The Apostolic Penitentiary (), formerly called the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Penitentiary, is a
dicastery
A dicastery (; ; from ) is the name of some departments in the Roman Curia of the Catholic Church
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest C ...
led by the Major Penitentiary of the
Roman Curia
The Roman Curia () comprises the administrative institutions of the Holy See and the central body through which the affairs of the Catholic Church are conducted. The Roman Curia is the institution of which the Roman Pontiff ordinarily makes use ...
and is one of the three ordinary
tribunal
A tribunal, generally, is any person or institution with authority to judge, adjudicate on, or determine claims or disputes—whether or not it is called a tribunal in its title. For example, an advocate who appears before a court with a singl ...
s of the
Apostolic See
An apostolic see is an episcopal see whose foundation is attributed to one or more of the apostles of Jesus or to one of their close associates. In Catholicism, the phrase "The Apostolic See" when capitalized refers specifically to the See of ...
. The Apostolic Penitentiary is chiefly a tribunal of
mercy
Mercy (Middle English, from Anglo-French , from Medieval Latin , "price paid, wages", from Latin , "merchandise") is benevolence, forgiveness, and kindness in a variety of ethical, religious, social, and legal contexts.
In the social and le ...
, responsible for issues relating to the forgiveness of
sin
In religious context, sin is a transgression against divine law or a law of the deities. Each culture has its own interpretation of what it means to commit a sin. While sins are generally considered actions, any thought, word, or act considered ...
s in the
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
.
The Apostolic Penitentiary has jurisdiction only over matters in the internal forum. Its work falls mainly into these categories:
* the absolution of
excommunication
Excommunication is an institutional act of religious censure used to deprive, suspend, or limit membership in a religious community or to restrict certain rights within it, in particular those of being in Koinonia, communion with other members o ...
s ''
latæ sententiæ
(Latin meaning: "of a judgment having been brought") and (Latin meaning: "of a judgment having to be brought") are ways sentences are imposed in the Catholic Church in its canon law.
A penalty is a penalty the liability for which is imposed ...
'' reserved to the
Holy See
The Holy See (, ; ), also called the See of Rome, the Petrine See or the Apostolic See, is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City. It encompasses the office of the pope as the Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishop ...
* the dispensation of sacramentalimpediments reserved to the Holy See
* the issuance and governance of
indulgence
In the teaching of the Catholic Church, an indulgence (, from , 'permit') is "a way to reduce the amount of punishment one has to undergo for (forgiven) sins". The ''Catechism of the Catholic Church'' describes an indulgence as "a remission bef ...
s.
The head of the Apostolic Penitentiary is one of the few Vatican officials who retain their positions ''
sede vacante
In the Catholic Church, ''sede vacante'' is the state during which a diocese or archdiocese is without a prelate installed in office, with the prelate's office being the cathedral. The term is used frequently in reference to a papal interre ...
'' (the other being the
Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church
The camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church is an office of the papal household that administers the property and revenues of the Holy See. Formerly, his responsibilities included the fiscal administration of the Patrimony of Saint Peter. As regu ...
). If the Major Penitentiary is a cardinal elector he is one of only three persons in the conclave allowed to communicate with those outside the conclave, so that he can continue to fulfill his duties (the other two being the
Cardinal Vicar
Cardinal vicar () is a title commonly given to the vicar general of the Diocese of Rome for the portion of the diocese within Italy (i.e. excluding the portion within Vatican City). The official title, as given in the ''Annuario Pontificio'', i ...
of
Rome
Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
titular archbishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.
By definition, a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop, the tradition of the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox an ...
and is normally a
cardinal
Cardinal or The Cardinal most commonly refers to
* Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds
**''Cardinalis'', genus of three species in the family Cardinalidae
***Northern cardinal, ''Cardinalis cardinalis'', the common cardinal of ...
. Since 6 April 2024, the Major Penitentiary is Cardinal Angelo De Donatis. The second-highest-ranking official in the Apostolic Penitentiary, the regent, is bishop Krzysztof Józef Nykiel.
History
During the Middle Ages, the Apostolic Penitentiary had two major functions. The ''officium minus'' related to the spiritual care of Christians, and the ability to listen to confessions and absolve sins of grave nature, whose absolving was reserved to the Pope. The ''officium maius'' related to the power to grant grace to those who petitioned the Pope in relation to: (1) absolution for breaking the regulations of canon law; (2) dispensations to act against Church regulations; (3) licenses not to observe ecclesiastical norms regarding the exercise of the Catholic faith; and (4) official declarations. The Penitentiary developed around the 12th century, with its powers gradually increasing and being expanded by subsequent popes.
Absolutions and dispensations
Normally confessions of
sin
In religious context, sin is a transgression against divine law or a law of the deities. Each culture has its own interpretation of what it means to commit a sin. While sins are generally considered actions, any thought, word, or act considered ...
s are handled at the local level by priests and their bishops and are not heard by the tribunal. The work of the Apostolic Penitentiary involves grave sins, such as defiling the Eucharist, which are reserved to the Holy See. In late 2006, then Major Penitentiary Cardinal Stafford said this offense is occurring with more and more frequency, by ordinary faithful who receive Communion and then spit it out or otherwise desecrate it.
Indulgences
The Apostolic Penitentiary also specifies actions for which indulgences are granted, either permanently (in the ''Enchiridion Indulgentiarum''), or on special occasions, such as the Year for Priests (19 June 2009 to 19 June 2010), during which a plenary
indulgence
In the teaching of the Catholic Church, an indulgence (, from , 'permit') is "a way to reduce the amount of punishment one has to undergo for (forgiven) sins". The ''Catechism of the Catholic Church'' describes an indulgence as "a remission bef ...
is granted, on 19 June 2009, on first Thursdays, on 4 August 2009 (150th anniversary of the death of
Jean-Marie Vianney
John Vianney (born Jean-Marie Vianney and later Jean-Marie-Baptiste Vianney; 8 May 1786 – 4 August 1859) was a Catholic Church in France, French Catholic priest often referred to as the ''Curé d'Ars'' ("the parish priest of Ars"). He is known ...
), and on 19 June 2010, to all the faithful who attend Mass, pray for priests to
Jesus Christ
Jesus (AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Chris ...
the Eternal High Priest, offer any other good work they do that day, and satisfy the conditions for any plenary indulgence (detachment from all sins, the
Sacrament of Penance
The Sacrament of Penance (also commonly called the Sacrament of Reconciliation or Confession) is one of the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church (known in Eastern Christianity as sacred mysteries), in which the faithful are absolved from si ...
within the last or next couple of weeks, holy communion (
Eucharist in the Catholic Church
Eucharist () is the name that Catholic Christianity, Christians give to the Sacraments of the Catholic Church, sacrament by which, according to their belief, the body and blood of Jesus, Christ are Real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, pre ...
), and praying for the Pope's intentions). There are also adaptations for those unable to go to church, and daily indulgences available only to priests.
''Misericordiae vultus''
In the
Papal Bull
A papal bull is a type of public decree, letters patent, or charter issued by the pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the leaden Seal (emblem), seal (''bulla (seal), bulla'') traditionally appended to authenticate it.
History
Papal ...
Latin
Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
: "The Face of
Mercy
Mercy (Middle English, from Anglo-French , from Medieval Latin , "price paid, wages", from Latin , "merchandise") is benevolence, forgiveness, and kindness in a variety of ethical, religious, social, and legal contexts.
In the social and le ...
"), Pope Francis decreed that the Church would observe a Special
Jubilee
A jubilee is often used to refer to the celebration of a particular anniversary of an event, usually denoting the 25th, 40th, 50th, 60th, and the 70th anniversary. The term comes from the Hebrew Bible (see, "Old Testament"), initially concerning ...
Year of Mercy lasting from the
Solemnity
In the liturgical calendar of the Roman Rite, a solemnity is a feast day of the highest rank celebrating a mystery of faith such as the Trinity, an event in the life of Jesus, his mother Mary, his legal father Joseph, or another important ...
of the
Immaculate Conception
The Immaculate Conception is the doctrine that the Virgin Mary was free of original sin from the moment of her conception. It is one of the four Mariology, Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church. Debated by medieval theologians, it was not def ...
of the
Blessed Virgin Mary
Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...
(a
Holy Day of Obligation
In the Catholic Church, holy days of obligation or precepts are days on which Christians, Catholic Christians are expected to attend Mass (Catholic Church), Mass, and engage in rest from work and recreation (i.e., they are to refrain from engagin ...
) on Tuesday, December 8, 2015, until the Solemnity of the Feast of Christ the King of the Universe on the last Sunday before
Advent
Advent is a season observed in most Christian denominations as a time of waiting and preparation for both the celebration of Jesus's birth at Christmas and the return of Christ at the Second Coming. It begins on the fourth Sunday before Chri ...
, in November 2016. For this, he allowed certain qualified priests to serve as "Missionaries of Mercy" to each Diocese, with the faculties to absolve even sins that are reserved to the Holy See through the Apostolic Penitentiary. Normally, a priest or even a bishop would not be able to do this unless the person was in danger of imminent death. The Pope has the power, as the earthly absolute sovereign of the Catholic Church, to make this special change for the year.
Tommaso da Capua
Thomas of Capua (, ), also called Tommaso di Eboli (before 1185 – August 1239), was an Italian prelate and diplomat. He served as the archbishop-elect of Naples from 1215 until 1216 and then as a cardinal until his death. He administered the d ...
* Antonio Caetani (1405–1412)During the Council of Pisa penitentiaries originated from both obediences (Roman and Avignon) retained their posts and divided the duties between themselves (Kubelbeck, p. 16)
* Pierre Girard (1409–1415)
* Giovanni Dominici (1408–1415He was penitentiary of Pope Gregory XII of the Roman obedience.)
* Giordano Orsini (1415–1438)
* Niccolo Albergati (1438–1443)
* Giuliano Cesarini (1444)
* Giovanni Berardi (1444–1449)
*
Domenico Capranica
Domenico Capranica (1400 – 14 July 1458) was an Italian theologian, canonist, statesman, and cardinal.
Life
Cardinal Capranica was born in Capranica Prenestina. His younger brother, Angelo, also became a cardinal. After studies in canon ...
Giuliano della Rovere
Pope Julius II (; ; born Giuliano della Rovere; 5 December 144321 February 1513) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 1503 to his death, in February 1513. Nicknamed the Warrior Pope, the Battle Pope or the Fearsome ...
Lorenzo Pucci
Lorenzo Pucci (18 August 1458 – 16 September 1531) was an Italian cardinal and bishop from the Florentine Pucci family. His brother Roberto Pucci and his nephew Antonio Pucci also became cardinals.
Biography
Pucci was born in Florence.
He ...
Carlo Borromeo
Charles Borromeo (; ; 2 October 1538 – 3 November 1584) was an Italian Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Milan from 1564 to 1584. He was made a cardinal in 1560.
Borromeo founded the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine and was ...
Pietro Aldobrandini
Pietro Aldobrandini (31 March 1571 – 10 February 1621) was an Italian Cardinal (Catholic Church), cardinal and patron of the arts.
Biography
Pietro Aldobrandini was a cousin of Cardinal Cinzio Aldobrandini, and uncle of Cardinals Silvestro a ...
Scipione Borghese
Scipione Caffarelli-Borghese (; 1 September 1577 – 2 October 1633) was an Italian cardinal, art collector and patron of the arts. A member of the Borghese family, he was the patron of the painter Caravaggio and the artist Bernini. His legac ...
Pope Pius VIII
Pope Pius VIII (; born Francesco Saverio Maria Felice Castiglioni; 20 November 1761 – 30 November 1830) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 31 March 1829 to his death in November 1830.
Pius VIII's pontificate wa ...
Antonio Maria Cagiano de Azevedo
Antonio Maria Cagiano de Azevedo (14 December 1797 – 13 January 1867) was a Catholic Cardinal and held a number of significant legal positions within the Catholic Church during the 19th century.
Personal life
Cagiano was born 14 December 1797 ...
Isidoro Verga
Isidoro Verga (29 April 1832 – 10 August 1899) was an Italian canon lawyer and cardinal.
He was created cardinal in 1884, and became bishop of Albano and Apostolic Penitentiary in 1896, and given the titular church
In the Catholic Church, ...
Willem Marinus van Rossum
Willem Marinus van Rossum, C.Ss.R. (3 September 1854 – 30 August 1932) was a Dutch prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was made a cardinal in 1911, led the Apostolic Penitentiary from 1915 to 1918, and served as Prefect of the Congr ...
Oreste Giorgi
Oreste Giorgi (19 May 1856 – 30 December 1924) was a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and was former Major Penitentiary of Apostolic Penitentiary.
Early life and priesthood
Oreste Giorgi was born in Valmontone, Italy. He was educat ...
William Wakefield Baum
William Wakefield Baum (November 21, 1926 – July 23, 2015) was an American Catholic prelate who served as bishop of Springfield-Cape Girardeau in Missouri (1970 to 1973) and archbishop of Washington in the District of Columbia (1973 to 1980 ...
Manuel Monteiro de Castro
Manuel Monteiro de Castro (born 29 March 1938) is a Portuguese prelate of the Catholic Church who worked in the diplomatic service of the Holy See from 1967 to 2009, with the rank of archbishop and the title of nuncio from 1985. His assignments ...
(5 January 2012 – 21 September 2013)
* Mauro Piacenza (21 September 2013 – 6 April 2024)
* Angelo De Donatis (6 April 2024 - current)
See also
*
References
Citations
Sources
* John Paul II ''Pastor bonus'', art. 117–120
*
* William J. Kubelbeck, ''The Sacred Penitentiaria and Its Relations to Faculties of Ordinaries and Priests'', 2004.