Encyclical

As encyclical (plural: Encyclicals ) didactic or hortatory circulars of the Holy Roman Emperor or the Pope are referred to their subjects and followers. Imperial coronation encyclicals were reports in the rule. Papal encyclicals are still an important form of statement of the Church's Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church. It is usually named after the first words of the Latin text.

Papal encyclicals

The term comes from the Greek ενκύκλιος encyclical " enkyklios ", which literally means as " within " or "running in circles " means. The papal encyclical is thus characterized as a circular letter to the bishops of the earth and turns to the whole Church. Some encyclicals, beginning with the peace encyclical Pope John XXIII. Pacem in Terris of 1963, not only to the faithful, but " to all people of good will " directed.

Commonly used are encyclicals in the Latin Church since Pope Benedict XIV, who has established the modern form of this letter genus as teaching writing in 1740 with the encyclical Ubi primum. It is also known his encyclical Vix pervenit ( 1745), in which he refers massively against interest and usury position. Pope Leo XII. convicted in 1824 in its primum also beginning with the encyclical Ubi religious indifferentism; Pius VIII struggled in his short pontificate with tradition humilitati nostrae against alleged secret societies, especially the Freemasons, which he saw as a threat to the Papal States. The intransigent towards sat Gregory XVI. continued, the indifferentism and rationalism condemned with the Mirari vos 1832 and 1834 liberalism rejected ( against Lamennais ). Although initially on the defensive, so begins under Gregory XVI. But the struggle of the Catholic Church at the appropriate distance from the state policy, initially formulated restorative as a defense against any political naturalism.

Since Gregory XVI. (1831-1846), the popes have regularly issued encyclicals. Them, still today sustained upturn took the papal teaching then with Pius IX. since the First Vatican Council of 1870. Pope Leo XIII. (1878-1903) wrote a total of 80, Pius XI. exactly 30, Pius XII. 41 encyclicals.

Since Paul VI. are papal encyclicals more frequently than previously drafted in less formal manner. The Exhortation apostolica about is no formal circulars but an open letter from the Pope to all or a particular group of believers. Such reminders can be written in the form of a Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, for example following a Synod of Bishops. The even shorter form of the papal letter, the Breve, however, is uncommon for doctrinal statements.

Encyclicals can be dedicated or take up special pastoral issues fundamental themes of evangelization. You typically play a disciplinary teaching authority without having to take the papal infallibility claim. It follows that they reflect doctrines of the popes, which are to be understood in the historical context of their respective religious and social situation.

Papal encyclicals are cited with the so-called incipit, the first two or three initial words of the first sentence ( rarely, only the first word, for example in the encyclical Libertas, Pope Leo XIII. 1888, or with more than three words such as Graves de communi re Leo XIII. 1901 ).

An example is their ( written in the original in German ) encyclical "With Burning Concern " (Latin: cura Ardenti ) called by Pope Pius XI. given the situation in the German Empire on March 14, 1937 issued and directed against the National Socialist ideology. In addition, an encyclical which condemned Communism ( Divini redemptoris ), and a little later ( Nos es muy conocida ) was published on March 19 of that year, an encyclical on the situation in Mexico. Three Encyclicals within two weeks remained ever in the entire history of the papacy.

They are published in Latin in the Official Journal of the Holy See. Often at the same time is added in another language and an official translation.

Special Encyclicals

Inaugural encyclical

With the first encyclical of Blessed Pius IX. ( Qui pluribus of 1846), which is similar to a speech from the throne or government statement contained programmatic statements about the goals and objectives of the beginning of the pontificate, a new type encyclical was founded. Since then, we call the first encyclical of Pope after his inauguration inaugural encyclical. Thus, Pope John Paul II at the beginning of his papal office 1979 encyclical Redemptor hominis ( " Redeemer of Man" ), in which he presented his theological program of return to Christ as the center of faith, and Pope Benedict XVI. overrode his published in January 2006 inaugural encyclical Deus Caritas Est ( "God is love ").

An unusual special case is the first encyclical of Pope Francis, under the title Lumen Fidei ( "Light of the Faith" ) was published on 29 June 2013. It was based on a design by his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI. Francis therefore they called the " Exhortation of the four hands "

Marian encyclical

As Marian encyclical encyclicals are called dedicated focus of Marian devotion. The renewal of Marian devotion was especially by Pope Pius IX. be created, leading to the Papal Bull Deus Ineffabilis proclaimed the dogma of the Immaculate Conception on December 8, 1854. At the climax of the Marian devotion came with the on November 1, 1950 by Pope Pius XII. proclaimed the dogma of the Assumption of Mary into heaven. Of the popes of the 20th century, which proved to be eager to Marian devotion comes a series of encyclicals on Marian themes, recent Redemptoris Mater (1987 ) by John Paul II

Mission encyclical

In ecclesiastical usage, the term mission includes not only the " world mission " within the meaning of proselytizing non-believer in distant countries ( evangelization ), but the evangelization ( preaching and spreading the Gospel ) as a whole, which also operated in the form of the People's Mission Annunciation and evangelization among baptized Christians includes ( evangelization ). Beginning with the first known encyclical Mission Sancta Civitas Dei (1880 ) by Pope Leo XIII. have published several encyclical on the subject of mission and evangelization in the last century the popes; they all deal with the mission of the Church and the Christian understanding of the missionary work. With the conciliar decree Ad Gentes (1965 ) also adopted the 2nd Vatican Council own regulation on the Missionary Activity of the Church. The Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii nuntiandi ( 1974) by Pope Paul VI. is regarded as the Magna Carta of the missionary activity of the Church and is therefore often expected by the term Missionsenzykliken.

Rosary encyclical

The practice of praying the rosary in the month of October, developed in the late 18th century. Known for his Marian devotion, Pope Leo XIII. promoted the worship of the Mother of God by inspired the faithful to constant use of the rosary alone seven encyclicals written about the Rosary, including Supremi Apostolatus officio (1883 ), Superiore anno (1884), Magnae Dei mater (1892 ), Laetitiae sanctae ( 1893) and Iucunda semper expectatione (1894 ). This of Leo XIII. and his successors published teaching writing, including in recent times Ingravescentibus mali (1937 ) by Pope Pius XI. , Marialis Rosarii ( 1961) by Pope John XXIII. and Christi Matri Rosarii (1966 ) by Pope Paul VI. , are often grouped under the term " rosary encyclicals ." Last appeared in 2002 Rosarium Virginis Mariae Apostolic Letter of Pope John Paul II

Social encyclical

The social upheavals of the second half of the 19th century (social issue ) were the reason for the Roman Catholic Church and its popes, to the pressing social problems and issues of their time to take a position, where it was particularly concerned them, the Christian view of man and to emphasize the social responsibility of the individual in the context of social changes caused by industrialization. The doctrinal writings of the Popes on these topics ( social encyclicals ) played an important role for the development of Catholic social teaching. These are, in particular the encyclical Rerum Novarum (1891 ) by Pope Leo XIII. and their issued to round anniversaries result encyclicals Quadragesimo anno (1931 ) by Pope Pius XI. , Mater et Magistra ( 1961) by Pope John XXIII. and Laborem exercens ( 1981) and Centesimus annus ( 1991) by Pope John Paul II In addition to the social encyclicals also Pacem in Terris (1963 ), which emphasizes the importance of human rights, as well as Populorum Progressio (1967 ), Sollicitudo Rei Socialis ( 1987) and counted Caritas in Veritate ( 2009).

Not all of these encyclicals had a pronounced social character, which is why a classification into "large" and "small" has established social encyclicals. In addition, there are also important apostolic letter, the content and the effective historically a social encyclicals similar meanings (about Octogesima Adveniens (1971 ) by Pope Paul VI. ) And which are therefore generally expected under this term.