the order attached to a silver star. The new costume consists of a black (formerly red) coat with one
row (formerly two) of gilt buttons, and cuffs and collar of black velvet embroidered in gold; black
trousers, with gold stripes, a bicornered hat of rough silk adorned with papal-colored cockade, and
finally a sword with a hilt of mother-of-pearl ornamented with gold and worn suspended from a gilt
belt. The ribbon of the decoration is black silk bordered with red. Simple knights wear the cross on the
left breast of the tunic. Commanders wear a larger cross suspended by the ribbon of the order
encircling the neck, and the Knights of the Grand Cross wear a cross of largest form pendant from the
right shoulder and the badge on the left side of the breast. The hat of the commander is adorned with
a black that of the grand cross knight with a white, plume.
The Order of the Golden Militia, or the Golden Spur
Pius X, in commemoration of the high prestige to which this order had attained long years before it
was absorbed into the Gregorian Order of St. Sylvester, and as a souvenir of the golden jubilee of the
dogmatic definition of the Immaculate Conception of the B. V. M., gave back to it the separate
existence, name and grade of ancient days, and rendered it still more illustrious by placing it under
the patronage of the Immaculate Conception. To this order are to be admitted only those who have
distinguished themselves in an eminent degree, and either by feat of arms, or by their writings, or by
any other conspicuous work, have spread the Catholic Faith, and by their bravery have safeguarded,
or by their learning made illustrious, the Church of God. To insure its continued high grade of
excellence and desirability, its founder limited it to one class and one hundred knights for the entire
world ("Multum ad excitandos", 7 Feb., 1905). It can be conferred on those already knighted in the
highest orders, even that of Christ, as well as on those who have never received any order of
knighthood. The honor is bestowed by a "Motu Proprio" (Pope's own motion) and as such is expedited
through the secretariat of State, and free from all chancery fees. The decoration is an eight-pointed or
bifurcated yellow enameled gold cross, with a gold trophy on top and pendent from the inner sides of
its bifurcated foot a gold spur. On a small white medal in the center of the cross the word MARIA
surrounded by a golden circle, and on the reverse side in the center is stamped the year MDCCCCV
and in the surrounding circle the inscription PIUS X RESTITUIT. The badge is the cross upon the
rays of a silver star. The ribbon used for both decoration and badge is red bordered with white. The
knights of today do not wear the ancient collar. The cross is worn suspended by the ribbon of the
order which encircles the neck. The badge is attached by the ribbon to the left breast of the tunic. The
present official dress consists of a red tunic with two rows of gilt buttons, the collar and cuffs of which
are black velvet embroidered with threads of gold, long, black cloth trousers with go ??????????????)??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????)????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????)???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????)?????????????????????????????????????????????????????-???????????? ??????M??????)?????????A????A???`????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????)????????????????????????????????????????)=?????????!????M??????)M??)?????????? ????????)?????????????????M??!???????
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