This is a list of encyclicals of Pope Pius XII.

Pius XII Pius ( , ) Latin for "pious", is a masculine given name. Its feminine form is Pia. It may refer to: People Popes * Pope Pius (disambiguation) * Antipope Pius XIII (1918-2009), who led the breakaway True Catholic Church sect Given name * Pius ...

promulgated 41 papal encyclicals, during his reign as

pope The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...

for over 19 years, from his election of March 2, 1939, until his death on October 9, 1958. The 41 encyclicals of Pius XII exceed the 32 encyclicals written by all his successors ( John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul I,

John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...

, and

Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI ( la, Benedictus XVI; it, Benedetto XVI; german: link=no, Benedikt XVI.; born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, , on 16 April 1927) is a retired prelate of the Catholic church who served as the head of the Church and the soverei ...

) during the fifty years that followed (1958–2008).

The encyclicals of Pius XII

, - , 6. , , ''

Orientalis Ecclesiae ''Orientalis Ecclesiae'' () is an encyclical of Pope Pius XII signed on 9 April 1944. Its topic is St. Cyril, Patriarch of Alexandria. External links''Orientalis ecclesiae''– Latin text– English text Encyclicals of Pope Pius XII April 1 ...

'' , , "Of the

Eastern Church Eastern Christianity comprises Christian traditions and church families that originally developed during classical and late antiquity in Eastern Europe, Southeastern Europe, Asia Minor, the Caucasus, Northeast Africa, the Fertile Crescent and ...

" , , On St. Cyril, Patriarch of Alexandria , , April 9, 1944 ,
(English)
, - , 7. , , '' Communium interpretes dolorum'' , , "Interpreter of the universal anguish" , , On Ending the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

, , April 15, 1945 ,
(English)
, - , 8. , , '' Orientales omnes Ecclesias'' , , "All the

es" , , On the 350th Anniversary of Reunion of the Ruthenian Church with Rome , , December 23, 1945 ,
(English)
, - , 9. , , '' Quemadmodum'' , , , , On Pleading for Care for the World's Destitute Children , , January 6, 1946 ,
(English)
, - , 10. , , ''

Deiparae Virginis Mariae ''Deiparae Virginis Mariae'' (Latin for "Virgin Mary Mother of God"), is an encyclical of Pope Pius XII released in 1946 addressed to all Catholic bishops on the possibility of defining the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary as a dogma of fait ...

'' , , "Of the

Blessed Virgin Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jews, Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Jose ...

" , , Should We Define the Assumption? , , May 1, 1946 ,
(English)
, - , 11. , , '' Fulgens radiatur'' , , "The radiant light" , , On the Brilliant Light of Saint Benedict , , March 21, 1947 ,
(English)
, - , 12. , , ''

Mediator Dei ''Mediator Dei'' (''Mediator etweenGod'') is a papal encyclical issued by Pope Pius XII on 20 November 1947. It was the first encyclical devoted entirely to liturgy. The encyclical suggested new directions and active participation instead of a me ...

'' , , "Mediator of God" , , On the Sacred Liturgy , , November 20, 1947 ,
(English)
, - , 13. , , '' Optatissima pax'' , , "Longed-for peace" , , On Prescribing Public Prayers for Social and

World Peace World peace, or peace on Earth, is the concept of an ideal state of peace within and among all people and nations on Planet Earth. Different cultures, religions, philosophies, and organizations have varying concepts on how such a state would ...

, , December 18, 1947 ,
(English)
, - , 14. , , '' Auspicia quaedam'' , , , , Prayers for

and the Solution Of The Problems Of Palestine , , May 1, 1948 ,
(English)
, - , 15. , , '' In multiplicibus curis'' , , "Among the multiple preoccupations" , , On Prayers for Peace in Palestine , , October 24, 1948 ,
(English)
, - , 16. , , ''

Redemptoris nostri cruciatus ''Redemptoris nostri cruciatus'' (''The passion of our Redeemer'') is an encyclical of Pope Pius XII dated 15 April 1949 focusing on the situation in Palestine immediately following the cessation of fighting in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. It wa ...

'' , , " The Passion of Our Redeemer" , , On Holy Places in Palestine , , April 15, 1949 ,
(English)
, - , 17. , , ''

Anni sacri ''Anni sacri'' (March 12, 1950) issued on the twelfth anniversary of his coronation, is an encyclical of Pope Pius XII on a program combating atheism Atheism, in the broadest sense, is an absence of belief in the existence of deities. Les ...

'' , , "On the

Holy Year A jubilee is a special year of remission of sins and universal pardon. In '' Leviticus'', a jubilee year ( he, יובל ''yūḇāl'') is mentioned to occur every 50th year; during which slaves and prisoners would be freed, debts would be forgi ...

" , , On a Program For Combating

Atheistic Atheism, in the broadest sense, is an absence of belief in the existence of deities. Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there no d ...

Propaganda Throughout The World , , March 12, 1950 ,
(English)
, - , 18. , , '' Summi maeroris'' , , "With the deepest sorrow" , , On a Call for Public Prayers for Peace , , July 19, 1950 ,
(English)
, - , 19. , , '' Humani generis'' , , "On Human Origin" , , Concerning Some False Opinions Threatening to Undermine the Foundations of

Catholic Doctrine Catholic doctrine may refer to: * Catholic theology ** Catholic moral theology ** Catholic Mariology *Heresy in the Catholic Church * Catholic social teaching * Catholic liturgy *Catholic Church and homosexuality The Catholic Church broadly ...

, , August 12, 1950 ,
(English)
, - , 20. , , '' Mirabile illud'' , , "That admirable" , , On a Crusade for Prayers for Peace , , December 6, 1950 ,
(English)
, - , 21. , , '' Evangelii praecones'' , , "Toiling missionaries" , , On the Promotion of Catholic Missions , , June 2, 1951 ,
(English)
, - , 22. , , '' Sempiternus Rex Christus'' , , "Christ, the Eternal King" , , On the

Council of Chalcedon The Council of Chalcedon (; la, Concilium Chalcedonense), ''Synodos tēs Chalkēdonos'' was the fourth ecumenical council of the Christian Church. It was convoked by the Roman emperor Marcian. The council convened in the city of Chalcedon, Bi ...

, , September 8, 1951 ,
(English)
, - , 23. , , ''

Ingruentium malorum ''Ingruentium malorum'' ( en, In the face of approaching evils, italic=yes) is an encyclical of Pope Pius XII on reciting the rosary, issued on September 15, 1951, the Feast of the Seven Sorrows of the Virgin Mary. "It is an appeal for an intensifi ...

'' , , "Approaching evil" , , On Reciting the Rosary , , September 15, 1951 ,
(English)
, - , 24. , , ''

Orientales Ecclesias ''Orientales ecclesias'' (December 15, 1952) is an encyclical of Pope Pius XII concerning the persecution of the Eastern Catholic Churches and describing the desperate situation of the faithful in Bulgaria. Summary ''Orientales ecclesias'' review ...

'' , , "The Oriental Churches" , , On The Persecuted Eastern Church and describing the hopeless situation of the faithful in

Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedo ...

, , December 15, 1952,
(English)
, - , 25. , , ''

Doctor Mellifluus ''Doctor Mellifluus'' is an encyclical of Pope Pius XII on the Doctor of the Church Bernard of Clairvaux, given at Rome, St. Peter's, on 24 May, on the feast of Pentecost, 1953, in the 15th year of his pontificate. In issuing it in anticipation ...

'' , , "Sweet Doctor" , , On St.

Bernard of Clairvaux Bernard of Clairvaux, O. Cist. ( la, Bernardus Claraevallensis; 109020 August 1153), venerated as Saint Bernard, was an abbot, mystic, co-founder of the Knights Templars, and a major leader in the reformation of the Benedictine Order throug ...

, Last of the

Fathers A father is the male parent of a child. Besides the paternal bonds of a father to his children, the father may have a parental, legal, and social relationship with the child that carries with it certain rights and obligations. An adoptive fath ...

, , May 24, 1953 ,
(English)
, - , 26. , , ''

Fulgens corona ''Fulgens corona'' ("Radiant Crown") is an encyclical by Pope Pius XII, given at St. Peter's, Rome, on 8 September 1953, the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in the fifteenth year of his Pontificate. The encyclical proclaims a Ma ...

'' , , "The radiant crown" , , Proclaiming a

Marian Year A Marian year is a designation given by the Catholic Church to calendar years in which Mary the mother of Jesus is to be particularly reverenced and celebrated. Marian years do not follow a set pattern; they may be declared by a bishop for his d ...

to Commemorate the Centenary of the Definition of the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception , , September 8, 1953 ,
(English)
, - , 27. , , '' Sacra virginitas'' , , "On Holy

Virginity Virginity is the state of a person who has never engaged in sexual intercourse. The term ''virgin'' originally only referred to sexually inexperienced women, but has evolved to encompass a range of definitions, as found in traditional, modern ...

" , , On Consecrated

, , March 25, 1954 ,
(English)
, - , 28. , , '' Ecclesiae fastos'' , , "History of the Church" , , On Saint Boniface , , June 5, 1954 ,
(English)
, - , 29. , , ''

Ad Sinarum gentem ''Ad Sinarum gentem'', issued on October 7, 1954, is an encyclical of Pope Pius XII to the Chinese people on the super-nationality of the Church. Background The encyclical is written against the background of continued persecution of Christians ...

'' , , "To the Chinese people" , , On the Supranationality of the Church , , October 7, 1954 ,
(English)
, - , 30. , , ''

Ad Caeli Reginam ''Ad Caeli Reginam'' is an encyclical of Pope Pius XII, given at Rome, from St. Peter's Basilica, on the feast of the Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the eleventh day of October, 1954, towards the end of the Marian year, in the sixteenth y ...

'' , , "To the Queen of Heaven" , , On Proclaiming the Queenship of Mary , , October 11, 1954 ,
(English)
, - , 31. , , ''

Musicae sacrae ''Musicae Sacrae'' (''On Sacred Music'') is a 1955 encyclical by Pope Pius XII dealing with Catholic liturgical music. It updated the 1903 ''motu proprio'' ''Tra le sollecitudini'', and remained in force as part of canon law until superseded by ...

'' , , "Of Sacred Music" , , On

Sacred Music Religious music (also sacred music) is a type of music that is performed or composed for religious use or through religious influence. It may overlap with ritual music, which is music, sacred or not, performed or composed for or as ritual. Relig ...

, , December 25, 1955 ,
(English)
, - , 32. , , '' Haurietis aquas'' , , "You shall draw waters" , , On Devotion to the Sacred Heart , , May 15, 1956 ,
(English)
, - , 33. , , '' Luctuosissimi eventus'' , , "Sorrowful events" , , Urging Public Prayers for Peace and Freedom for the People of Hungary , , October 28, 1956 ,
(English)
, - , 34. , , '' Laetamur admodum'' , , "We are most pleased" , , Renewing Exhortation for Prayers for Peace in

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...

Hungary Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the ...

, and the

Middle East The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Province), East Thrace (Europ ...

, , November 1, 1956 ,
(English)
, - , 35. , , ''

Datis nuperrime ''Datis nuperrime'' is an encyclical of Pope Pius XII dated 5 November 1956 concerning the Soviet invasion of Hungary to suppress the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. This is a second encyclical protesting the oppression of the Hungarian people. Pop ...

'' , , "In the recent encyclical" , , Lamenting the Sorrowful Events in Hungary, and Condemning the Ruthless Use of Force , , November 5, 1956 ,
(English)
, - , 36. , , '' Fidei donum'' , , "The gift of faith" , , On the Present Condition of the Catholic Missions, especially in

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

, , April 21, 1957 ,
(English)
, - , 37. , , '' Invicti athletae'' , , "Of the unconquered athlete" , , On St.

Andrew Bobola Andrew Bobola, SJ ( pl, Andrzej Bobola; 1591 – 16 May 1657) was a Polish missionary and martyr of the Society of Jesus, known as the Apostle of Lithuania and the "hunter of souls". He was beaten and tortured to death during the Khmelnytsky Up ...

, , May 16, 1957 ,
(English)
, - , 38. , , '' Le pèlerinage de Lourdes'' , , "Of the pilgrimage to

Lourdes Lourdes (, also , ; oc, Lorda ) is a market town situated in the Pyrenees. It is part of the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Occitanie region in southwestern France. Prior to the mid-19th century, the town was best known for the Châ ...

" , , Warning Against Materialism on the Centenary of the Apparitions at Lourdes , , July 2, 1957 ,
(English)
, - , 39. , , '' Miranda prorsus'' , , , , On the Communications Fields:

Motion Pictures A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

Radio Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmi ...

Television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...

, , September 8, 1957 ,
(English)
, - , 40. , , ''

Ad Apostolorum principis ''Ad Apostolorum principis'' (29 June 1958) is an encyclical of Pope Pius XII on Communism and the Church in China. It describes systematic persecutions of bishops, priests, religious and faithful and the attempts of the government to esta ...

'' , , "At the

Prince of the Apostles A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...

" , , On

Communism Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a ...

and the Church in China , , June 29, 1958 ,
(English)
, - , 41. , , '' Meminisse iuvat'' , , "It is helpful to recall" , , On Prayers for the Persecuted Church , , July 14, 1958,
(English)

Background

An encyclical (from

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

''encyclia'', from the

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

"en kyklo, ", meaning "general" or "encircling") was a

circular Circular may refer to: * The shape of a circle * ''Circular'' (album), a 2006 album by Spanish singer Vega * Circular letter (disambiguation) ** Flyer (pamphlet), a form of advertisement * Circular reasoning, a type of logical fallacy * Circular ...

letter sent to all the churches of a particular area in the ancient Christian church. 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

bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is c ...

s of a particular area or to the world, usually treating some aspect of Catholic

doctrine Doctrine (from la, doctrina, meaning "teaching, instruction") is a codification of beliefs or a body of teachings or instructions, taught principles or positions, as the essence of teachings in a given branch of knowledge or in a belief syste ...

. A Papal 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. The title of a Papal Encyclical is usually taken from its first few words.

View of Pope Pius XII

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. He wrote in ''Humani generis'':

The use of encyclicals by Pius XII

Encyclicals indicate high Papal priority for an issue at a given time. Only pontiffs define when, and under which circumstances encyclicals should be issued. They may choose to issue an apostolic constitution,

bull A bull is an intact (i.e., not castrated) adult male of the species ''Bos taurus'' (cattle). More muscular and aggressive than the females of the same species (i.e., cows), bulls have long been an important symbol in many religions, includin ...

, encyclical,

apostolic letter Ecclesiastical letters are publications or announcements of the organs of Roman Catholic ecclesiastical authority, e.g. the synods, but more particularly of pope and bishops, addressed to the faithful in the form of letters. Letters of the pop ...

or give a papal speech. Pontiffs differ on the use of encyclicals. On the issue of birth control and

contraception Birth control, also known as contraception, anticonception, and fertility control, is the use of methods or devices to prevent unwanted pregnancy. Birth control has been used since ancient times, but effective and safe methods of birth contr ...

, for example, Pope Pius XI issued the encyclical '' Casti connubii'', while Pope Pius XII spoke to

midwive A midwife is a health professional who cares for mothers and newborns around childbirth, a specialization known as midwifery. The education and training for a midwife concentrates extensively on the care of women throughout their lifespan; co ...

s and the

medical Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care practic ...

profession when he clarified his position on the issue.

Pope Paul VI Pope Paul VI ( la, Paulus VI; it, Paolo VI; born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini, ; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 to his death in Augus ...

published an encyclical '' Humanae vitae'' on the same topic. On matters of

war War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...

and

peace Peace is a concept of societal friendship and harmony in the absence of hostility and violence. In a social sense, peace is commonly used to mean a lack of conflict (such as war) and freedom from fear of violence between individuals or groups. ...

, Pope Pius XII issued ten encyclicals, most of them after 1945, three of them (''

'', '' Sertum laetitiae'', and '' Luctuosissimi eventus'') protesting the

Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nation ...

invasion and crackdown of the Hungarian revolution in 1956.

spoke about the war in

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...

and

Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...

, issued his protest against the war in

Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, the Persian Gulf and K ...

in speeches. On social issues,

Pope Leo XIII Pope Leo XIII ( it, Leone XIII; born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci; 2 March 1810 – 20 July 1903) was the head of the Catholic Church from 20 February 1878 to his death in July 1903. Living until the age of 93, he was the second-old ...

promulgated '' Rerum novarum'', followed by '' Quadragesimo anno'' by Pius XI, and '' Centesimus annus'' by

. Pius XII spoke on the same topic to a

consistory Consistory is the anglicized form of the consistorium, a council of the closest advisors of the Roman emperors. It can also refer to: *A papal consistory, a formal meeting of the Sacred College of Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church * Consistor ...

cardinals Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to: Animals * Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **''Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae **''Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, the ...

in his Christmas messages and to numerous academic and professional associations. The

magisterium The magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church is the church's authority or office to give authentic interpretation of the Word of God, "whether in its written form or in the form of Tradition." According to the 1992 Catechism of the Catholic Chu ...

of Pius XII is therefore significantly larger than the below listed 41 encyclicals. Most of the detailed teachings are in his papal speeches on specific topics such as: * Conscience, guilt and fair punishment, * Ethics of psychological research, * Farmers, * Fashion Industry, * Formation of conscience, * Genetic research, * Human dignity, * Medical doctors and the use of weapons, * Military medical research,AAS 1953, 744

References

External links

Pope Pius XII Encyclicals
(most in English, Italian, Portuguese with some in French, Italian, Spanish and one in German) - from the Papal Archive at the internet site of the

Holy See The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of R ...

.
PapalEncyclicals.net - Pope Pius XII
- online copies {{Pope Pius XII * Pius 12