His Eminence Cardinal Pio Laghi Patron of ICOC

On 9th February 2007 His Eminence Cardinal Pio Laghi, Patron Cardinal of Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta, Prefect emeritus of the Congregation for Catholic Education (association of seminars and educational institutes) has accepted to become Patron of International Commission for Orders of Chivalry, His Eminence has pronounced words of appreciation for the seriousness of the scientific work of the ICOC.

Authority and Status of the International Commission for Orders of Chivalry
The International Commission was established at the V Congress of Genealogy and Heraldry at its meeting in Stockholm in August 1960, with instructions to report to the VI International Congress to be held at Edinburgh in September 1962.

At that Congress the Commission made its report on the principles involved in assessing the validity of Orders of Chivalry and these were accepted by the Congress. In addition, on the motion of M. Paul Adam of Paris, it was unanimously agreed in plenary session of the Congress that the International Commission (composed of high personalities of the Congress, and leading experts in the field of chivalry, nobiliary and heraldic law) should become a permanent autonomous body in the following terms:

“After having rendered homage for the work of the Commission on Orders of Chivalry, and to its president, Baron Monti della Corte, the Congress considered it proper that it should have an autonomous status and that it should continue its activities in a permanent form, in order to apply the principles developed in its report presented to the Congress.”

In pursuance of these instructions and authority the International Commission hereby publishes the findings of its deliberations during the period 1960-2001 [1]. Further reports will be issued from time to time as and when considered necessary.

The Seat of the International Commissionis at Piazza Caiazzo, Milano, Italy.

The Secretariat of the International Commission is at Via Baronio, Serravalle, Republic of Saint Marino.