The Cæremoniale Episcoporum (Ceremonial of Bishops) is a book that describes the Church services to be performed by Bishops of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church

Roman Catholic Church

The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...

.

Pope Clement VIII

Pope Clement VIII

Pope Clement VIII , born Ippolito Aldobrandini, was Pope from 30 January 1592 to 3 March 1605.-Cardinal:...

 published on 14 July 1600 the first book to bear this name, a revision, in line with the renewal ordered by the Council of Trent

Council of Trent

The Council of Trent was the 16th-century Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. It is considered to be one of the Church's most important councils. It convened in Trent between December 13, 1545, and December 4, 1563 in twenty-five sessions for three periods...

, of the contents of books, called Ordines Romani

Ordines romani

The Ordines Romani are collections of documents that are the rubrics for various liturgical services, including the early Medieval Mass, of the Roman Rite...

, written from the end of the seventh century on to describe the ceremonies for the election and ordination of a Pope and to give indications for Mass and other celebrations by the Pope in the course of the year. The contents of these books were enriched over time. A work in two sections that became known as De Cæremoniis Cardinalium et Episcoporum in eorum diœcesibus (Ceremonies of Cardinals and Bishops in Their Own Dioceses) was added in the sixteenth century. Pope Clement VIII's Cæremoniale Episcoporum was based on these texts and on others that have now been lost. The work of preparation, begun in December 1582 under Pope Gregory XIII

Pope Gregory XIII

Pope Gregory XIII , born Ugo Boncompagni, was Pope from 1572 to 1585. He is best known for commissioning and being the namesake for the Gregorian calendar, which remains the internationally-accepted civil calendar to this date.-Youth:He was born the son of Cristoforo Boncompagni and wife Angela...

 took 17 years. A facsimile of the original 1600 edition in two books was published by Libreria Editrice Vaticana in 2000.

Pope Innocent X

Pope Innocent X

Pope Innocent X , born Giovanni Battista Pamphilj , was Pope from 1644 to 1655. Born in Rome of a family from Gubbio in Umbria who had come to Rome during the pontificate of Pope Innocent IX, he graduated from the Collegio Romano and followed a conventional cursus honorum, following his uncle...

 issued a revised edition in 1650. In 1727 or 1729 the chapters, originally printed as single blocks, were divided into numbered paragraphs and summaries were added at the head of each chapter, in place of the previous titles. In 1752, Pope Benedict XIV

Pope Benedict XIV

Pope Benedict XIV , born Prospero Lorenzo Lambertini, was Pope from 17 August 1740 to 3 May 1758.-Life:...

 revised slightly the two preexisting books and added a third on ceremonies to be observed by those holding civil office in the Papal States.

In 1886, Pope Leo XIII

Pope Leo XIII

Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...

 made yet another revision, in which, though the Papal States had been incorporated into the Kingdom of Italy, he kept the third book. The Catholic Encyclopedia

Catholic Encyclopedia

The Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia and the Original Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language encyclopedia published in the United States. The first volume appeared in March 1907 and the last three volumes appeared in 1912, followed by a master index...

 gives an account of the Cæremoniale Episcoporum as it stood after this 1886 revision.

In line with the renewal ordered by the Second Vatican Council

Second Vatican Council

The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...

, a fully revised edition in a single volume was issued by Pope John Paul II

Pope John Paul II

Blessed 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 ...

 in 1984, replacing the earlier editions. The revision aimed at securing an episcopal liturgy that was "simple, and at the same time noble, fully effective pastorally, and capable of serving as an example for all other liturgical celebrations."

The book is in eight parts:

1. Episcopal liturgy in general
2. Mass
   Mass (liturgy)
   "Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
   
   
3. Liturgy of the Hours
   Liturgy of the hours
   The Liturgy of the Hours or Divine Office is the official set of daily prayers prescribed by the Catholic Church to be recited at the canonical hours by the clergy, religious orders, and laity. The Liturgy of the Hours consists primarily of psalms supplemented by hymns and readings...
   
    and Celebrations of the Word of God
4. Celebrations of the Mysteries of the Lord in the course of the year
5. Sacraments
6. Sacramental
   Sacramental
   Sacramental may refer to:* Sacramental, as an adjective means of or pertaining to sacraments* Sacramentals, in Roman Catholicism and Anglicanism, objects whose supernatural effects, unlike those of a sacrament, depend on the belief of the recipient...
   
   s
7. Noteworthy dates in the life of a bishop
8. Liturgical celebrations connected with solemn acts of episcopal governance

There are also appendices on:

1. The vesture of prelates
2. A table of liturgical days arranged in order of precedence
3. A table on Ritual Masses, Masses for Various Needs, Votive Masses and Requiem Masses
4. Lists of abbreviations and sigla used in the book