Monsignor Valerio Anzino was widely respected in his many roles serving Italy, his kings, and the spiritual needs of those he worked and interacted with. This resulted in Valerio being the recipient of a number of awards and titles. While Monsignor Anzino’s primary role was that of Chief Chaplain to his Kings, he also got very involved in affairs of state and interacted with many foreign dignitaries. The dates are known for some of these awards, but most are not. In no particular order most, but not all, of the awards and honors are listed here.
Monsignor Valerio Anzino was awarded the Grand Officer degree of the Order of the Crown of Italy award by his King, Umberto I. The Order of the Crown of Italy, (Italian: Ordine della Corona d’Italia), was founded as a national order in 1868 by King Vittorio Emmanuele II, to commemorate the unification of Italy in 1861.It was awarded in five degrees for civilian and military merit.
Monsignor Valerio Anzino was appointed Mitred Abbot of the Basilica Palace of Santa Barbara in Mantua, (Italian: Abate Mitrado della Basilica Palazzo di S. Barbara Mantova), by his King, Umberto I. This honor was awarded sometime around 1887. The Pallottine Church of Santa Barbara was originally a Royal Chapel for the Gonzaga family in the 1600s.
Monsignor Valerio Anzino was awarded the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus by his King, Vittorio Emmanuel II.
The Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus (Italian: Ordine dei Santi Maurizio e Lazzaro) is a Roman Catholic dynastic order of knighthood bestowed by the House of Savoy, founded in 1572 by Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy, through amalgamation approved by Pope Gregory XIII of the Order of Saint Maurice, founded in 1434, with the medieval Order of Saint Lazarus, founded circa 1119, considered its sole legitimate successor.
The order was formerly awarded by the Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946) with the heads of the House of Savoy as the Kings of Italy. Originally a chivalric order of noble nature, it was restricted to subjects of noble families with proofs of at least eight noble great-grandparents. The order’s military and noble nature was and is still combined with a Roman Catholic character.
Monsignor Valerio Anzino was awarded the Commander Order of Christ of Portugal. This award came either from Luis I or Carlos I , Kings from the House of Braganza in Portugal in the late 1800s. Vittorio Emmanuel II’s daughter Princess Maria Pia married Luis I , King of Portugal, in 1862. This close alliance between the Savoia and Braganza Royal families likely was a factor in the Order of Christ of Portugal award given to Valerio.
Monsignor Valerio Anzino was awarded Officer of the Order of Nichan Iftikhar, (Italian: uff. dell’Ord. di Nichan di Tunisi by the Bey of Tunis likely in the 1890s. The website author has seen correspondence from the government of Tunisia sent to Monsignor Anzino in the 1890s at the State Archives in Roma. That correspondence will likely provide some context for the award. The author will publish the contents of that correspondence when approval is received from the State Archives.
Monsignor Valerio Anzino was awarded the Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic, (Spanish: Orden de Isabel la Catolica). The award was signed by both the King of Spain and the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Monsignor Valerio Anzino was awarded the Order of Saint Michael of Bavaria. This award was co-granted by the Archbishop of Cologne and the King of Bavaria.
At some point, (likely in the 1890s), someone close to Umberto I created a Crest, (Coat of Arms), for Valerio. Examination of the Crest reveals and/or confirms some facts about Valerio’s life. The following comes from a translation of Sul Tutto N. 37 Marzo 2014″ periodical focusing on Italian Heraldry.
“The coat of arms of the elder chaplain of S.M. The coat of arms is the visual representation of a juridical reality: a document from the end of XIX century. He shows us how the dignity of His Majesty’s Greater chaplain was expressed. On March 17, 1891, he died, armed with religious comforts, at the Hotel de Russie in Rome S.A.I. Prince Napoleon, the famous Plon Plon, husband of the Princess Maria Clotilde of Savoy, the saint of Moncalieri, who despite the long-standing separation of fact from her husband Noticed at him at the news of his final illness. King Umberto I, the brother of Princess Clotilde, offered to take care of the funeral and to bury the corpse of the prince in the Royal burial of Superga, where he actually rests. The king ordered a court mourning of 90 days. Among the documents relating to the death and funeral honours of the Prince there is an act of death drawn up by His Majesty’s Chaplain Mag-worst, Canon D. Valerio Anzino. D. Valerio Anzino, nephew of the Elemosiniere D. Giuseppe Anzino, entered the court in 1848 as an over-numerary cleric and ascended into the hierarchy until he became chaplain Major of S.M. in the new court. Mons. Anzino had a particularly delicate and useful role throughout the Risorgimento until the death of the Great King, as through between the King Vittorio Emanuele II and the S. Sede. Vittorio Emanuele II, of profound religious sentiments, despite his resistance and his action, albeit-too unheard, for a fair agreement with the Church, had to bend to the anti-Catholic persecutory policy of his governments. The great King always maintained, as is known, a correspondence with the Pope and Mons. Anzino was heard by both his advisor and King Umberto I. The header of the document is a clearly of its crest and its titles: Valerius Anzino dei ET apostolicae sedis gratiae ABBAS AC ordinarius insignis palatinae basilicae S. Barbarae mantkau nullius DIOECESIS protonotarius apostolicus, suae sanctitatis prelatus Domesticus, Palatii Apostolici and S. Aulae lateranensis COMES augustissimus REGIS humberti I capellanus MAJOR. The coat of arms, of red to the anchor placed in pole, with a chain of motive from the ring saltire and ridecussata to the stem, all in natural; With the chief of the Empire, that is gold to the Black Eagle; Motto: In SPE ET libertate, it is left to the pastoral, on the right to the Ferula, on the top of which is inserted the Abbey Mitre; From the tip of the shield hangs the Mauritian commandery; The Office of Chaplain of the King is expressed by the coat of arms of Savoy, stamped by the royal crown and surrounded by the necklace of the Annunziata, which surmounts the shield and is located under the Prelatizio hat with six flakes per part, the whole green, which stamps the crest Anzino. It is interesting that in order to express the high ecclesiastical position of Mons. Anzino, the royal Crest overcome the shield, in-stead that be inside the weapon, maybe as a leader.”
