 The Order of St Patrick initially had thirteen officers : the Prelate , the Chancellor , the Registrar , the Usher , the Secretary , the Genealogist , the King of Arms , two heralds and four pursuivants . Many of these offices were held by clergymen of the Church of Ireland , the then @-@ established church . After the disestablishment of the Church in 1871 , the ecclesiastics were allowed to remain in office until their deaths , when the offices were either abolished or reassigned to lay officials . All offices except that of Registrar and King of Arms are now vacant . 
