Ad Petri Cathedram

On June 29, 1959 issued by Pope John XXIII. the encyclical Ad Petri Cathedram, the official invitation to the Second Vatican Council and the First Council programs.

Announcement of a council

In accordance with the desired of him opening the Catholic Church prior to the announced on January 25, 1959 Council he said in the encyclical of the human desire to reach unity.

A triple unit stood before his eyes, namely, in teaching, in the organization and in the common worship of God. Topics. Many speeches to the council and in the social teaching of John XXIII should play a role, have already been touched upon in this first letter. It was recognized that he had expressed the commitment of the whole Church for the production of the unity of the faith.

The Pope announced this encyclical to a new perspective on ecumenism. But he also makes clear that there should only be one within the Church Council at first. With this first encyclical he intensified the form that made programmatic statements on the presentation of the leadership of the papacy, subsequently they went as inaugural encyclical in the number of total encyclicals one.

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