Papal dispensation is a reserved right of the
PopeThe pope is the Bishop of Rome and, as such, is leader of the worldwide Catholic Church...
that allows for individuals to be exempted from a specific
Canon LawCanon law is the body of laws and regulations made by or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
. Dispensations are divided into two categories: general, and matrimonial. Matrimonial dispensations can specifically be used to dissolve a marriage, as in the case of Henry VIII when he wished to divorce his wife. The authority for the Pope to exempt an individual or situation from a law stems from his position as the Vicar of Christ, which implies divine authority and knowledge.
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Papal dispensation is a reserved right of the
PopeThe pope is the Bishop of Rome and, as such, is leader of the worldwide Catholic Church...
that allows for individuals to be exempted from a specific
Canon LawCanon law is the body of laws and regulations made by or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
. Dispensations are divided into two categories: general, and matrimonial. Matrimonial dispensations can specifically be used to dissolve a marriage, as in the case of Henry VIII when he wished to divorce his wife. The authority for the Pope to exempt an individual or situation from a law stems from his position as the Vicar of Christ, which implies divine authority and knowledge.