QUOD
ANNIVERSARIUS
ENCYCLICAL OF POPE LEO XIII ON
HIS SACERDOTAL JUBILEE
To
Our Venerable Brethren the Patriarchs, Primates,
Archbishops, and Bishops of the Whole World in Favour and
Communion with the Apostolic See.
Venerable
Brethren, Health and Apostolic Benediction.
We return
thanks as is meet, to the sovereign goodness of God, Whose will and providential
wish governs the whole of men's lives, that the fiftieth anniversary of
Our priesthood has shown upon the Church. Moreover, the wonderful unanimity
of hearts displayed in the tokens of respect, the liberal gifts, the public
manifestations of readiness, is such as He alone could have inspired,
on Whom entirely depends the spirits, the wills, and the hearts of men,
and who rules and directs events for the glory of the Christian religion.
2. It
is indeed a wonderful and memorable event, whereby the enemies of the
Church, in spite of themselves, whether they desire it or not, see with
their own eyes that the Church maintains her divine life, and the virtue
with which she is endowed from heaven; this indeed makes them feel that
the impious strive in vain when they rage and plan foolish attacks against
the Lord and against His Christ.
3. In
order that the memory of this heavenly benefit may be continued, and that
its utility may be spread as far and wide as possible, We have laid open
the treasures of heavenly graces to all the flock committed to Our care.
We have not been wanting in imploring the succours of divine mercy in
favour of those who are outside the ark of salvation whereby We hope to
obtain that all nations and all peoples, united in the faith by the bond
of charity may soon form one flock under one shepherd. This is what We
have asked of Our Lord Jesus Christ in Our supplications on the occasion
of the late solemn canonisations.
4. For
lifting up Our eyes towards the Church triumphant We have solemnly decreed
and accorded on the one hand the supreme honour of the Saints; on the
other the title of Blessed, to those Christian heroes, the examination
of whose sublime virtues and miracles have been happily concluded according
to due rights of law, so that the heavenly Jerusalem may be joined in
a communion of the same joy with those who still pursue on earth the pilgrimage
which is to lead them to God.
5. But
by the help of God, in order that We may crown this joy, We desire to
fulfil, as far as lays in Our power, Our apostolic duty of charity by
extending the plenitude of Our infinite spiritual
treasures to those beloved children of the Church who, having died the
death of the just, have quitted this world of strife with the sign of
faith, and are branches of the mystical vine, though they cannot enter
into everlasting rest until they have paid the uttermost farthing which
they owe to the avenging justice of God.
6.
We are moved to this both by the pious desires of Catholics to whom We
know that Our resolution will be especially grateful, and by the fearful
tortures which the souls of the departed suffer, but We are also animated
by the custom of the Church, which, amidst the most joyous solemnities
of the year, fails not to make a holy and salutary commemoration of the
dead that they may be delivered from their sins.
7. Therefore,
since it is certain by the doctrine of the Catholic Church, that the souls
detained in purgatory are benefited by the prayers of the faithful, and
especially by the august Sacrifice of the Altar, We think we can give
them no more useful and desirable pledge of Our love than by everywhere
increasing the offering of the pure oblation of the Most Holy Sacrifice
of Our Divine Mediator, for the extinction of their pain. We therefore
decree, with all the necessary dispensations and indulgences, the last
Sunday of next September as a day of ample expiation on which will be
celebrated by Ourselves, and equally by each of Our brethren the Patriarchs,
Archbishops, and Bishops, and also by other prelates exercising jurisdiction
in a diocese, each in his own church, whether patriarchal, metropolitan,
or cathedral, a special Mass for the Dead with the greatest solemnity
possible, and according to the rite ordered in the Missal for the Commemoration
of all Souls.
8.
We desire also that this should take place
in the same manner in all parish and collegiate churches, both of the
secular and regular clergy, and by all priests generally, provided that
they do not omit the proper office of the Mass for the day where it is
obligatory.
9.
As to the faithful, We strenuously exhort them after Sacramental confession
devoutly to partake of the Bread of Angels for the benefit of the souls
in purgatory. We grant by Our Apostolic authority a plenary indulgence
to be gained by such of the faithful, applicable to the dead, and the
favour of a privileged altar to all those who, as has been said before,
say Mass.
10. Thus
those pious souls who expiate the remainder of their sins amidst such
tortures will receive a special and opportune consolation, thanks to the
life giving Victim which the Universal Church united to her visible head,
and animated with a like spirit of charity, will offer to God that He
may admit them to the dwelling of His consolation, to light and eternal
peace.
11.
In the meanwhile, Venerable Brethren, We affectionately grant you in the
Lord as a pledge of celestial gifts, the Apostolic Benediction, to you
and to all the clergy and people committed to your charge.
Given
at St. Peter's, at Rome, at the solemnity of Easter, in the year 1888,
the eleventh of our Pontificate.
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