Veritatem Facientes
Encyclopedia
Veritatem Facientes is an apostolic letter of Pope Pius XII
to the Catholic faithful of Romania
, protesting against their persecution
and the virtual eradication
of the Catholic Church in their country. The letter asks for courage and prayers.
Seven years after World War II
, when Pope Pius XII wrote to the Catholics in Romania, the situation of the Church had changed drastically. The Romanian Greek-Catholic Church
was outlawed by government decree on December 1, 1948 and ceased to exist officially. All bishops were incarcerated at the time of the decree; foreign priests were expelled, domestic priests were imprisoned as well. Two of five Roman Catholic dioceses were officially recognized; their bishops were jailed as well. Three dioceses were closed. All Church schools and institutes were closed. As in other countries, the regime in Romania attempted to create a schismatic Catholic Church. The Catholic media were outlawed and closed and all religious houses confiscated and closed as well.
Veritatem Facientes gives an overview of the sufferings and persecutions of the Church in Romania. The Pontiff states that this writing is the only way to reach the faithful of Romania, who had suffered so much in the past few years. It is therefore his obligation to protest and defend the freedom and interests of the Church and its faithful. All bishops are incarcerated or sent away (to Siberia
). The Greek-Catholic Church has been declared illegal. Because the Catholic press
has been confiscated and outlawed, there is no way to reach the faithful by that way either. With all the Catholic voices silenced, it is rather easy, to rail against the Church
as an enemy of the State
. Therefore if the faithful are attacked or persecuted because of their faith, they should view this as an honour, not anything to be ashamed of.
The Pontiff
“would like to kiss the chains of all those who are incarcerated for their faith”, knowing that they are more worried about the future of the country and souls, than their own fate and loss of freedom. The Pontiff asks the faithful to gaze to heaven and be aware, that the everlasting light of eternal happiness expects those who are persecuted. He also asks for prayers, so God may grant peace now to the people and nations, that peace which secures freedom, and the freedom of worship and the dignity of every person.
He reminds his Romanian readers that the Church in their country has great saints who went through very difficult trials in their time. The Romanian faithful of today are the direct offspring of these great saints and should follow their great examples. Several times in Romanian history, contacts with the Holy Apostolic See
were interrupted, as they are now. But, after some time, relations began to flourish again There will be no shortage of difficulties, jail, loss of property, tortures and more. But it is preferable not to negate one's faith in God. The Pope expresses his hope that many may be able to read his letter and find some comfort in it. May they continue on the path of faith, and receive divine strength in their difficulties. Because God is the centre of the issue, no one should take this easily, or lose courage. The saints, who make up the glory of Romania, will assist together with the blessed Virgin Mary. She will obtain from her son the graces which her children truly need. The Pope and the whole Catholic world will pray with the Romanian Catholics, so Romanians may live in full freedom, publicly and privately confessing their faith. Pope Pius XII concludes his letter with his Apostolic Blessing.
Pope Pius XII
The 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....
to the Catholic faithful of Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, protesting against their persecution
Persecution
Persecution is the systematic mistreatment of an individual or group by another group. The most common forms are religious persecution, ethnic persecution, and political persecution, though there is naturally some overlap between these terms. The inflicting of suffering, harassment, isolation,...
and the virtual eradication
Eradication
Eradication may also refer to:*Genocide, the deliberate, systematic destruction of an ethnic, religious or national group of people*Eradication of infectious diseases, the reduction of the global prevalence of an infectious disease in its human or animal host to zero*Intentional local extinction,...
of the Catholic Church in their country. The letter asks for courage and prayers.
Seven years after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, when Pope Pius XII wrote to the Catholics in Romania, the situation of the Church had changed drastically. The Romanian Greek-Catholic Church
Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic
The Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic is an Eastern Catholic Church which is in full union with the Roman Catholic Church. It is ranked as a Major Archiepiscopal Church and uses the Byzantine liturgical rite in the Romanian language....
was outlawed by government decree on December 1, 1948 and ceased to exist officially. All bishops were incarcerated at the time of the decree; foreign priests were expelled, domestic priests were imprisoned as well. Two of five Roman Catholic dioceses were officially recognized; their bishops were jailed as well. Three dioceses were closed. All Church schools and institutes were closed. As in other countries, the regime in Romania attempted to create a schismatic Catholic Church. The Catholic media were outlawed and closed and all religious houses confiscated and closed as well.
Veritatem Facientes gives an overview of the sufferings and persecutions of the Church in Romania. The Pontiff states that this writing is the only way to reach the faithful of Romania, who had suffered so much in the past few years. It is therefore his obligation to protest and defend the freedom and interests of the Church and its faithful. All bishops are incarcerated or sent away (to Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
). The Greek-Catholic Church has been declared illegal. Because the Catholic press
News media
The news media are those elements of the mass media that focus on delivering news to the general public or a target public.These include print media , broadcast news , and more recently the Internet .-Etymology:A medium is a carrier of something...
has been confiscated and outlawed, there is no way to reach the faithful by that way either. With all the Catholic voices silenced, it is rather easy, to rail against the Church
Christian Church
The Christian Church is the assembly or association of followers of Jesus Christ. The Greek term ἐκκλησία that in its appearances in the New Testament is usually translated as "church" basically means "assembly"...
as an enemy of the State
Sovereign state
A sovereign state, or simply, state, is a state with a defined territory on which it exercises internal and external sovereignty, a permanent population, a government, and the capacity to enter into relations with other sovereign states. It is also normally understood to be a state which is neither...
. Therefore if the faithful are attacked or persecuted because of their faith, they should view this as an honour, not anything to be ashamed of.
The Pontiff
Pontiff
A pontiff was, in Roman antiquity, a member of the principal college of priests . The term "pontiff" was later applied to any high or chief priest and, in ecclesiastical usage, to a bishop and more particularly to the Bishop of Rome, the Pope or "Roman Pontiff".-Etymology:The English term derives...
“would like to kiss the chains of all those who are incarcerated for their faith”, knowing that they are more worried about the future of the country and souls, than their own fate and loss of freedom. The Pontiff asks the faithful to gaze to heaven and be aware, that the everlasting light of eternal happiness expects those who are persecuted. He also asks for prayers, so God may grant peace now to the people and nations, that peace which secures freedom, and the freedom of worship and the dignity of every person.
He reminds his Romanian readers that the Church in their country has great saints who went through very difficult trials in their time. The Romanian faithful of today are the direct offspring of these great saints and should follow their great examples. Several times in Romanian history, contacts with the Holy Apostolic See
Apostolic See
In Christianity, an apostolic see is any episcopal see whose foundation is attributed to one or more of the apostles of Jesus.Out of the many such sees, five acquired special importance in Chalcedonian Christianity and became classified as the Pentarchy in Eastern Orthodox Christianity...
were interrupted, as they are now. But, after some time, relations began to flourish again There will be no shortage of difficulties, jail, loss of property, tortures and more. But it is preferable not to negate one's faith in God. The Pope expresses his hope that many may be able to read his letter and find some comfort in it. May they continue on the path of faith, and receive divine strength in their difficulties. Because God is the centre of the issue, no one should take this easily, or lose courage. The saints, who make up the glory of Romania, will assist together with the blessed Virgin Mary. She will obtain from her son the graces which her children truly need. The Pope and the whole Catholic world will pray with the Romanian Catholics, so Romanians may live in full freedom, publicly and privately confessing their faith. Pope Pius XII concludes his letter with his Apostolic Blessing.