List of Encyclicals of Pope Pius XII

This is a list of encyclicals of Pope Pius XII. Pope Pius XII

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....

issued 41 Papal Encyclical

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...

s, during his reign as 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...

for over 19 years, from his election of March 2, 1939 until his death on October 9, 1958. The forty-one encyclicals of Pope Pius XII exceed the thirty-two encyclicals written by all his successors, Pope John XXIII

Pope John XXIII

-Papal election:Following the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958, Roncalli was elected Pope, to his great surprise. He had even arrived in the Vatican with a return train ticket to Venice. Many had considered Giovanni Battista Montini, Archbishop of Milan, a possible candidate, but, although archbishop...

, Paul VI, John Paul I, John Paul II and Benedict XVI during the fifty years that followed (1958-2008).

The Encyclicals of Pius XII

No.	Title		Subject	Date	Text
No.	Latin 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...	English English language English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria... translation	Subject	Date	Text
1.	Summi Pontificatus Summi Pontificatus Summi Pontificatus is an encyclical of Pope Pius XII published on October 20, 1939. The encyclical is subtitled "On the Unity of Human Society." It was the first major encyclical of Pius XII so was seen as setting "a tone" for his papacy. It critiques major errors at the time, such as ideologies...	"On the Supreme Pontificate"	On the Unity of Human Society	October 20, 1939	(English)
2.	Sertum Laetitiae Sertum Laetitiae Sertum laetitiae was an encyclical from Pope Pius XII to the Catholic Church of the United States of America in memory of the 150th anniversary of the installation of the first American bishop....	"The Crown of Joy"	On the Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary of the establishment of the hierarchy in the United States Roman Catholicism in the United States The Catholic Church in the United States is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, the Christian Church in full communion with the Pope. With more than 68.5 registered million members, it is the largest single religious denomination in the United States, comprising about 22 percent of the population...	November 1, 1939	(English)
3.	Saeculo Exeunte Saeculo Exeunte Saeculo Exeunte is an encyclical of Pope Pius XII in which he honors Portugal at the celebration of its 800th anniversary. A large part of the encyclical deals with the missionary activities of Portugal and the need to modernize missionary work...		On the Eight Century of the Independence of Portugal History of Portugal The history of Portugal, a European and an Atlantic nation, dates back to the Early Middle Ages. In the 15th and 16th centuries, it ascended to the status of a world power during Europe's "Age of Discovery" as it built up a vast empire including possessions in South America, Africa, Asia and...	June 13, 1940	(English)
4.	Mystici Corporis Christi Mystici Corporis Christi Mystici Corporis Christi is a papal encyclical issued by Pope Pius XII during World War II, on the Church as the Mystical Body of Christ. It is one of the more important encyclicals of Pope Pius XII, because of its topic, the Church, and because its Church concept was fully included in Lumen...	"On the Mystical Body of Christ Body of Christ In Christian theology, the term Body of Christ has two separate connotations: it may refer to Jesus's statement about the Eucharist at the Last Supper that "This is my body" in , or the explicit usage of the term by the Apostle Paul in to refer to the Christian Church.Although in general usage the... "	On the Mystical Body of Christ Body of Christ In Christian theology, the term Body of Christ has two separate connotations: it may refer to Jesus's statement about the Eucharist at the Last Supper that "This is my body" in , or the explicit usage of the term by the Apostle Paul in to refer to the Christian Church.Although in general usage the... and the Church	June 29, 1943	(English)
5.	Divino Afflante Spiritu Divino Afflante Spiritu Divino Afflante Spiritu is an encyclical letter issued by Pope Pius XII on September 30, 1943. It inaugurated the modern period of Roman Catholic Bible studies by permitting the limited use of modern methods of biblical criticism. The Catholic bible scholar Raymond E...	"Inspired by the Divine Spirit Holy Spirit Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of... "	On Sacred Scripture Bible The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...	September 30, 1943	(English)

|-
|6. || Orientalis Ecclesiae
Orientalis Ecclesiae
Orientalis Ecclesiae is an encyclical of Pope Pius XII. Its topic is St. Cyril, Patriarch of Alexandria.-External links:* – Latin text* – English text...

|| "Of the Eastern Church" || On St. Cyril

Cyril of Alexandria

Cyril of Alexandria was the Patriarch of Alexandria from 412 to 444. He came to power when the city was at its height of influence and power within the Roman Empire. Cyril wrote extensively and was a leading protagonist in the Christological controversies of the later 4th and 5th centuries...

, Patriarch of Alexandria

Patriarch of Alexandria

The Patriarch of Alexandria is the Archbishop of Alexandria and Cairo, Egypt. Historically, this office has included the designation of Pope , and did so earlier than that of the Bishop of Rome...

|| April 9, 1944 || (English)
|-
|7. || Communium Interpretes
Communium Interpretes
Communium Interpretes is an encyclical of Pope Pius XII at the ending of World War II in Europe, appealing for prayers for peace during May, Given at Rome, at St...

|| "Interpreter of the universal anguish" || On Ending the Second World War

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...

|| April 15, 1945 || (English)
|-
|8. || Orientales Omnes
Orientales Omnes
Orientales omnes Ecclesiae is an encyclical of Pope Pius XII to the faithful of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. It commemorates the three hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the Union of Brest....

|| "All the Eastern Churches" || On the 250th Anniversary of Reunion of the Ruthenian Church

Ruthenian Catholic Church

The Ruthenian Catholic Church is a sui iuris Eastern Catholic Church , which uses the Divine Liturgy of the Constantinopolitan Byzantine Eastern Rite. Its roots are among the Rusyns who lived in the region called Carpathian Ruthenia, in and around the Carpathian Mountains...

with Rome || December 23, 1945 || (English)
|-
|9. || Quemadmodum
Quemadmodum
Quemadmodum is an encyclical of Pope Pius XII pleading for the care of the world's destitute children after World War II, given at St. Peter's, Rome, on 6 January, Feast of the Epiphany, in 1946, the seventh of his Pontificate....

|| || On Pleading for Care for the World's Destitute Children || January 6, 1946 || (English)
|-
|10. || Deiparae Virginis Mariae
Deiparae Virginis Mariae
Deiparae Virginis Mariae , is an encyclical of Pope Pius XII to all Catholic bishops on the possibility of defining the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary as a dogma of faith....

|| "Of the Blessed Virgin Mary" || Should We Define the Assumption

Assumption of Mary

According 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...

? || May 1, 1946 || (English)
|-
|11. || Fulgens Radiatur || "The radiant light" || On the Brilliant Light of Saint Benedict

Benedict of Nursia

Saint Benedict of Nursia is a Christian saint, honored by the Roman Catholic Church as the patron saint of Europe and students.Benedict founded twelve communities for monks at Subiaco, about to the east of Rome, before moving to Monte Cassino in the mountains of southern Italy. There is no...

|| March 21, 1947 || (English)
|-
|12. || Mediator Dei
Mediator Dei
Mediator Dei, a papal encyclical was issued by Pope Pius XII in 1947. The encyclical suggests new directions and active participation instead of a merely passive role of the faithful in the liturgy, in liturgical ceremonies and in the life of their parish. The encyclical also emphasizes the...

|| "Mediator of God" || On the Sacred Liturgy

Liturgy

Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...

|| November 20, 1947 || (English)
|-
|13. || Optatissima Pax
Optatissima Pax
OPTATISSIMA PAX is an encyclical of Pope Pius XII on prescribing public prayers for social and world peace given at Rome, at St. Peter's, the 18th day of December in the year 1947, the ninth o fhis Pontificate...

|| "Longed-for peace" || On Prescribing Public Prayers for Social and World Peace

World peace

World Peace is an ideal of freedom, peace, and happiness among and within all nations and/or people. World peace is an idea of planetary non-violence by which nations willingly cooperate, either voluntarily or by virtue of a system of governance that prevents warfare. The term is sometimes used to...

|| December 18, 1947 || (English)
|-
|14. || Auspicia Quaedam
Auspicia Quaedam
Auspicia quaedam , is an encyclical of Pope Pius XII on worldwide public prayers to the Virgin Mary for World peace and the solution of the problem of Palestine, given at Rome at St...

|| || Prayers for World Peace

World peace

and the Solution Of The Problems Of Palestine |-
|| May 1, 1948 || (English)
|-
|15. || In Multiplicibus Curis
In Multiplicibus Curis
In Multiplicibus Curis was an encyclical given by Pope Pius XII on 24 October 1948 at Castel Gandolfo, near Rome, in the tenth year of his Pontificate...

|| "Among the multiple preoccupations" || On Prayers for Peace in Palestine

Palestine

Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....

|| October 24, 1948 || (English)
|-
|16. || Redemptoris Nostri Cruciatus
Redemptoris Nostri Cruciatus
Redemptoris Nostri Cruciatus is a peace encyclical of Pope Pius XII focusing on the war in Palestine. It was given at St. Peter's f Good Friday, April 15, 1949....

|| "The Passion

Passion (Christianity)

The Passion is the Christian theological term used for the events and suffering – physical, spiritual, and mental – of Jesus in the hours before and including his trial and execution by crucifixion...

of Our Redeemer" || On Holy Places in Palestine || April 15, 1949 || (English)
|-
|17. || Anni Sacri
Anni Sacri
Anni Sacri issued on the twelfth anniversary of his coronation, is an encyclical of Pope Pius XII on a program combating atheism.The encyclical states:- Quotations from the encyclical :...

|| "On the Holy Year

Jubilee (Christian)

The concept of the Jubilee is a special year of remission of sins and universal pardon. In the Biblical Book of Leviticus, a Jubilee year is mentioned to occur every fifty years, in which slaves and prisoners would be freed, debts would be forgiven and the mercies of God would be particularly...

" || On a Program For Combating Atheistic

Atheism

Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...

Propaganda Throughout The World || March 12, 1950 || (English)
|-
|18. || Summi Maeroris
Summi Maeroris
Summi Maeroris is one of several peace encyclicals of Pope Pius XII focusing in particular on the dangers to peace during the Holy Year . It was given at Rome, at St. Peter's on July 19th 1950, the twelfth day of his Pontificate....

|| "With the deepest sorrow" || On a Call for Public Prayers for Peace || July 19, 1950 || (English)
|-
|19. || Humani Generis
Humani Generis
Humani generis is a papal encyclical that Pope Pius XII promulgated on 12 August 1950 "concerning some false opinions threatening to undermine the foundations of Catholic Doctrine"...

|| "On Human Origin" || Concerning Some False Opinions

Evolution

Evolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.Life on Earth...

Threatening to Undermine the Foundations of Catholic Doctrine

Evolution and the Roman Catholic Church

Since the publication of Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species in 1859, the attitude of the Catholic Church on the theory of evolution has slowly been refined. For about 100 years, there was no authoritative pronouncement on the subject. By 1950, Pope Pius XII agreed to the academic freedom to...

|| August 12, 1950 || (English)
|-
|20. || Mirabile Illud
Mirabile Illud
Mirabile Illud is an encyclical of Pope Pius XII on the crusade of prayer for peace, given at Rome from St. Peter's on the sixth day of December, the year 1950, the twelfth of his Pontificate....

|| "That admirable" || On a Crusade for Prayers for Peace || December 6, 1950 || (English)
|-
|21. || Evangelii Praecones
Evangelii Praecones
Evangelii Praecones June 2, 1951) was an encyclical letter of Pope Pius XII about Catholic missions. In it, he described necessary improvements and changes, and the persecution of the Church in some parts of he world. The encyclical was issued in commemoration of the 25th...

|| "Toiling missionaries" || On the Promotion of Catholic Missions

Catholic missions

As the church normally organizes itself along territorial lines, and because they had the human and material resources, religious orders—some even specializing in it—undertook most missionary work, especially in the early phases...

|| June 2, 1951 || (English)
|-
|22. || Sempiternus Rex Christus
Sempiternus Rex Christus
Sempiternus Rex is an encyclical of Pope Pius XII on the 1500th anniversary of the Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon, which declared Christ to be both fully human and fully divine, given in Rome at St. Peter on September 8, 1951, in the 13th year of his pontificate. The encyclical centres on Christ...

|| "Christ, the Eternal King" || On the Council of Chalcedon

Council of Chalcedon

The Council of Chalcedon was a church council held from 8 October to 1 November, 451 AD, at Chalcedon , on the Asian side of the Bosporus. The council marked a significant turning point in the Christological debates that led to the separation of the church of the Eastern Roman Empire in the 5th...

|| September 8, 1951 || (English)
|-
|23. || Ingruentium Malorum
Ingruentium Malorum
Ingruentium Malorum is an encyclical of Pope Pius XII on reciting the rosary, issued on September 15, 1951, the Feast of the Seven Sorrows of the Virgin Mary.-Contents:...

|| "Approaching evil" || On Reciting the Rosary

Rosary

The rosary or "garland of roses" is a traditional Catholic devotion. The term denotes the prayer beads used to count the series of prayers that make up the rosary...

|| September 15, 1951 || (English)
|-
|24. || Orientales Ecclesias
Orientales Ecclesias
Orientales Ecclesias is an encyclical of Pope Pius XII concerning the persecution of Oriental Churches and describing the hopeless situation of the faithful in Bulgaria-Summary:...

|| "The Oriental Churches" || On The Persecuted Eastern Church and describing the hopeless situation of the faithful in Bulgaria

Bulgaria

Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...

|| December 15, 1952|| (English)
|-
|25. || Doctor Mellifluus
Doctor Mellifluus
Doctor Mellifluus is an encyclical of Pope Pius XII on the doctor of the Church Bernard of Clairvaux, given at Rome, St. Peter's, on the 24th of May, on the feast of Pentecost, 1953, in the 15th year of his pontificate.-Theology:...

|| "Sweet Doctor" || On St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Bernard of Clairvaux

Bernard of Clairvaux, O.Cist was a French abbot and the primary builder of the reforming Cistercian order.After the death of his mother, Bernard sought admission into the Cistercian order. Three years later, he was sent to found a new abbey at an isolated clearing in a glen known as the Val...

, Last of the Fathers

Church Fathers

The Church Fathers, Early Church Fathers, Christian Fathers, or Fathers of the Church were early and influential theologians, eminent Christian teachers and great bishops. Their scholarly works were used as a precedent for centuries to come...

|| May 24, 1953 || (English)
|-
|26. || Fulgens Corona
Fulgens Corona
Fulgens corona is an encyclical by Pope Pius XII, given at St. Peter's Rome, on 8 September 1953, on the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the fifteenth year of his Pontificate...

|| "The radiant crown" || Proclaiming a Marian Year to Commemorate the Centenary of the Definition of the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception || September 8, 1953 || (English)
|-
|27. || Sacra Virginitas || "On Holy Virginity

Virginity

Virginity refers to the state of a person who has never engaged in sexual intercourse. There are cultural and religious traditions which place special value and significance on this state, especially in the case of unmarried females, associated with notions of personal purity, honor and worth...

" || On Consecrated Virginity

Virginity

|| March 25, 1954 || (English)
|-
|28. || Ecclesiae Fastos || "History of the Church" || On St. Boniface

Saint Boniface

Saint Boniface , the Apostle of the Germans, born Winfrid, Wynfrith, or Wynfryth in the kingdom of Wessex, probably at Crediton , was a missionary who propagated Christianity in the Frankish Empire during the 8th century. He is the patron saint of Germany and the first archbishop of Mainz...

|| June 5, 1952 || (English)
|-
|29. || Ad Sinarum Gentem || "To the Chinese people" || On the Supranationality of the Church || October 7, 1954 || (English)
|-
|30. || Ad Caeli Reginam
Ad Caeli Reginam
Ad caeli reginam is an encyclical of Pope Pius XII, given at Rome, from St. Peter's, on the feast of the Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the eleventh day of October, 1954, in the sixteenth year of his Pontificate. The encyclical is an important element of the Mariology of Pope Pius XII...

|| "To the Queen of Heaven" || On Proclaiming the Queenship of Mary || October 11, 1954 || (English)
|-
|31. || Musicae Sacrae || "Of Sacred Music" || On Sacred Music

Christian music

Christian music is music that has been written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life and faith. Common themes of Christian music include praise, worship, penitence, and lament, and its forms vary widely across the world....

|| December 25, 1955 || (English)
|-
|32. || Haurietis Aquas
Haurietis Aquas
Haurietis aquas is a landmark encyclical of Pope Pius XII. Written on May 15, 1956, it was attached to the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus by Pope Pius IX. The title is derived from , a verse which alludes to the abundance of the supernatural graces...

|| "You shall draw waters" || On Devotion to the Sacred Heart

Sacred Heart

The Sacred Heart is one of the most famous religious devotions to Jesus' physical heart as the representation of His divine love for Humanity....

|| May 15, 1956 || (English)
|-
|33. || Luctuosissimi Eventus
Luctuosissimi Eventus
Luctuosissimi Eventus, issued October 28, 1956, is an encyclical of Pope Pius XII urging public prayers for peace and freedom for the people of Hungary....

|| "Sorrowful events" || Urging Public Prayers for Peace and Freedom for the People of Hungary || October 28, 1956 || (English)
|-
|34. || Laetamur Admodum || "We are most pleased" || Renewing Exhortation for Prayers for Peace in Poland

Poznan 1956 protests

The Poznań 1956 protests, also known as Poznań 1956 uprising or Poznań June , were the first of several massive protests of the Polish people against the communist government of the People's Republic of Poland...

, Hungary, and the Middle East

Middle East

The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...

|| November 1, 1956 || (English)
|-
|35. || Datis Nuperrime
Datis Nuperrime
Datis Nuperrime , is an Papal encyclical of Pope Pius XII concerning the Soviet invasion of Hungary to suppress the Hungarian revolution of 1956. This is a second encyclical protesting the bloody oppression of the Hungarian people...

|| || Lamenting the Sorrowful Events in Hungary, and Condemning the Ruthless Use of Force || November 5, 1956 || (English)
|-
|36. || Fidei Donum || "The gift of faith" || On the Present Condition of the Catholic Missions, especially in Africa || April 21, 1957 || (English)
|-
|37. || Invicti Athletae
Invicti Athletae
Invicti Athletae is an encyclical of Pope Pius XII to the Polish bishops and faithful on the 300th anniversary of the martyrdom of Saint Andrew Bobola.- Background :...

|| "Of the unconquered athlete" || On St. Andrew Bobola

Andrew Bobola

Andrew Bobola was a Polish missionary and martyr of the Society of Jesus, known as the apostle of Lithuania and the "hunter of souls".-Biography:...

|| May 16, 1957 || (English)
|-
|38. || Le Pelerinage de Lourdes
Le Pelerinage de Lourdes
Le Pelerinage de Lourdes is the only encyclical of Pope Pius XII issued in French. It includes warnings against materialism on the centenary of the apparitions at Lourdes. It was given at Rome, from St. Peter's Basilica, on the feast of the Visitation of the Most Holy Virgin, July 2, 1957, the...

|| "Of the pilgrimage to Lourdes

Lourdes

Lourdes is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in south-western France.Lourdes is a small market town lying in the foothills of the Pyrenees, famous for the Marian apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes occurred in 1858 to Bernadette Soubirous...

" || Warning Against Materialism

Materialism

In philosophy, the theory of materialism holds that the only thing that exists is matter; that all things are composed of material and all phenomena are the result of material interactions. In other words, matter is the only substance...

on the Centenary of the Apparitions at Lourdes

Our Lady of Lourdes

Our Lady of Lourdes is the name used to refer to the Marian apparition said to have appeared before various individuals on separate occasions around Lourdes, France...

|| July 2, 1957 || (English)
|-
|39. || Miranda Prorsus || || On the Communications Fields

Communication

Communication is the activity of conveying meaningful information. Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast...

: Motion Pictures

Film

A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...

, Radio

Radio

Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...

, Television

Television

Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...

|| September 8, 1957 || (English)
|-
|40. || Meminisse Juvat
Meminisse Juvat
Meminisse Iuvat is an encyclical of Pope Pius XII, asking for prayers of the persecuted Church in the East and criticizing harmful cultural developments in the West...

|| "It is helpful to recall" || On Prayers for the Persecuted Church || July 14, 1958|| (English)
|-
|41. || Ad Apostolorum Principis
Ad Apostolorum Principis
Ad Apostolorum Principis is an encyclical of Pope Pius XII on Communism and the Church in China It describes systematic persecutions of bishops, priests, religious and faithful and the attempts of the government to establish a patriotic Catholic Church, independent of Rome.-Background:The...

|| "At the Prince of the Apostles" || On Communism

Communism

Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...

and the Church in China || June 29, 1958 || (English)
|}

Background

An encyclical (from Latin

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...

encyclia, from the Greek

Greek language

Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...

"en kyklo, ", meaning "general" or "encircling") was a circular

Flyer (pamphlet)

__notoc__A flyer or flier, also called a circular, handbill or leaflet, is a form of paper advertisement intended for wide distribution and typically posted or distributed in public place....

letter sent to all the churches of a particular area in the ancient Christian church. For the modern Roman Catholic Church, a Papal Encyclical, in the strictest sense, is a letter sent by the Pope which is explicitly addressed to Roman Catholic bishop

Bishop

A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...

s of a particular area or to the world, usually treating some aspect of Catholic doctrine

Doctrine

Doctrine is a codification of beliefs or a body of teachings or instructions, taught principles or positions, as the body of teachings in a branch of knowledge or belief system...

. A Papal Encyclical is generally used for significant issues, and is second in importance only to the highest ranking document now issued by popes, an Apostolic Constitution

Apostolic constitution

An apostolic constitution 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...

.

The title of a Papal Encyclical is usually taken from its first few words

Incipit

Incipit is a Latin word meaning "it begins". The incipit of a text, such as a poem, song, or book, is the first few words of its opening line. In music, it can also refer to the opening notes of a composition. Before the development of titles, texts were often referred to by their incipits...

View of Pope Pius XII

Pope Pius XII

held that Papal Encyclicals, even when they are not ex cathedra

Papal infallibility

Papal infallibility is a dogma of the Catholic Church which states that, by action of the Holy Spirit, the Pope is preserved from even the possibility of error when in his official capacity he solemnly declares or promulgates to the universal Church a dogmatic teaching on faith or morals...

, can nonetheless be sufficiently authoritative to end theological debate on a particular question:

The use of encyclicals by Pius XII

Encyclical

s indicate high Papalpriority

Priority

Priority may refer to:* Priority date, a concept of establishing waiting times in the immigration process by United States Department of State* Priority level, the priority of emergency communications...

for a issue at a given time. Only pontiffs define when, and under which circumstances encyclicals should be issued. They may choose to issue an apostolic constitution

Apostolic constitution

, 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....

, encyclical, apostolic letter or give a papal speech

Speech

Speech is the human faculty of speaking.It may also refer to:* Public speaking, the process of speaking to a group of people* Manner of articulation, how the body parts involved in making speech are manipulated...

. Pontiffs differ on the use of encyclicals: On the issue of birth control

Birth control

Birth control is an umbrella term for several techniques and methods used to prevent fertilization or to interrupt pregnancy at various stages. Birth control techniques and methods include contraception , contragestion and abortion...

and contraception

Contraception

Contraception is the prevention of the fusion of gametes during or after sexual activity. The term contraception is a contraction of contra, which means against, and the word conception, meaning fertilization...

for example, Pope Pius XI

Pope Pius XI

Pope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...

issued the encyclical Casti Connubii

Casti Connubii

Castī Connūbiī was a papal encyclical promulgated by Pope Pius XI on December 31, 1930 in response to the Lambeth Conference of the Anglican church. It stressed the sanctity of marriage, prohibited Catholics from using any form of artificial birth control, and reaffirmed the prohibition on abortion...

, while Pope Pius XII

Pope Pius XII

spoke to midwives and the medical profession, when he clarified his position on the issue. Pope Paul VI

Pope Paul VI

Paul 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...

published an encyclical Humanae Vitae

Humanae Vitae

Humanae Vitae is an encyclical written by Pope Paul VI and issued on 25 July 1968. Subtitled On the Regulation of Birth, it re-affirms the traditional teaching of the Catholic Church regarding married love, responsible parenthood, and the continuing proscription of most forms of birth...

on the same topic. On matters of war

War

War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...

and peace

Peace

Peace is a state of harmony characterized by the lack of violent conflict. Commonly understood as the absence of hostility, peace also suggests the existence of healthy or newly healed interpersonal or international relationships, prosperity in matters of social or economic welfare, the...

, Pope Pius XII issued ten encyclicals, most of them after 1945, three of them Datis Nuperrime

Datis Nuperrime

Datis Nuperrime , is an Papal encyclical of Pope Pius XII concerning the Soviet invasion of Hungary to suppress the Hungarian revolution of 1956. This is a second encyclical protesting the bloody oppression of the Hungarian people...

, Sertum Laetitiae

Sertum Laetitiae

Sertum laetitiae was an encyclical from Pope Pius XII to the Catholic Church of the United States of America in memory of the 150th anniversary of the installation of the first American bishop....

, Luctuosissimi Eventus

Luctuosissimi Eventus

Luctuosissimi Eventus, issued October 28, 1956, is an encyclical of Pope Pius XII urging public prayers for peace and freedom for the people of Hungary....

protesting the Soviet invasion and crackdown of the Hungarian revolution in 1956. Pope Paul VI

Pope Paul VI

spoke about the war in Vietnam

Vietnam

Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...

and 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 ...

, issued his protest against the war in Iraq

Iraq

Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....

in speeches. On social issues, 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...

promulgated Rerum Novarum

Rerum Novarum

Rerum Novarum is an encyclical issued by Pope Leo XIII on May 15, 1891. It was an open letter, passed to all Catholic bishops, that addressed the condition of the working classes. The encyclical is entitled: “Rights and Duties of Capital and Labour”...

, followed by Quadragesimo Anno

Quadragesimo Anno

Quadragesimo Anno is an encyclical written by Pope Pius XI, issued 15 May 1931, 40 years after Leo XIII's Rerum Novarum. Unlike Leo XIII, who addressed the condition of workers, Pius XI discusses the ethical implications of the social and economic order...

of Pius XI, and Centesimus Annus

Centesimus Annus

Centesimus Annus was an encyclical written by Pope John Paul II in 1991, on the hundredth anniversary of Rerum Novarum...

by John Paul II. Pius XII spoke on the same topic to a consistory

Consistory

-Antiquity:Originally, the Latin word consistorium meant simply 'sitting together', just as the Greek synedrion ....

of cardinals

Cardinal (Catholicism)

A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...

in his Christmas messages and to numerous academic and professional associations. The magisterium

Magisterium

In the Catholic Church the Magisterium is the teaching authority of the Church. This authority is understood to be embodied in the episcopacy, which is the aggregation of the current bishops of the Church in union with the Pope, led by the Bishop of Rome , who has authority over the bishops,...

of Pius XII is therefore significantly larger than the below listed 41 encyclicals. Most of the detailed teachings are in his papal speeches on specific topics such as:

Conscience, guilt and fair punishment,
Ethics of psychological research,
Farmers, ,
Fashion Industry , 1011,
Formation of conscience, ,
Genetic research, ,
Human dignity, ,
Medical doctors and the use of weapons, ,
Military medical research ,

External links

Pope Pius XII Encyclicals (most in English, Italian, Portuguese with some in French, Italian, Spanish and one in German) - from the Papal Archive at the internet site of the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...

.
PapalEncyclicals.net - Pope Pius XII - online copies
PapalTheology.org - Pope Gregory XIV to Pope John Paul II - Papal Encyclicals contains the full text of the 280 encyclicals issued between 1740 and 1981.

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.