Keeper of the Seals
The title keeper of the seals or equivalent is used in several contexts, denoting the person entitled to keep and authorize use of the great seal of a given country. The title may or may not be linked to a particular cabinet or ministerial office. This is most often the case today, but in the past the role was often a distinct and important job.
Italy[edit]
In Italy, the Minister of Justice assumes the duties of Guardasigilli (Keeper of the Seals). As Guardasigilli, the Minister of Justice countersigns all laws and decrees signed by the president and the decrees issued by other ministries. The Minister of Justice is also the editor of the Gazzetta Ufficiale della Repubblica Italiana, the official bulletin of the Italian Republic.
New Zealand[edit]
The Governor-General of New Zealand has custody of the Seal of New Zealand.[3] However, responsibility for the seal is delegated to the Clerk of the Executive Council.[4] The seal is affixed to various instruments that require it.[5]
Papacy[edit]
In medieval and Renaissance times the Papal Custode del Piombo ("Keeper of the Lead") was an important and well-paid office, always held by a friar. The painter Sebastiano del Piombo held it from 1531 until his death in 1546, and the nickname he is known by came from his job-title. He had to take holy orders for the purpose, despite having a wife and two sons.[6] The position was usually awarded for life, and in the Renaissance was often given to artists who worked on papal projects. The important architect Bramante had been appointed in 1513, but died the next year, when Mariano Fetti succeeded. He was already a friar, and a sort of court jester, but also an intimate friend to the Medici Pope Leo X. He held the role under three popes until his death in 1531, when Sebastiano succeeded him.[7]
United States[edit]
The United States Secretary of State is the official keeper of the Great Seal of the United States,[8] and the seal may only be affixed to instruments as provided by law or by authorization of the President.[9] The authority to manage the operation of the device is delegated to an official at the State Department. This official is the Director of the Office of Presidential Appointments, the office that manages the Great Seal at the Department of State. Informally, the director is sometimes referred to as the “Keeper” in the sense that the job has been delegated.[10]
Unlike the Great Seals listed above, the Great Seal of the United States is the primary graphical emblem of the United States and is used equivalently to a coat of arms.
The seals of individual U.S. states are typically the responsibility of the State Secretary of State.