BULL OF OUR MOST HOLY LORD PIUS FOURTH, BY THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD POPE, TOUCHING THE CONFIRMATION OF THE ŒCUMENICAL (AND) GENERAL COUNCIL OF TRENT

PIUS, bishop, servant of the servants of God, for the perpetual memory hereof.

Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, who, having vouchsafed to look down upon His holy Church, agitated and harassed by so many storms and tempests, and whilst it was every day more grievously distressed, hath at length given relief thereunto by a suitable and wished for remedy. To extirpate very many and most pernicious heresies, to correct manners, and to restore ecclesiastical discipline, to procure the peace and concord of the Christian people, an œcumenical and general council had been, a long time since, indicted by our predecessor, Paul III., of pious memory, and had been begun by holding several sessions. Having been by his successor recalled to the same city, the council, after several sessions had been celebrated, could not, on account of various impediments and difficulties which occurred, be even then brought to a conclusion: it was, therefore, for a long time interrupted, not without the greatest grief on the part of all pious persons, whilst the Church daily more and more implored that remedy. But we, after having entered upon the government of the Apostolic See, undertook to accomplish so necessary and salutary a work, even as our pastoral solicitude admonished us; with confidence in the Divine mercy, and aided by the pious earnestness of our most beloved son in Christ, Ferdinand, emperor elect of the Romans, and by that of other Christian kings, republics, and princes, we have at length attained to that which we have not ceased to toil for by daily and nightly cares, and which we have assiduously besought of the Father of lights. For whereas a most numerous assembly of bishops and of other distinguished prelates, and one worthy an œcumenical council, had, upon being convoked by our letters, and impelled also by their own piety, assembled together from all sides out of the nations of Christendom, at the said city; besides very many other persons of piety, men pre-eminent for skill in sacred letters, and knowledge of divine and human law; the legates of the Apostolic See presiding in the said synod; ourselves so favourable to the liberty of the council, that we, even by letters written to our legates, had voluntarily left the said council free to determine touching matters properly reserved for the Apostolic See; such things as remained to be treated of, defined, and ordained, touching the sacraments and other matters, which seemed to be necessary for confuting heresies, abolishing abuses, and amending morals, were by the sacred and holy synod, with the greatest liberty and diligence, treated of, and accurately and with the utmost deliberation defined, explained, and ordained. Which things being completed, the council was brought to a close with so great unanimity on the part of all who assisted thereat, that it was evident that such agreement was brought about by the Lord, and it was very wonderful in our eyes, and those of all. For which so singular a gift of God, we straightway indicted solemn processions in this noble city, which were celebrated with great piety by the clergy and the people; and we took care that the thanksgivings so justly due should be paid to the divine majesty; forasmuch as the issue of that council has brought with it a great and almost certain hope that greater fruits will daily be derived unto the Church from the decrees and constitutions thereof. And whereas the said holy synod, in its reverence towards the Apostolic See, and adhering also to the footsteps of the ancient councils, has, in a decree made on that subject, in public session, requested of us the confirmation of all its decrees, passed in our time and that of our predecessors; We being acquainted with the request of the said synod, first by the letters of our legates, then, after their return, by what they diligently reported in the name of the synod; after mature deliberation held thereon with our venerable brethren, the cardinals of the holy Roman Church; and, above all, having invoked the assistance of the Holy Spirit; after that we had ascertained that all those decrees were Catholic, and useful and salutary to the Christian people, We, to the praise of Almighty God, with the counsel and assent of our brethren aforesaid, have this day, in our secret consistory, confirmed by apostolic authority all and each of those decrees, and have ordained that the same be received and observed by all the faithful of Christ; as also, for the clearer information of all men, We do, by the tenor of this letter, confirm them, and ordain that they be received and observed. Moreover, in virtue of holy obedience, and under the penalties appointed by the sacred canons, and others more grievous, even those of deprivation, to be inflicted at our discretion, We do also command all and each of our venerable brethren, the patriarchs, archbishops, bishops, and all other prelates soever of the churches, of what estate, grade, order, and dignity soever they may be, even though they be distinguished with the honour of the cardinalate, that they observe diligently the said decrees and statutes in their churches, cities, and dioceses, both within and without their courts of justice, and that they cause the same to be inviolably observed, each by his own subjects, in so far as in any way concerns them; silencing gainsayers and the contumacious, by means of the sentences, censures, and ecclesiastical penalties also contained in the said decrees; even calling in, if need be, the help of the secular arm. And, by the bowels of the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, We admonish and conjure our said most beloved son the emperor elect, and the other Christian kings, republics, and princes, that with the same piety with which they assisted, by their ambassadors, at the council, with that same piety and equal zeal, for the sake of the divine honour, and the salvation of their people, in reverence also of the Apostolic See, and the sacred synod, to support, when there be need, with their aid and countenance, the prelates in executing and observing the decrees of the said council; and that they do not permit opinions adverse to the sound and salutary doctrine of the council to be received by the people under their sway, but utterly interdict them. Furthermore, in order to avoid the perversion and confusion which might arise, if each one were permitted, as he might think fit, to publish his own commentaries and interpretations on the decrees of the council; We, by apostolic authority, forbid all persons, as well ecclesiastics, of what order, condition, and rank soever they may be, as laymen, with what honour and power soever invested; prelates to wit, under pain of being interdicted from entering the church, and all others, whosoever they be, under pain of excommunication incurred by the fact, that they presume, without our authority, to publish, in any form, any commentaries, glosses, annotations, scholia, or any kind of interpretation soever touching the decrees of the said council; or to settle anything in regard thereof, under any plea soever, even under pretext of greater corroboration of the decrees, or the execution thereof, or under any other colourable pretext soever. But if anything therein shall seem to any one to have been expressed and ordained obscurely, and it shall, on that account, appear to stand in need of an interpretation or decision, let him go up to the place which the Lord hath chosen; to wit, to the Apostolic See, the mistress of all the faithful, whose authority the holy synod also has so reverently acknowledged. For if any difficulties and controversies shall arise touching the said decrees, We reserve them to be by us explained and decided, even as the holy synod has itself in like manner decreed; being prepared, as that [synod] has justly expressed its confidence in regard of us, to provide for the necessities of all the provinces, in such manner as shall seem to us most convenient; decreeing that whatsoever may be attempted to the contrary touching these matters, whether wittingly or unwittingly, by any one, by what authority soever, is, notwithstanding, null and void. And to the end that these things may come to the knowledge of all men, and that no one may be able to use the excuse of ignorance; We will and ordain, that in the Vatican Basilica of the prince of the apostles, and in the Lateran church, at the time when the people is wont to assemble there in order to be present at the solemnization of masses, these letters be publicly read in a clear tone by certain officers of our court; and that after they have been read, they be affixed to the doors of those churches, and also to the gates of the Apostolic Chancery, and to the usual place in the Campo di Fiore; and be left there for some time, to be read by, and to come to the knowledge of all men. But when they shall be removed thence, copies being, according to custom, left in those same places, they shall be committed to the press in our noble city, that so they may more conveniently be made known throughout the provinces and kingdoms of the Christian name. And we command and decree, that without any doubt, faith be given to copies thereof, which are written or subscribed by the hand of a public notary, and guaranteed by the seal and signature of some person constituted in ecclesiastical dignity. Let it be lawful, therefore, for no one to infringe this our letter of confirmation, admonition, inhibition, reservation, will, mandate, and decree, or with rash daring go contrary thereunto. But if any one shall presume to attempt this, let him know that he will incur the indignation of Almighty God, and of his blessed apostles Peter and Paul. Given at Rome, at St. Peter’s, in the year of the Lord’s incarnation! one thousand five hundred and sixty-four, on the seventh of the calends of February, in the fifth year of our pontificate.