Marian papal encyclicals and Apostolic

Letters
Since Pope Leo XIII, Popes promulgated Mariology also
with encyclicals, apostolic letters and with two dogmas
(Immaculate Conception and Assumption).
This article reviews the major ocial teachings by
the popes. In terms of formality, papal bulls and
Apostolic Constitutions are above encyclicals, followed
by Apostolic Letters.

1
1.1

Papal Bulls
Dominici gregis

This papal bull was issued by Pope Clement VIII on

February 3, 1603. It considered Marian piety the basis
for Church and condemned a number of issues as errors,
including the denial of the virginity of Mary.[2]

1.2

Ineabilis Deus

In this key papal bull (the title of which means ineffable God in Latin) Pope Pius IX dened ex cathedra
the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed
Virgin Mary. The decree was promulgated on December
8, 1854, the date of the annual Feast of the Immaculate
Conception.
The decree surveys the history of the belief in Christian
tradition , citing its roots in the long-standing feast of the
Conception of Mary as a date of signicance in the Eastern and Western churches. It also cites the approval of
Marian papal encyclicals and Apostolic Letters have Catholic bishops worldwide who were asked in 1849 to
been a major force that has shaped Roman Catholic Mar- oer their opinion on the matter.
iology over the centuries. Mariology is developed by theologians on the basis not only of Scripture and Tradition
but also of the sensus dei of the faithful as a whole, from 1.3 Bis Saeculari
the bishops to the last of the faithful,[1] and papal documents have recorded those developments, dening Mar- This Apostolic Constitution Sodality of Our Lady was
ian dogmas, spreading doctrines and encouraging devo- promulgated by Pope Pius XII on September 27, 1948,
tions within the Catholic Church.
the two hundredth anniversary of the Papal bull Gloriosae
Popes have been highly important for the development Dominae of Pope Benedict XIV in 1748. It is imporof doctrine and the veneration of the Blessed Virgin tant for the fact that Apostolic constitutions are the highMary. They made decisions not only in the area of est form of Papal teaching, above encyclicals, and below
Marian beliefs but also Marian practices and devotions. dogmatization ex cathedra.
Madonna and Child, Master of Badia a Isola, c.1300

Before the twentieth century, Popes promulgated Mar- The Sodality of Our Lady dates to 1584. It consists of
ian veneration and beliefs by authorizing new Marian associations of persons, sodalists, dedicated to a Chrisfeast days, prayers, initiatives, and special privileges. tian life, following the model of the Virgin Mary. In Bis
1

Saeculari, Pope Pius XII pointed to the importance of the

Sodality of Our Lady within the Church which after four
hundred years exist in all countries. They have produced
virtuous lives among the faithful priests and saints. They
still prepare men to be active in modern society.[3]

1.4

Municentissimus Deus

This Apostolic constitution (the title of which means

most bountiful God in Latin) was issued by Pope Pius
XII on November 1, 1950.
It denes ex cathedra the dogma of the Assumption of
the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is the second ex-cathedra
infallible statement ever made by a Pope, the rst since
the ocial ruling on Papal Infallibility was made at the
First Vatican Council (1869-1870).

2
2.1

Papal encyclicals
Ad diem illum

2.2

This encyclical by Pope Pius X on the Immaculate Conception, was given on February 2, 1904, in the rst year
of his Ponticate. It was issued in commemoration of the
ftieth anniversary of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception. It is an important document because it explains
the Mariology of Pope Pius X.

Deiparae Virginis Mariae

This encyclical by Pope Pius XII issued on May 1, 1946

and was directed to all Catholic bishops on the possibility
of dening the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
as a dogma of faith.
The encyclical states, that for a long time past, numerous
petitions have been received from cardinals, patriarchs,
archbishops, bishops, priests, religious of both sexes, associations, universities and innumerable private persons,
all begging that the bodily Assumption into heaven of
the Blessed Virgin should be dened and proclaimed as a
dogma of faith. This was also fervently requested by almost two hundred fathers in the Vatican Council (18691870).

2.3

Ingruentium malorum

This encyclical of Pope Pius XII focused on the rosary.

It was given on the 15 September, the Feast of the Seven
Sorrows of the Virgin Mary, in 1951.
The encyclical states that from the beginning of his ponticate, Pope Pius XII entrusted to the Mother of God the
destiny of the human family. The Pope argued that the repeating of identical formulas has a great impact on those
who pray, giving them condence in Mary. He strongly
supports the idea, that Catholic families should pray the
rosary together. He stated that while reciting the Rosary,
Catholics should not forget those who languish in prison
camps, jails, and concentration camps.

2.4

Coat of arms of Pius X

PAPAL ENCYCLICALS

Fulgens corona

Pius XII's signature

This encyclical by Pope Pius XII was issued on 8 September 1953 on the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The encyclical proclaimed a Marian year for
1954, to commemorate the centenary of the denition
of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. Fulgens corona is signicant as it contained the
One of the reasons the pope gave for writing the encycli- Mariological methodology of Pope Pius XII and his views
cal was his desire for the restoration of all things in Christ on limits and challenges of Roman Catholic Mariology.
which he had dened as his motto Instaurare omnia in One hundred years before, Pius IX, surrounded by a vast
Christo: to restore everything in Christ, to whom there is retinue of Cardinals and Bishops, with infallible apostolic
no safer or more direct road than Mary. To Pope Pius X, authority dened, pronounced and solemnly sanctioned in
Mary unites all humankind in Christ.
the dogmatic bull Ineabilis Deus.

2.5

Ad Caeli Reginam

Papal Apostolic Letters

This encyclical was issued by Pope Pius XII, on the feast 3.1 Gloriosae Dominae
of the Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 11 October 1954. The encyclical is an important element of This Apostolic Letter by Pope Benedict XIV was issued
the Mariology of Pope Pius XIIand established the feast on September 27, 1748.
Queenship of Mary.
In this Apostolic Letter Pope Benedict XIV called the
It states that assumed into heaven, Mary is with Jesus Blessed Virgin Mary Queen of heaven and earth, stated
Christ, her divine son. With the encyclical, Pope Pius XII that the sovereign King has in some way communicated
institutes the feast Queenship of Mary. Mary should be to her his ruling power.
called Queen, not only because of her Divine Motherhood
of Jesus Christ, her only son, but also because God has
willed her to have an exceptional role in the work of our 3.2 Marialis cultus
eternal salvation.
Pope Paul VI issued this Mariological Apostolic Letter on
February 2, 1974. The letter is subtitled, For the Right
Ordering and Development of Devotion to the Blessed
Virgin Mary. The document does not focus on specic
2.6 Redemptoris Mater
themes in Mariology, but claries the way the Roman
Catholic Church celebrates liturgies that commemorate
Mary and about Marian devotion. The preparation of the
document reportedly took 4 years.[4]

3.3

Rosarium Virginis Mariae

This Apostolic Letter by Pope John Paul II was issued

on October 16, 2002. It deals with the Holy Rosary and
views it as compendium of the Gospel message:
The Rosary, though clearly Marian in character, is at heart a Christocentric prayer. In the
sobriety of its elements, it has all the depth of
the Gospel message in its entirety, of which it
can be said to be a compendium.
The letter rearms the Roman Catholic beliefs on the
power of the rosary and states: Through the Rosary the
faithful receive abundant grace, as though from the very
hands of the Mother of the Redeemer.
The letter also emphasizes total devotion to the Virgin
Mary, as promoted by Saint Louis de Montfort.
John Paul II Coat of arms with the Marian Cross

4 References
Pope John Paul II delivered this encyclical on March 25,
1987. It is subtitled On the Blessed Virgin Mary in the life
of the Pilgrim Church.
The encyclical discusses the special place of the Blessed
Virgin Mary in the plan of salvation and continues to focus on Marys role in the Mystery of Christ. In this encyclical Pope John Paul II conrmed the title, Mother of
the Church, proclaimed by Pope Paul VI at the Second
Vatican Council on November 21, 1964.
The encyclical also refers to Maternal Mediation and the
role of the Virgin Mary as a Mediatrix.

Pope Paul VI's Apostolic Letter Marialis Cultus

Pope Pius IX, Apostolic Constitution
Apostolic Constitution Ineabilis Deus
Pope Pius XII, encyclicals and bulls
Encyclical Fulgens corona on the Vatican
website
Encyclical Ad Caeli Reginam on the Vatican
website

6
Encyclical Deiparae Virginis Mariae on the
Vatican Website
Encyclical Ingruentium malorum on the Vatican website
Encyclical Le plerinage de Lourdes on the
Vatican website
Encyclical Mystici Corporis Christi on the
Vatican website
Apostolic Constitution Municentissimus
Deus on the Vatican Website
Pope John Paul II, encyclical, apostolic letters and
addresses
Encyclical Redemptoris Mater on the Vatican
website
Apostolic Letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae
on the Vatican Website
Pope John Paul II, Address to the Mariology
Forum

Notes

[1] Catechism of the Catholic Church, 92

[2] The mystery of Mary by Paul Haner 2004 ISBN
0852446500 page 120
[3] Bis Saeculari 13
[4] History of Marialis Cultus http://campus.udayton.edu/
mary/resources/documents/MC.html

External links
List of papal documents at the Theology Library

EXTERNAL LINKS

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

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