Vatican Order Awarded

[JPL]

Ricardo Muti, music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, received yet another prestigious international honor, this one the highest the Catholic Church can award. Pope Benedict XVI bestowed on Muti the Knight of the Grand Cross First Class of the Order of St. Gregory the Great, the highest papal honor, following a concert the Italian maestro conducted at the Vatican with the orchestra and chorus of Rome’s Teatro dell'Opera. Muti, 70, is music director for life of the Rome opera.

Read the complete article: http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-muti-receives-papal-honor-20120511,0,132363.column

Jean-Paul

[dmiller8]

I found an illustration of the badges of the Order of Saint Gregory the Great at this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_St._Gregory_the_Great. This in no way minimizes the accomplishments of Ricardo Muti, but the article got it incorrect in stating that it is the highest Papal knighthood that can be awarded, when there are three others higher in precedence such as the Order of Christ, the Golden Spur and the Order of Pius IX.

[Odulf]

I agree with the remark of dmiller8 : "..., but the article got it incorrect in stating that it is the highest Papal knighthood that can be awarded, when there are three others higher in precedence such as the Order of Christ, the Golden Spur and the Order of Pius IX"

I suppose this is beacause reporters rely on a quick glance on the internet, and thus missing out on the merit or service for which a Papal Order was awarded.

Generally, the Order of Christ is reserved for RC Heads of State (kings and princes); the Golden Spur for non-catholic Heads of State; the Order of Pius for Heads of State and diplomats visiting the Pope - thus also to many ambassadors to the Holy See. The remaining Orders - Order of St.Gregory the Great and Order of St.Sylvester are awards for persons who respective were meritious to the Holy Church and persons who were meritious to both Church and (general) society. Of course, the Knight Grand Cross is the highest grade within the Order.

These differences are (obviously) nearly to complex for journalists...