His Eminence
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His Eminence is a historical style of address for high nobility. However, it only remains in use as the official style or standard of address in reference to a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, reflecting his status as a Prince of the Church, ecclesiastically outranking Archbishops and even Patriarchs.
A longer, and more formal, title is "His [or 'Your' when addressing the cardinal directly] Most Reverend Eminence".
Patriarchs of the Eastern Rite who are also Cardinals may be addressed as "His Eminence" or by the style particular to Eastern Rite Patriarchs: His Beatitude.
While the term is shunned by many individuals of other faiths or denominations of Christianity, the title is officially maintained in international diplomacy without regard for its doctrinal, philosophical and theological origins.
When the Grand Master of the Military Order of the Knights of Malta, the Head of state of their sovereign territorial state comprising the island of Malta until 1797, who had already been made a Reichsfürst (i.e. Prince of the Holy Roman Empire) in 1607, was granted ecclesiastical equality with the Cardinals in 1630, he was also awarded the hybrid style His Most Eminent Highness.
- It is also used, informally (as rendering of on oriental style?), in Islam for highly honourable religious leaders of other religions.
See also
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