Encyclical

An encyclical was originally a circular letter sent to all

the churches of a particular area in the ancient Roman
Church. At that time, the word could be used for a letter sent out by any bishop. The word comes from Latin
encyclicus (from the Greek en kykloi) meaning
general or encircling, which is also the origin of the
word "encyclopedia".

cal Casti connubii, while Pope Pius XII gave a speech to

midwives and the medical profession, clarifying the position of the Church on the issue.[1] Pope Paul VI published an encyclical Humanae vitae on the same topic.
On matters of war and peace, Pope Pius XII issued ten
encyclicals, mostly after 1945, three of them protesting
the Soviet invasion of Hungary in order to crack down
on the Hungarian Revolution in 1956: Datis nuperrime,
Sertum laetitiae and Luctuosissimi eventus. Pope Paul VI
spoke about the war in Vietnam and Pope John Paul II,
issued a protest against the war in Iraq using the medium
of speeches. On social issues, Pope Leo XIII promulgated Rerum novarum (1891), which was followed by
Quadragesimo anno (1931) of Pius XI and Centesimus
annus (1991) of John Paul II. Pius XII spoke on the
same topic to a consistory of cardinals, in his Christmas
messages and to numerous academic and professional
associations.[2]

The term has been used by Catholics, Anglicans and the

Eastern Orthodox.

Catholic usage

For the modern Catholic Church a Papal encyclical, in

the strictest sense, is a letter, usually treating some aspect
of Catholic doctrine, sent by the Pope and addressed either to the Catholic bishops of a particular area or, more
normally, to the bishops of the world; however, the form
of the address can vary widely, and often designates a
wider audience. Papal encyclicals usually take the form 1.2 Important papal encyclicals
of a Papal brief due to their more personal nature as op Pope Benedict XIV (17401758)
posed to the formal Papal bull. Papal encyclicals are so
famous that the term encyclical is used almost exclusively
Demandatam 1743
for those sent out by the Pope. The title of the encyclical
Vix pervenit 1745
is usually taken from its rst few words (its incipit).
A quo primum 1751
Within Catholicism in recent times, an encyclical is gen Ex quo 1756

erally used for signicant issues, and is second in importance only to the highest ranking document now issued
by popes, an Apostolic Constitution. However, the designation 'encyclical' does not always denote such a degree
of signicance. The archives at the Vatican website currently classify certain encyclicals as Apostolic Exhortations. This informal term generally indicates documents
with a broader audience than the bishops alone.

Pope Pius VI (17751799) (see List of encyclicals

of Pope Pius VI)
Pope Leo XII (18231829) (see List of encyclicals
of Pope Leo XII
Pope Gregory XVI (18311846) (see List of encyclicals of Pope Gregory XVI)

Pope Pius XII held that Papal Encyclicals, even when they
are not of 'ordinary magisterium', can nonetheless be sufciently authoritative to end theological debate on a particular question:

Pope Blessed Pius IX (18461878) (see List of encyclicals of Pope Pius IX)
Quanta cura 1864

1.1

Pope Leo XIII (18781903) (see List of encyclicals

of Pope Leo XIII)

Papal use of encyclicals

Encyclicals indicate high Papal priority for an issue at

a given time. Pontis dene when, and under which
circumstances, encyclicals should be issued. They may
choose to issue an apostolic constitution, bull, encyclical,
apostolic letter or give a papal speech. Popes have differed on the use of encyclicals: on the issue of birth control and contraception, Pope Pius XI issued the encycli-

Quod apostolici muneris 1878

Aeterni Patris 1879
Humanum genus 1884
Rerum novarum 1891
Providentissimus Deus 1893
1

1 CATHOLIC USAGE
Annum sacrum 1899
Pope Saint Pius X (19031914) (see List of encyclicals of Pope Pius X)
Vehementer Nos 1905
Pascendi dominici gregis 1910
Pope Benedict XV (19141922) (see List of encyclicals of Pope Benedict XV)
Humani generis redemptionem 1917
Pacem, Dei munus pulcherrimum 1920
Pope Pius XI (19221938) (see List of encyclicals
of Pope Pius XI)
Quas primas 1925
Iniquis aictisque 1926
Miserentissimus Redemptor 1928
Casti connubii 1930
Quadragesimo anno 1931
Non abbiamo bisogno 1931
Acerba animi 1932
Dilectissima Nobis 1933
Divini Redemptoris 1937
Mit brennender Sorge 1937
Pope Pius XII (19391958) (see List of encyclicals
of Pope Pius XII)
Summi Ponticatus 1939
Sertum laetitiae 1939
Mystici corporis Christi 1943
Divino aante Spiritu 1943
Orientales omnes Ecclesias 1945
Deiparae Virginis Mariae 1946
Mediator Dei 1947
Provida Mater Ecclesia 1947
Auspicia quaedam 1948
In multiplicibus curis 1948
Redemptoris nostri cruciatus 1949
Humani generis 1950
Anni sacri 1950
Fulgens corona 1950
Sempiternus Rex 1951
Evangelii praecones 1951
Orientales Ecclesias 1952
Ad Caeli Reginam 1954
Ad Sinarum gentem 1954
Sacra virginitas 1954

Haurietis aquas 1956

Miranda prorsus 1957
Invicti athletae 1957
Ad Apostolorum principis 1958

Pope Saint John XXIII (19581963) (see List of

encyclicals of Pope John XXIII)

Ad Petri cathedram 1959

Sacerdotii nostri primordia 1959
Grata recordatio 1959
Princeps pastorum 1959
Mater et magistra 1961
Aeterna Dei sapientia 1961
Paenitentiam agere 1962
Pacem in terris 1963

Pope Paul VI (19631978) (see List of encyclicals

of Pope Paul VI)

Ecclesiam suam 1964

Mense maio 1965
Mysterium dei 1965
Christi Matri 1966
Populorum progressio 1967
Sacerdotalis caelibatus 1967
Humanae vitae 1968

Pope Saint John Paul II (19782005) (see List of

Encyclicals of Pope John Paul II)

Redemptor hominis 1979

Dives in misericordia 1980
Laborem exercens 1981
Slavorum Apostoli 1985
Dominum et vivicantem 1986
Redemptoris Mater 1987
Sollicitudo rei socialis 1987
Redemptoris missio 1990
Centesimus annus 1991
Veritatis splendor 1993
Evangelium vitae 1995
Ut Unum Sint 1995
Fides et ratio 1998
Ecclesia de Eucharistia 2003

Pope Benedict XVI (2005-2013) (see List of encyclicals of Pope Benedict XVI)
Deus caritas est 2005
Spe Salvi 2007
Caritas in veritate 2009
Pope Francis (2013 to present)
Lumen dei 2013[3]

Anglican usage

Amongst Anglicans the term encyclical was revived in the

late 19th century. It is applied to circular letters issued by
the English primates.

2.1

Important Anglican encyclicals

Saepius ocio (1897) in response to the Papal bull

Apostolicae curae denying validity of Anglican orders

Important Eastern Orthodox encyclicals

Encyclical of the Eastern Patriarchs (1848)
Patriarchal encyclical of 1895
Patriarchal encyclical of 1920
Patriarchal encyclical of 2012

External links
List of papal documents at the Theology Library
Leo XIII Encyclicals from Vatican
St.Pius X Encyclicals from Vatican
Benedict XV Encyclicals from Vatican
Pius XI Encyclicals from Vatican
Pius XII Encyclicals from Vatican
John XXIII Encyclicals from Vatican
Paul VI Encyclicals from Vatican
John Paul II Encyclicals from Vatican
Benedict XVI Encyclicals from Vatican
Papal Encyclicals at GCatholic
www.papalencyclicals.net, a source for etexts of
most of the encyclicals from recent centuries

Source
Acta Apostolicae Sedis, (AAS), Roma Vaticano,
19202007
The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (3rd.
ed.), p. 545.

6 Quotes
[1] Acta Apostolicae Sedis, (AAS) 1951, 835, AAS 1958, 90,
AAS 1941, 40, AAS 1952, 258
[2] Allocution to the Cardinals AAS 1946, 141, and, AAS
1952, 5, AAS 1955, 15; and, for example in his Christmas Message 1954, AAS, medical doctors on the use of
modern weapons, AAS 1954, 587, farmers, AAS 1950,
251, fashion AAS 1957, 1011, human dignity, AAS 1951,
215, AAS 1957, 830
[3] http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/francesco/
encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20130629_
enciclica-lumen-fidei_en.html

7 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

7.1

Text

Encyclical Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encyclical?oldid=648349860 Contributors: William Avery, Michael Hardy, Jtdirl, Dominus, Jimfbleak, Ping, Kaihsu, John K, JASpencer, Tb, Wik, Morwen, Itai, Sabbut, Biggins, Rursus, GreatWhiteNortherner, Gugganij, D3,
BozMo, Avihu, Pmadrid, Jim Henry, KptBlaha, Ivan Bajlo, SocratesJedi, Hlecuanda, Aranel, Causa sui, Hurricane111, Robotje, LovingIt!, Citruswinter, ADM, M7, SidP, Preost, Ekem, TheoClarke, Graham87, Revas, BD2412, Coemgenus, Afterwriting, KagakuyaSan,
FlaBot, Moriane, Gwernol, YurikBot, RobotE, Brandmeister (old), Koeyahoo, Briaboru, JelloSheriBob, Doubleg, Tbook, Lockesdonkey, Mangoe, Chlewbot, Savidan, StephenMacmanus, Andrew c, Kendrick7, Daggerstab, Geremia, Tamarkot, Vaquero100, Cydebot,
Mamalujo, Thijs!bot, Sanctvs, JAnDbot, Fetchcomms, DukeStudent, .anacondabot, Cat Whisperer, Baccyak4H, Lilac Soul, Adavidb, Skier
Dude, DorganBot, TXiKiBoT, Sleckronmich, Broadbot, VanishedUserABC, Tomaxer, Truthanado, Albanman, Ptolemy Caesarion, Lightmouse, Vanished user ewsn2348tui2f8n2o2utjfeoi210r39jf, Kanonkas, Martarius, ClueBot, Estirabot, A ntv, Ambrosius007, Addbot,
Taxfree4, Benn, Rojypala, 9258fahskh917fas, Glenfarclas, Bob Burkhardt, Xqbot, TheAMmollusc, Jewang, Omnipaedista, Surfeit of
palfreys, TobeBot, Esoglou, John of Reading, CanonLawJunkie, OnePt618, Erianna, Saebvn, GenSviper, ClueBot NG, Classical Reader,
Mannanan51, Nescio vos, Davidiad, BattyBot, Mdann52, Sonanto, Divechamm and Anonymous: 70

7.2

Images

File:Crystal_Clear_app_kedit.svg Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/Crystal_Clear_app_kedit.svg License:

LGPL Contributors: Sabine MINICONI Original artist: Sabine MINICONI
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Contributors:
Created from scratch in Adobe Illustrator. Based on Image:Question book.png created by User:Equazcion Original artist:
Tkgd2007
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7.3

Content license

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