Classes
The Order comprises five classes:
- Knights with the Collar: who wear a gold chain around their shoulders which is decorated with the papal tiara and two doves, and on the breast a large badge. It is the highest active papal decoration, and is reserved for heads of state.
- Knights / Dame Grand Cross (GCPO): who wear a wide dark blue silk ribbon (sash) bordered with red which extends saltire-wise from the left shoulder to the right side where the star of the order is suspended by a rosette, and on the breast a large diamond-studded badge. It is commonly awarded to the ambassadors accredited to the Holy See.
- Knight / Dame Commander with Star (KC*PO / DC*PO): who in addition to the star wear a badge of smaller design than that of Knights of the Great Ribbon on the breast
- Knight / Dame Commander (KCPO / DCPO): who wear the decoration at the neck
- Knight / Dame (KPO / DPO): who wear the star on the left breast
Read more about this topic: Order Of Pius IX
Famous quotes containing the word classes:
“Classes struggle, some classes triumph, others are eliminated. Such is history; such is the history of civilization for thousands of years.”
—Mao Zedong (1893–1976)
“Solidity, caution, integrity, efficiency. Lack of imagination, hypocrisy. These qualities characterize the middle classes in every country, but in England they are national characteristics.”
—E.M. (Edward Morgan)
“What’s the greatest enemy of Christianity to-day? Frozen meat. In the past only members of the upper classes were thoroughly sceptical, despairing, negative. Why? Among other reasons, because they were the only people who could afford to eat too much meat. Now there’s cheap Canterbury lamb and Argentine chilled beef. Even the poor can afford to poison themselves into complete scepticism and despair.”
—Aldous Huxley (1894–1963)