An encyclical was a circular letter sent to all the churches of a particular area in the ancient Christian church. At that time, the word could be used of a letter sent out by any bishop. The word comes from Latin encyclia (from the Greek "en kyklo, ἐν κύκλῳ") meaning "general" or "encircling", which is also the origin of the word "encyclopedia". A 1990 hand-drawn flyer advertising a Goa trance party from Israel. ... Two bishops assist at the Exhumation of Saint Hubert, who was a bishop too, at the église Saint-Pierre in Liège. ... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

The Roman Catholic Church generally only uses this term for papal encyclicals, but the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Anglican Communion retain the older usage. The Roman Catholic Church or Catholic Church (see terminology below) is the Christian Church in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, currently Pope Benedict XVI. It traces its origins to the original Christian community founded by Jesus Christ and led by the Twelve Apostles, in particular Saint Peter. ... The current Pope is Benedict XVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger), who was elected at the age of 78 on 19 April 2005. ... The Eastern Orthodox Church is a Christian body that views itself as the historical continuation of the original Christian community established by Jesus and the Twelve Apostles, preserving the traditions of the early church unchanged, accepting the canonicity of the first seven ecumenical councils held between the 4th and the... The Anglican Communion uses the compass rose as its symbol, signifying its worldwide reach and decentralized nature. ...

Roman Catholic usage

For the modern Roman Catholic Church a Papal encyclical, in the strictest sense, is a letter sent by the Pope which is explicitly addressed to Roman Catholic bishops of a particular area or to the world, usually treating some aspect of Catholic doctrine. However, the form of the address can vary widely, and often designates a wider audience. Papal encyclicals usually take the form of a Papal brief due to their more personal nature as opposed to the formal Papal bull. Papal encyclicals are so famous that the term encyclical for Roman Catholics is used almost exclusively for those sent out by the Pope. The title of the encyclical is usually taken from its first few words. The current Pope is Benedict XVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger), who was elected at the age of 78 on 19 April 2005. ... The Papal Brief is a formal document emanating from the Roman Catholic Pope, in a somewhat simpler and more modern form than a Papal Bull. ... Papal bull of Pope Urban VIII, 1637, sealed with a leaden bulla. ...

Within Catholicism in recent times, an encyclical is generally used for significant 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 significance. The archives at the Vatican website currently classify some encyclicals as "Apostolic Exhortations". This informal term generally indicates documents with a broader audience than the bishops alone. As a Christian ecclesiastical term, Catholic - from the Greek adjective , meaning general or universal[1] - is described in the Oxford English Dictionary as follows: ~Church, (originally) whole body of Christians; ~, belonging to or in accord with (a) this, (b) the church before separation into Greek or Eastern and Latin or... An Apostolic constitution (Latin constitutio apostolica) is a very solemn decree issued by the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. ...

Pope Pius XII held that Papal Encyclicals, even when they are not ex cathedra, can nonetheless be sufficiently authoritative to end theological debate on a particular question: Pope Pius XII (Latin: ), born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli (March 2, 1876 – October 9, 1958), reigned as the 260th pope, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, and sovereign of Vatican City State from March 2, 1939 until his death. ... It has been suggested that Ex cathedra be merged into this article or section. ...

Important papal encyclicals

• Pope Eugene IV
  • Sicut Dudum (1435)
• Pope Benedict XIV
  • Vix Pervenit (1745)
  • Ex Quo (1756)
• Pope Pius IX
  • Quanta Cura (1864)
• Pope Leo XIII
  • Humanum Genus (1884)
  • Rerum Novarum (1891)
  • Providentissimus Deus (1893)
• Pope Pius X
  • Vehementer Nos (1905)
  • Pascendi Dominici Gregis (1910)
• Pope Benedict XV
  • Humani Generis Redemptionem (1917)
  • Pacem, Dei Munus Pulcherrimum (1920)
• Pope Pius XI
  • Casti Connubii (1930)
  • Quadragesimo Anno (1931)
  • Divini Redemptoris
  • Mit Brennender Sorge (1937)
• Pope Pius XII
  • Mystici Corporis Christi (1943)
  • Humani Generis (1950)
• 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)
  • Poenitentiam Agere (1962)
  • Pacem in Terris ( 1963)
• Pope Paul VI
  • Ecclesiam Suam ( 1964)
  • Mense Maio ( 1965)
  • Mysterium Fidei (1965)
  • Christi Matri (1966)
  • Populorum Progressio (1967)
  • Sacerdotalis Caelibatus (1967)
  • Humanae Vitae 1968
• Pope John Paul II
  • Redemptor Hominis (1979)
  • Dives in Misericordia (1980)
  • Laborem Exercens (1981)
  • Slavorum Apostoli (1985)
  • Dominum et Vivificantem (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
  • Deus Caritas Est (2005)

Eugenius IV, né Gabriel Condulmer (1383 - February 23, 1447) was pope from March 3, 1431 to his death. ... For other uses, see number 1435. ... Benedict XIV, born Prospero Lorenzo Lambertini (Bologna, March 31, 1675 – May 3, 1758 in Rome), was Pope from 17 August 1740 to 3 May 1758. ... Pope Benedict XIV promulgated Vix Pervenit in 1745. ... // Events May 11 - War of Austrian Succession: Battle of Fontenoy - At Fontenoy, French forces defeat an Anglo-Dutch-Hanoverian army including the Black Watch June 4 – Frederick the Great destroys Austrian army at Hohenfriedberg August 19 - Beginning of the 45 Jacobite Rising at Glenfinnan September 12 - Francis I is elected... 1756 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Blessed Pope Pius IX (May 13, 1792 – February 7, 1878), born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, reigned as Pope of the Roman Catholic Church from his election in June 16, 1846, until his death more than 31 years later in 1878, making him the longest-reigning Pope since the Apostle St. ... Quanta Cura was a Papal encyclical issued by Pope Pius IX on December 8, 1864, which condemned religious freedom and freedom of speech. ... 1864 (MDCCCLXIV) was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... Pope Leo XIII (March 2, 1810 – July 20, 1903), born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci, was Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, having succeeded Pope Pius IX (1846–78) on February 20, 1878 and reigning until his death in 1903. ... Humanum Genus (on Freemasonry) was a papal encyclical promulgated on April 20, 1884, by Pope Leo XIII. It starts by using the Augustinian concept of the two cities, the City of Man and the City of God. ... 1884 (MDCCCLXXXIV) is a leap year starting on Tuesday (click on link to calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Thursday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Rerum Novarum (Translation: Of New Things) is an encyclical issued by Pope Leo XIII on May 15, 1891. ... Year 1891 (MDCCCXCI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar). ... Providentissimus Deus, On the Study of Holy Scripture, was an encyclical issued by Pope Leo XIII on 18 November 1893. ... 1893 (MDCCCXCIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Pope Saint Pius X ( Latin: ) (June 2, 1835 — August 20, 1914), born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto, was Pope from 1903 to 1914, succeeding Pope Leo XIII (1878–1903). ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: Vehementer Nos Vehementer Nos was a papal encyclical promulgated by Pope Pius X in 1905. ... 1905 (MCMV) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Pascendi Dominici Gregis was a Papal encyclical promulgated by Pope Pius X in 1910. ... 1910 (MCMX) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Sunday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ... Pope Benedict XV (Latin: ), (Italian: Benedetto XV), (November 21, 1854 – January 22, 1922), born Giacomo della Chiesa, reigned as Pope of the Roman Catholic Church from September 3, 1914 to January 22, 1922; he succeeded Pope Pius X (1903–14). ... Humani Generis Redemptionem is a papal encyclical written by Pope Benedict XV and published on June 19, 1917. ... Year 1917 (MCMXVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar (see: 1917 Julian calendar). ... Year 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... Pope Pius XI (Latin: ) (May 31, 1857 – February 10, 1939), born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, reigned as Pope from February 6, 1922 and sovereign of Vatican City from 1929 until his death on February 10, 1939. ... Casti Connubii was a papal encyclical promulgated by Pope Pius XI in 1930. ... Year 1930 (MCMXXX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link is to a full 1930 calendar). ... Quadragesimo Anno is an encyclical by Pope Pius XI, issued 15 May 1931, 40 years after Rerum Novarum (thus the name, Latin for the fortieth year). Written as a response to the Great Depression, it calls for the establishment of a social order based on the principle of subsidiarity. ... Year 1931 (MCMXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link is to a full 1931 calendar). ... Divini Redemptoris was an anti-communist encyclical issued by Pope Pius XI. This article is a stub. ... Mit brennender Sorge (German for With deep anxiety, word by word: With burning worry) is an encyclical of Pope Pius XI, published on March 10, 1937 (but bearing a date of Passion Sunday, March 14). ... Year 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Pope Pius XII (Latin: ), born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli (March 2, 1876 – October 9, 1958), reigned as the 260th pope, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, and sovereign of Vatican City State from March 2, 1939 until his death. ... Mystici Corporis Christi was a papal encyclical promulgated by Pope Pius XII on 29 June 1943. ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ... This page is a candidate to be moved to Wikisource. ... 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Blessed Pope John XXIII (Latin: ), (Italian: Giovanni XXIII), born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli (November 25, 1881 – June 3, 1963), was elected as the 261st Pope of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City on October 28, 1958. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Princeps Pastorum (Latin for Prince of the shepherds) is an honorific title accorded to popes and the title of an encyclical letter promulgated by Pope John XXIII on November 28, 1959. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Mater et Magistra is the encyclical written by Pope John XXIII on the topic of Christianity and Social Progress. It was released on May 15, 1961. ... 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1961 calendar). ... 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1961 calendar). ... 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar). ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: Pacem in Terris ... 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1963 calendar). ... Pope Paul VI (Latin: ), (Italian: Paolo VI), born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini (September 26, 1897 – August 6, 1978), reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and as sovereign of Vatican City from 1963 to 1978. ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ... 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... Mysterium Fidei is an encyclical letter of Pope Paul VI on the Eucharist, published in September 1965. ... 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ... Calling attention to the worsening marginalization of the poor, Paul VI presents the various dimensions of an integral human development and the necessary conditions for growth in the solidarity of peoples. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... Sacerdotalis Caelibatus (Latin: Of the celibate priesthood) is the name of an encyclical written by Pope Paul VI. It defends the Catholic Churchs tradition of priestly celibacy in the West. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... Humanae Vitae (Latin of human life, but typically translated as On the Regulation of Human Birth) is an encyclical written by Pope Paul VI and promulgated on July 25, 1968. ... 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ... Coat of Arms of Pope John Paul II. The Letter M is for Mary, the mother of Jesus, to whom he held strong devotion Pope John Paul II (Latin: ), (Italian: Giovanni Paolo II), born   [] (May 18, 1920, Wadowice, Poland – April 2, 2005, Vatican City) reigned as Pope of the Roman... Redemptor Hominis (Latin for The Redeemer of Man) is the name of the first encyclical written by Pope John Paul II. It lays a blueprint for his pontificate in its exploration of contemporary human problems and especially their proposed solutions found in a deeper understanding of the human person. ... For the Smashing Pumpkins song, see 1979 (song). ... Dives in Misericordia (Latin for Rich in Mercy) is the name of the second encyclical written by Pope John Paul II. It is a deeply theological examination of the role of mercy -- both Gods mercy, and also the need for human mercy, introducing the biblical parable of the Prodigal... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... Laborem Exercens was an encyclical written by Pope John Paul II in 1981, on human work. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Slavorum Apostoli (Latin: Apostles of the Slavs) is an encyclical written by the late Pope John Paul II in 1985. ... 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Redemptoris Mater (Latin: mother of the redeemer) is the name for specific missionary seminaries, that were inspired by by the Roman Catholic way of life of the Neocatechumenal Way. ... 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sollicitudo Rei Socialis is an encyclical written by Pope John Paul II on 30 December 1987. ... 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Redemptoris Missio (Latin for Mission of the Redeemer), subtitled On the permanent validity of the Churchs missionary mandate, is a Papal encyclical by Pope John Paul II published on December 7, 1990 devoted to the subject of the urgency of missionary activity[1] and in which he wished to... 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Centesimus Annus (which is Latin for hundredth year) was an encyclical written by Pope John Paul II in 1991, on the hundredth anniversary of Rerum Novarum. ... 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Veritatis Splendor (Latin: The Splendor of Truth) is the name of an encyclical by Pope John Paul II. It expresses the position of the Catholic Church regarding fundamentals of the Churchs role in moral teaching. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... Evangelium Vitæ (Latin: The Gospel of Life) is the name of the encyclical written by Pope John Paul II which expresses the official position of the Catholic Church regarding the value and inviolability of human life. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Ut Unum Sint (Latin: may they be one) is an encyclical by Pope John Paul II of May 25, 1995. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Fides et Ratio (Latin: faith and reason) is an encyclical promulgated by Pope John Paul II on 1988-09-15. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... The Roman Catholic Church believes that there is transubstantiation of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, here displayed in a procession at the 2005 Southeastern Eucharistic Congress. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Papal Arms of Pope Benedict XVI. The papal tiara was replaced with a bishops mitre, and pallium of the Pope was added beneath the coat of arms. ... Pope Benedict signs the encyclical Deus Caritas Est. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Important Eastern Orthodox encyclicals

• Encyclical of the Eastern Patriarchs (1848)

The Encyclical of the Eastern Patriarchs was a letter sent in May, 1848 by the patriarchs of the Orthodox Church in reply to Pope Pius IXs Epistle to the Easterns (1848). ... Year 1848 (MDCCCXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a leap year starting on Monday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ...

External links

• John Paul II Encyclicals from Vatican
• Papal Encyclicals at Giga-Catholic Information
• www.papalencyclicals.net, a source for etexts of most of the encyclicals from recent centuries
• The Authority of Papal Encyclicals

Source

• The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (3rd. ed.), p. 545.