Munificentissimus Deus (Latin for "The most bountiful God") is the name of an Apostolic constitution written by Pope Pius XII. It defines ex cathedra the dogma of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is one of a small number of infallible statements by a Catholic Pope. The decree was promulgated on November 1, 1950. The correct title of this article is dEUS. The initial letter is capitalized due to technical restrictions. ... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... God denotes the deity believed by monotheists to be the sole creator and ruler of the universe. ... An Apostolic constitution (Latin constitutio apostolica) is a very solemn decree issued by the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. ... 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. ... In Roman Catholic dogma, the Latin phrase ex cathedra, literally meaning from the throne is applied in Catholic theology to statements made by the pope in his capacity as infallible guide and teacher of the faithful. ... Dogma (the plural is either dogmata or dogmas) is belief or doctrine held by a religion, ideology or any kind of organization to be authoritative and not to be disputed or doubted. ... The Assumption has been a subject of Christian art for centuries. ... Blessed Virgin Mary A traditional Catholic picture sometimes displayed in homes. ... In Roman Catholic theology, Papal infallibility is the dogma that the Pope is preserved from error when he solemnly promulgates, or declares, to the Church a decision on faith or morals. ... The current Pope is Benedict XVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger), who was elected at the age of 78 on 19 April 2005. ... Promulgation is the act of formally proclaiming new legislation to the public. ... November 1 is the 305th day of the year (306th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 60 days remaining. ... 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ...

The decree surveys the history of the belief in the Catholic Christian tradition, citing such writers as John of Damascus and Francis de Sales, among others. It also cites the popular acclaim and "nearly unanimous" approval of contemporary bishops, following a papal appeal of 1946 for evaluation of the doctrine by the Catholic faithful. John of Damascus (Latin: Iohannes Damascenus or Johannes Damascenus also known as John Damascene, Chrysorrhoas, streaming with gold—i. ... Saint Francis de Sales Saint Francis of Sales (in French, St François de Sales) (1567-1622), seventeenth-century bishop of Geneva and Roman Catholic saint, was born at Thorens into a Savoyard noble family on 21 August 1567. ...

It then reaches the dogmatic statement in section 44:

By the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and by our own authority, we pronounce, declare, and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma: that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.

In this dogmatic statement, the phrase "having completed the course of her earthly life" is carefully written to leave open the question of whether or not Mary died before her Assumption, or whether, like the Assumption of the Prophet Elijah, Mary was assumed before death; both possibilities are allowed in the formulation. Elijah in the wilderness, by Washington Allston Elijah (אֱלִיָּהוּ Whose/my God is the Lord, Standard Hebrew Eliyyáhu, Tiberian Hebrew ʾĔliyyāhû), also Elias (NT Greek Hλίας), also Ilia (NT Bulgarian Илия), is a prophet of the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament. ...

The entire decree (and the title itself) is also worded to suggest that Mary's Assumption was not in any sense a logical necessity, but rather a divine gift to Mary as Mother of God. Russian Orthodox Icon of the Theotokos Theotokos is a Greek word that means God-bearer or Mother of God. It is a title assigned by the early Christian Church to Mary, the mother of Jesus, at the Third Ecumenical Council held at Ephesus in 431. ...

See also

• Assumption of Mary
• Dormition of the Theotokos
• Papal infallibility

The Assumption has been a subject of Christian art for centuries. ... The Dormition of the Theotokos is the Eastern Orthodox commemoration of the falling asleep or death of Mary, the mother of Jesus. ... In Roman Catholic theology, Papal infallibility is the dogma that the Pope is preserved from error when he solemnly promulgates, or declares, to the Church a decision on faith or morals. ...

External links

• Complete text of the decree from the Vatican website