Staff of office
A staff of office is a staff, the carrying of which often denotes an
Apart from the
Ecclesiastical use
In the Eastern Orthodox Church and some of the Oriental Orthodox Churches an ecclesiastical walking stick is used by bishops,[2] archimandrites and hegumens (abbots) when walking outside. It is usually made of dark wood and is straight, rather than having a curved handle. The walking stick used by bishops and archimandrites is normally adorned with a silver grip at the top and a metal ferrule at the tip. The walking stick used by a hegumen or hegumenia (abbess) is normally of plain wood, unadorned.[citation needed] The walking stick is not used in any liturgical context, except to the extent that when a bishop is formally received at the beginning of the service, he will carry it as he walks into the church. An altar server will usually take it from him when he enters the narthex and return it to him when he leaves at the end of the service.[3]
Western bishops may use a
State and ceremonial use
Monarchs often have a rod or
White staves
A thin white staff or "wand" is the traditional emblem of certain Great Officers of State and high-ranking officials of the Royal Household in the United Kingdom, namely:
Great Officers of State:
Senior Officers of the Household:
- The Lord Steward
- The Lord Chamberlain
- Treasurer of the Household
- Comptroller of the Household
- Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
The "wand", which is around 5 feet 6 inches (1.68 m) in length, is made of white wood and has a silver plate at its base on which is engraved the name of the office to which it pertains.[5] The wands are carried by their holders when on duty on state or other royal occasions, such as state banquets, jubilee services and royal weddings, as well as at the State Opening of Parliament (when the Lord Great Chamberlain raises his white staff to signal to the king's messenger, Black Rod, to summon the Commons).[6]
Apart from the Lord High Steward (an office which is only now filled for coronations), all the above-listed officials were seen carrying their white staves during the
The Lords with White Staves (namely the Lord Steward and Lord Chamberlain) are traditionally responsible for presenting addresses from the House of Lords to the Sovereign, and then delivering the Sovereign's response to the House.[12] The Vice-Chamberlain of the Household today fulfils a similar role with regard to the House of Commons.[13]
A queen consort traditionally has a separate Household, headed by her own Lord Chamberlain, who is likewise invested with a white staff.[14] Following the funeral of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother in 2002, her Lord Chamberlain (the Earl of Crawford and Balcarres) attended the private interment service and likewise broke his white staff in two over her coffin.[15]
Other state and ceremonial officers
The Earl Marshal and the Lord High Constable carry batons as their insignia when on duty, reflecting the military origins of those offices.
On great occasions of state the Earl Marshal may appoint officers to assist in the marshalling of processions and other duties; they are provided with a wooden staff of office as a symbol of their authority, the colour of which varies depending on the occasion: reflecting this, those on duty at Coronations are known as Gold Staff Officers, those on duty at State Funerals Purple Staff Officers, and in 1911 and 1969 those on duty at the Investiture of the Prince of Wales were termed Green Staff Officers.[13]
See also
- Ceremonial weapon
- Ceremonial mace
- Wand of office
References
- ^ Meakin, Tony (2001). A Basic Church Dictionary. Norwich: Canterbury Press. p. 81.
- ^ "Section 13.04 Ecclesiastical style of dress". Governance and Canon. Inclusive Orthodox Church. Retrieved 10 October 2010.
[A Bishop] may carry a walking stick ...
- ISBN 9780567065094.
- ISBN 9780486422565.
- ^ a b Churchill, Randolph Spencer (1953). They Serve the Queen: A New and Authoritative Account of the Royal Household. London: Hutchinson & Co. p. 13.
- ^ Liversidge, Douglas (1976). The House of Lords. London: Franklin Watts. p. 88.
- ^ "Your complete guide to the Queen's funeral". BBC News. 19 September 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
- ^ Bulbul, Nuray (19 September 2022). "What is the Wand of Office that will be broken when the Queen is laid to rest?". Evening Standard. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
- ^ "Explained: What is the 'Wand of Office' and why will it be broken for the Queen". The Independent. 20 September 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
- ^ "What was the 'wand of office' broken at the Queen's funeral?". the Guardian. 19 September 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
- ^ Bland, Olivia (1986). The Royal Way of Death. London: Constable.
- ^ Erskine May, Sir Thomas (1879). A Treatise on the Law, Privileges, Proceedings and Usage of Parliament (8th ed.). London: Butterworths. p. 471.
- ^ a b Allison, Ronald; Riddell, Sarah, eds. (1991). The Royal Encyclopedia. London: Macmillan. p. 576.
- ^ Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 17 (11th ed.). 1911. pp. 1–2. .
- ^ "Queen says a private farewell to her mother". The Age. 11 April 2002. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
- ^ Mansfield, Alan (1980). Ceremonial Costume. London: A & C Black. pp. 191–201.