Apostolic constitution
Encyclopedia
An apostolic constitution (Latin
constitutio apostolica) is the highest level of decree
issued by the Pope
. The use of the term constitution
comes from Latin constitutio, which referred to any important law issued by the Roman emperor
, and is retained in church documents because of the inheritance that the canon law
of the Roman Catholic Church received from Roman law
.
By their nature, apostolic constitutions are addressed to the public. Generic constitutions use the title apostolic constitution, and treat on solemn matters of the church, such as the promulgation of laws or definitive teachings. The forms dogmatic constitution and pastoral constitution are titles sometimes used to be more descriptive as to the document's purpose.
Apostolic constitutions are issued as Papal bull
s due to their solemn, public form. The next highest category, after an apostolic constitution, is an encyclical Letter
.
19th Century
20th Century
21st Century
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
constitutio apostolica) is the highest level of decree
Decree
A decree is a rule of law issued by a head of state , according to certain procedures . It has the force of law...
issued by the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
. The use of the term constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
comes from Latin constitutio, which referred to any important law issued by the Roman emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
, and is retained in church documents because of the inheritance that the canon law
Canon law (Catholic Church)
The canon law of the Catholic Church, is a fully developed legal system, with all the necessary elements: courts, lawyers, judges, a fully articulated legal code and principles of legal interpretation. It lacks the necessary binding force present in most modern day legal systems. The academic...
of the Roman Catholic Church received from Roman law
Roman law
Roman law is the legal system of ancient Rome, and the legal developments which occurred before the 7th century AD — when the Roman–Byzantine state adopted Greek as the language of government. The development of Roman law comprises more than a thousand years of jurisprudence — from the Twelve...
.
By their nature, apostolic constitutions are addressed to the public. Generic constitutions use the title apostolic constitution, and treat on solemn matters of the church, such as the promulgation of laws or definitive teachings. The forms dogmatic constitution and pastoral constitution are titles sometimes used to be more descriptive as to the document's purpose.
Apostolic constitutions are issued as Papal bull
Papal bull
A Papal bull is a particular type of letters patent or charter issued by a Pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the bulla that was appended to the end in order to authenticate it....
s due to their solemn, public form. The next highest category, after an apostolic constitution, is an encyclical Letter
Encyclical
An encyclical was originally a circular letter sent to all the churches of a particular area in the ancient Catholic Church. At that time, the word could be used for a letter sent out by any bishop...
.
Introduction
Generic constitutions contain the following introduction:- [Pope name], Bishop
- Servant of the Servants of God
- For an everlasting memorial/eternal memory/etc.
Examples of apostolic constitutions
16th Century- Quo primumQuo PrimumQuo Primum is the name of an Apostolic constitution in the form of a Papal bull issued by Pope St. Pius V on 14 July 1570...
(1570) Pius VPope Pius VPope Saint Pius V , born Antonio Ghislieri , was Pope from 1566 to 1572 and is a saint of the Catholic Church. He is chiefly notable for his role in the Council of Trent, the Counter-Reformation, and the standardization of the Roman liturgy within the Latin Church...
's Apostolic constitution on the Tridentine MassTridentine MassThe Tridentine Mass is the form of the Roman Rite Mass contained in the typical editions of the Roman Missal that were published from 1570 to 1962. It was the most widely celebrated Mass liturgy in the world until the introduction of the Mass of Paul VI in December 1969...
19th Century
- Ineffabilis DeusIneffabilis DeusIneffabilis Deus is the name of a Papal bull by Pope Pius IX. It defines ex cathedra the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary...
(1854) Pius IXPope Pius IXBlessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
's dogmatic constitution on the Immaculate ConceptionImmaculate ConceptionThe Immaculate Conception of Mary is a dogma of the Roman Catholic Church, according to which the Virgin Mary was conceived without any stain of original sin. It is one of the four dogmata in Roman Catholic Mariology...
of Mary. - Ad Universalis EcclesiaeAd Universalis EcclesiaeAd Universalis Ecclesiae is a papal constitution dealing with the conditions for admission to religious orders of men in which solemn vows are prescribed. It was issued by Pope Pius IX on 7 February 1862.-History:...
(1862) Pius IXPope Pius IXBlessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
's papal constitution dealing with the conditions for admission to religious orders of men in which solemn vowsSimple vowIn Roman Catholic canon law, a simple vow is any vow, public or private, individual or collective, concerned with an action or with abstaining from an action, if that vow has not been recognized by the Church as a solemn vow....
are prescribed
20th Century
- Bis SaeculariBis SaeculariBis Saeculari , is an Apostolic Constitution, of Pope Pius XII on the Sodality of Our Lady. It reminisces the two hundredth anniversary of the Papal bull Gloriosae Dominae of Pope Benedict XIV in 1748....
(1948), Pope Pius XII on Sodality of Our LadySodality of Our LadyThe Sodality of Our Lady The Sodality of Our Lady The Sodality of Our Lady (also known as the Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary (in Latin, Congregationes seu sodalitates B. Mariæ Virginis) is a Roman Catholic Marian Society founded in 1563 by young Belgian Jesuit, Jean Leunis (or Jan), at the...
. - Munificentissimus DeusMunificentissimus DeusMunificentissimus Deus is the name of an Apostolic constitution written by Pope Pius XII. It defines ex cathedra the dogma of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It was the first ex-cathedra infallible statement since the official ruling on papal infallibility was made at the First Vatican...
(1950) Pius XIIPope Pius XIIThe Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
's dogmatic constitution on the Assumption of MaryAssumption of MaryAccording to the belief of Christians of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, and parts of the Anglican Communion and Continuing Anglicanism, the Assumption of Mary was the bodily taking up of the Virgin Mary into Heaven at the end of her life...
. - Exsul FamiliaExsul Familia"Exsul Familia" is the apostolic constitution written by Pope Pius XII on the topic of migration. It was released on 1 August 1952. The title of the document refers to the migrant Holy Family, forced to flee into Egypt, taken as the archetype of every refugee family...
(1952) Pius XIIPope Pius XIIThe Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
's constitution on migration - Veterum sapientia (1962) John XXIIIPope John XXIIPope John XXII , born Jacques Duèze , was pope from 1316 to 1334. He was the second Pope of the Avignon Papacy , elected by a conclave in Lyon assembled by Philip V of France...
's Apostolic constitution on the promotion of the study of Latin - Dei VerbumDei VerbumDei Verbum was promulgated by Pope Paul VI on November 18, 1965, following approval by the assembled bishops by a vote of 2,344 to 6.23...
(1965) Paul VI's Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation. - PaeniteminiPaeniteminiPaenitemini is a 1966 apostolic constitution by Pope Paul VI. In Paenitemini Paul changed the strictly regulated Catholic fasting requirements. He recommended that fasting be appropriate to the local economic situation, and that all Catholics voluntarily fast and abstain...
(1966) Paul VI's Apostolic constitution on Fasting and Abstinence in the Roman Catholic ChurchFasting and Abstinence in the Roman Catholic ChurchFor Roman Catholics, fasting is the reduction of one's intake of food to one full meal a day. This may or may not be accompanied by abstinence from meat when eating....
. - Missale Romanum (1969) Paul VI's Apostolic constitution on the revised liturgy
- Romano Pontifici eligendoRomano Pontifici EligendoRomano Pontifici Eligendo was the Apostolic Constitution governing the election of popes that was promulgated by Pope Paul VI in 1975. It instituted a number of far-reaching reforms in the process of electing popes.- Ban on cardinals over eighty voting :...
(1975) Paul VIPope Paul VIPaul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
's Apostolic constitution on the election of the Roman pontiff - Ut sit (1982) John Paul II's Apostolic constitution raising Opus Dei to the rank of a personal prelature
- Sacrae Disciplinae LegesSacrae Disciplinae LegesSacrae Disciplinae Leges is the title of an apostolic constitutionby Blessed John Paul II, issued on January 25, 1983.This apostolic constitution instituted the 1983 Code of Canon Law for the Latin Rite Church. In contrast, the Code of Canon Law for the other 22 Eastern Churches dates to the Ap....
(1983) John Paul II's constitution instituting the 1983 Code of Canon Law - Pastor BonusPastor BonusPastor Bonus is an Apostolic Constitution promulgated by Pope John Paul II on 28 June 1988. It instituted a number of reforms in the process of running the central government of the Roman Catholic Church, as article 1 states "The Roman Curia is the complex of dicasteries and institutes which help...
(1988) — John Paul II's rules on the re-organisation of the Roman CuriaRoman CuriaThe Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Catholic Church, together with the Pope... - Ex corde ecclesiaeEx Corde Ecclesiaeis an Apostolic constitution issued by Pope John Paul II regarding Catholic colleges and universities.Promulgated on August 15, 1990 and intended to become effective in the academic year starting in 1991, its aim was to define and refine the Catholicism of Catholic institutions of higher education...
(1990) — John Paul II's rules on Catholic universities - Fidei depositumFidei depositumFidei depositum is the Apostolic constitution of 11 October 1992 by which Pope John Paul II ordered the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church....
(1992) John Paul II's Apostolic constitution on the new Catechism of the Catholic Church - Universi Dominici gregisUniversi Dominici GregisUniversi Dominici Gregis is an Apostolic Constitution of the Catholic Church issued by Pope John Paul II on February 22, 1996. It superseded Pope Paul VI's 1975 Apostolic Constitution, Romano Pontifici Eligendo....
(1996) — John Paul IIPope John Paul IIBlessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
's rules on electing the Roman pontiff
21st Century
- Anglicanorum Coetibus, (2009) - Benedict XVI's rules for providing for personal ordinariates for Anglicans entering into full communionFull communionIn Christian ecclesiology, full communion is a relationship between church organizations or groups that mutually recognize their sharing the essential doctrines....
with the Catholic Church.