The Sediari Pontifici of the Sedia Gestatoria

For centuries papal liturgies were enriched with the presence of the red-dressed sediari. These were the men designated to carry the pope on an ornate ceremonial chair known as the sedia gestatoria (or "gestatorial" chair in English). 

There were certain requirements for sediari, based on age, height, weight, and outstanding morals.

The sedia gestatoria was a portable throne carried by 12 men on which sat the pope. 

In fact, there were actually two different versions of the sedia: the one carried by 12 chair-bearers for solemn occasions and a smaller version carried by 8, called the sediola (or "little chair" in English), seen below. 

There are some interesting tidbits related to the requirements of the sediari. There were 15 in total., 12 plus 3 extra. During the night, 2 per shift were required to sleep in the papal antechamber in case they were needed. One of the roles of the sediari is that they were letter runners, when ordered they would deliver from the secret antechamber letters, dispatches or other things to the interior of the palace.

The management of the sediari was under a lay member of the Papal Court who held the role of the Decano di Sala dell'Anticamera Pontificia. In the order of protocol, he was the last member of the Pontifical Family, while still holding an extremely important position, in charge of the papal apartment and audiences. 

The last time the sedia was seen in public was when Pope John Paul last made use of it in 1978. We await the day when it will be seen and used once again, and for a very good reason. The sedia gestaoria allowed for all see the Pope. In this way it was a "showing chair," enabling as many possible that were present to catch a glimpse of the Pope as he passed. The role of the sediari was even older than the Pontifical Swiss Guard. 

The scarlet uniform of brocade silk included an overcoat that resembled a vest with matching knickers and red socks. The back of the jacket had two long flaps on each side. They also had a solid red jacked occasionally work over this in the wintertime, in some ways resembling a soprana. Also, special shoes were worn. In the early twentieth century a neck ruffle was gradually replaced with a white bow tie, although it was still worn by the senior members. Below is an example of the dress from the time it was abolished, and further below an example from the reign of Blessed Pius IX.

These sedia gestatoria chairs are today on display in the museum inside the Papal Villa at Castelgandolfo. Before that they were on display at the Lateran Palace museum, where vestiges of the old Papal Court were on display for all to see until the Pontificate of Pope Francis (seen below). 

The sediari had their own salon room in the Apostolic Palace called the Sala dei Sediari (or "Hall of the Sediari" in English), located on the second floor of the Papal Palace. This is the room through which some guests pass after they exit the Sala Clementia after a group audience with the Pope. Sometimes important guests are received in this room. 

The sediari were traditionally some of the closest men to the popes. In life as in death, the sediari would also carry deceased  pontiffs on funeral biers for their funeral cortege processions and time of burial, seen below.

The order of procession was relegated according to the Sacra Congregazione Ceremoniale, seen in the document below. The extra sediari walked at the front of the procession, just behind the Sargent of the Pontifical Swiss Guard. Then the 12 sediari would carry the sedia gestatoria, indicated in the second image below with the series of letter "O's." Click here for more information on the order of procession. 

Sediari are still today part of the papal entourage as ushers, part of the cadre of gentiluomo di Sua Santità. They also accompany the sick at the Wednesday papal audiences. When official heads of state or ambassadors arrive in the Vatican for a private audience with the Pope, the sediari now form part of the honor guard in the procession that accompanies the guests. 

The sediari lead the entourage procession to see the pope. Unfortunately, since 1968 the sediari no longer wear their gorgeous red livery, but instead wear a modified morning dress made of fabric that is violet in color.  

Sedia gestatoria of Pius VII, kept in France

To this day the sediari belong to a lay Archconfraternity called the Arciconfraternita di Sant' Anna de Parafrenieri (the Archconfraternity of St. Annie of the Papal Grooms). This confraternity dates from 1378 and in 1565 they were given by Pius IV their own parish church in the Vatican called the Chiesa di Sant'Anna dei Palafrenieri. The church of Sant'Anna belonged to the Archconfraternity until the Lateran Treaty of 1929, when the church became the parish for the Vatican City State. 

In return, Pope Pius XI granted the Archconfraternity a new church in downtown Rome, a small hidden gem called the church of Santa Caterina della Rota. Named after St. Catherine of Alexandria, this 16th-century confraternity church is in the Rione Regola, just off the Via Giulia. The current late Baroque facade that was added in 1730 was recently restored, while the church structure dates from the late sixteenth century. Usually closed, the church is open some Sunday mornings for Mass at 10:30 am. 

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