the election of another). Gregory X with his constitution Ubi periculum (Jul. 7, 1274) had decreed that the chamberlain should not leave his office during the Sede Vacante. This decree was confirmed later by Clement V (constitution Ne Romani, 1311) and again by Pius IV (constitution In elegendis, Oct. 9, 1562).

After the dissolution of the Papal States, Pius IX entrusted the administration of all remaining temporal holdings and goods of the Holy See to the prefect of the Apostolic Palace (chirograph, Dec. 18, 1876). In 1878, so that the chierici of the Camera would not remain inactive because of the changed territorial conditions of the Holy See, Leo XIII decreed that their college would form the first section of prelates attached to the Congregation of the Council charged with the revision of the quinquennial reports on the general state of the dioceses that the residential bishops had to submit to the Holy See.

Pius X's 1908 curial reform defined the status of the Apostolic Camera. As long as the pope lives, the title and functions of the office are mainly honorary. The situation changes considerably during the vacancy of the Holy See. As stated in the constitution Sapienti consilio (Jun. 29, 1908), the cardinal camerlengo was to be governed by the constitution Vacante Sede Apostolica (Dec. 25, 1904). This constitution specified that when the pope dies the interim administration of the Holy See is entrusted to the cardinal camerlengo. Among his duties in this capacity are: to proceed immediately to take possession of the apostolic palace of the Vatican (and also, by deputies, of the Lateran and Castel Gandolfo), to ascertain officially the death of the pope, to attend the examination of the body, to make a juridical verification of the death, to seal the private apartments of the deceased pope, to inform the cardinal vicar of Rome, and to cooperate with the dean of the College of Cardinals in assembling and directing the conclave.

The constitution also states that the cardinal camerlengo will be assisted in the fulfillment of his duties by the senior cardinal of each order (bishops, priests, and deacons), and that he should obtain the approval of the College of Cardinals on questions of business. As soon as the new pope is elected, the cardinal camerlengo loses all authority and reverts to the purely honorary status of his office.

This document was replaced by Pius XII's Vacantis Apostolicae Sedis (Dec. 8, 1945) which was in turn amended by John XXIII's Summi Pontificis electio (Sept. 5, 1962). This constitution clarified the rights and functions of the cardinal camerlengo (nos. 13-15). Paul VI confirmed these functions with his constitution Romano Pontifici eligendo (Oct. 1, 1975).

The property and revenues of the Holy See are now no longer administered by the Apostolic Camera but by two separate bodies: the Prefecture of the Economic Affairs of the Holy See, a financial office that coordinates and supervises the administration of the temporal holdings of the Holy See; and the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See, which handles the estate of the Apostolic See under the direction of papal delegates acting with ordinary or extraordinary authorization. These small offices, both established by Paul VI (Aug. 15, 1967), work in close cooperation with one another and with the Institute for Works of Religion (the Vatican Bank).

The past glories of the Apostolic Camera are reflected in the honorary rank given its college of prelati chierici.

Among the offices formerly subordinate to the Camera were the Amministrazione dei sali e tabacchi, Commissariato generale, Congregazione camerale, Congregazione degli spogli, Congregazione dei diffalchi, Depositeria generale, and Procuratore del fisco.

Probably more than any other department, the Apostolic Camera for most of its history served both the spiritual and temporal interests of the Holy See. Many of the offices listed in this guide in the section "Papal States" were dependent on the Camera. Ruggiero argues persuasively that the Camera was in essence an office of the Papal States primarily concerned with civil affairs. (See also Boyle, pp. 41-42.)

To see a general agency history for the Curia Romana, enter "FIN ID VATV214-A"

From the description of Agency history record. (University of Michigan). WorldCat record id: 145567148