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This essay reviews the following works: The Cambridge History of Religions in Latin America. Edited by Virginia Garrard-Burnett, Paul Freston, and Stephen C. Dove. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2016. Pp. xii + 830. $250.00 hardcover. ISBN: 9780521767330. Native Evangelism in Central Mexico. By Hugo G. Nutini and Jean F. Nutini. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2014. Pp. vii + 197. $55.00 hardcover. ISBN: 9780292744127. New Centers of Global Evangelicalism in Latin America and Africa. By Stephen Offutt. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2015. Pp. viii + 192. $80.18 hardcover. ISBN: 9781107078321. The Roots of Pope Francis’s Social and Political Thought: From Argentina to the Vatican. By Thomas R. Rourke. Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield, 2016. Pp. vii + 220. $80.00 hardcover. ISBN: 9781442272712.

In 2008, Brazil and the Holy See entered into an Agreement on the Juridical Statute of the Catholic Church and its Ecclesiastical Institutions in Brazil (the “Agreement”). The Agreement was approved by the Brazilian Congress by Legislative Decree 698 on October 7, 2009 and entered into force in the international sphere on December 10, 2009. On February 11, 2010, by Presidential Decree 7.107, it entered into force in the domestic sphere. The purpose of this essay is assessing the consistency of the Agreement with the State laicity enshrined in the 1988 Brazilian Constitution. The hypothesis is the validity of the Agreement due to the special status of the Holy See in International Law. The methodology of study consisted in describing the historical background of the relationship between State and Church in Brazil as a preamble for surveying cases which have dealt with the 2008 Agreement and the corresponding decisions at the Brazilian Superior Courts. As a result, we have found out that the Brazilian Judiciary sustained the compatibility of the Agreement with the laicity of the Brazilian State enshrined in its 1988 Constitution in two leading cases that addressed, respectively, the possibility of confirmation, by Brazilian Courts, of ecclesiastical declarations of nullity issued by marriage tribunals under the Code of Cannon Law, and the possibility of confessional classes in public schools. Both possibilities were eventually upheld by Brazilian Superior Courts in landmark rulings on the status of the Holy See in the Brazilian practice of international law.

Utilizando datos de orden textual, paleográfico, codicológico e histórico se examina en primer lugar la historia del manuscrito platónico Escur. Ψ I 1 desde su confección en Corfú a cargo de Demetrio Triboles en 1461-1462 hasta su adquisición por parte de Antonio Agustín a mediados del s. XVI. Tras analizar las fuentes textuales del códice y la dinámica de la copia, se concluye, a través del examen de los inventarios de la Biblioteca Vaticana, que el manuscrito formó parte de los fondos de esa biblioteca hasta el Saco de Roma de 1527. Se demuestra asimismo que otro códice platónico conservado en El Escorial, Escur. y I 13, procede también de la Biblioteca Vaticana, de donde desapareció igualmente con motivo del Saco antes de ser adquirido por Juan Páez de Castro. Se intenta además demostrar que tanto el Escur. Ψ I 1 como el Escur. y I 13 formaban parte de los fondos de la Vaticana ya desde 1475. Basing on textual, palaeographic, codicological and historic evidence, this paper firstly examines the history of the Platonic manuscript Escur. Ψ I 1 since its making in Corfu by Demetrios Triboles in 1461-62 till its purchase by Antonio Agustín in the middle of the 16th century. The textual sources of this codex and the copying process are also analysed. The conclusion reached through the examination of inventories in the Vatican Library is that the manuscript belonged to that library till the Sack of Rome in 1527. Secondly, this paper proves that another Platonic codex kept in El Escorial, Escur. y I 13, comes as well from the Vatican Library, from where it disappeared on the occasion of the Sack, and was later purchased by Juan Páez de Castro. Additionally, an attempt is made to prove that both Escur. Ψ I 1 and Escur. y I 13 belonged to the Vatican Library as early as 1475.

La acción diplomática y política de los cardenales Francesco y Troiano Acquaviva d’Aragona se inserta, por su importancia y originalidad, en las relaciones entre el Papado y las monarquías borbónicas de España y Nápoles durante la primera mitad del Setecientos. Cardenales embajadores de Felipe V y Carlos III de Borbón en Roma y protectores de sus coronas en la Santa Sede, desarrollaron al más alto nivel —tanto italiano como europeo— las tradicionales carreras curiales de las familias de potentados meridionales. La obra de ambos purpurados, entrelazada con los intereses de la Iglesia y de la Casa de Borbón, se relacionó estrechamente con la salvaguardia del “Estado de Atri”, en el Abruzzo, uno de los mayores feudos del reino de Nápoles. Esto tuvo lugar merced a la estrecha correspondiencia con sus duques, Giovan Girolano II Acquaviva y Domenico Acquaviva, con lo que pudieron asegurar su titularidad y dominio pese a las problemáticas suscitadas por su posicionamiento filoborbónico tras la muerte de Carlos II de España.

No ano de 2016 o cardeal Robert Sarah, prefeito da Congregação para o culto Divino e a Disciplina dos Sacramentos no Vaticano, emitiu um decreto no qual, segundo a vontade do Papa Francisco, estabeleceu-se que a memória litúrgica da santa Maria Madalena fosse elevada a Festa. A celebração festiva da personagem como santa, é mais uma etapa de um longo processo, no qual sua imagem foi constantemente ressignificada. Partindo do século I (momento no qual é inserida nas narrativas dos Evangelhos) percebemos que estereótipos distintos serviram para descrevê-la e defini-la. Era moldada conforme a conveniência. Sendo assim, o decreto do Vaticano, emitido vinte séculos depois do primeiro registro da personagem, instiga nossa reflexão. Faz-nos pensar sobre a perenidade e relevância da presença da personagem no imaginário eclesiástico. A partir da análise desse documento, algumas questões podem ser fomentadas: Como a personagem foi caracterizada durante esse longo percurso? Qual o significado e importância desse decreto no século XXI? Por que essa personagem continua sendo considerada como paradigma? A admissão de Madalena como modelo de conduta para mulheres, aponta para quais mudanças, suscita quais expectativas?

It is often assumed, particularly by outsiders, that the conflict in Northern Ireland—known euphemistically as “the Troubles”—in which some 3,600 people lost their lives, was an atavistic throwback to Europe's religious wars of earlier centuries. In 1979, by which time some 2,000 people had already been killed in the Troubles, Pope John Paul II proposed to pay a visit to Ireland and perhaps to cross the border into Ulster's sectarian cockpit. The idea provoked outrage from some Ulster Protestants and high anxiety for the British, concerned that the Pope might inadvertently inflame the situation or embarrass the British by raising difficult issues. But there were hopes, too, that an unequivocal condemnation of violence by the head of the Catholic Church might help to bring the conflict to an end. This article, based on extensive research in diplomatic archives, reveals deep divisions within the Catholic Church on the Irish question and points to the power and limitations of the British diplomatic reach into the Vatican. It reveals also, however, the powerlessness of prayer and pleadings in the face of terrorist violence.

Es de justicia reconocer que el Catecismo de la iglesia Católica (1992-1997) de san Juan Pablo ii ha logrado proseguir la renovación que el espíritu Santo impulsó, a través del Concilio Vaticano II. La acogida y difusión del Catecismo ha fortalecido la comunión eclesial, revitalizado la vida litúrgica y de oración, e impulsado una acción catequética y pastoral, misionera y testimonial. El Papa francisco invita a todos los cristianos a ser ministros del evangelio, cuya vida irradie el fervor y la alegría del encuentro con Jesús. ofrezcamos el anuncio de una doctrina bella y esperanzadora a una sociedad desmoralizada y fragmentada. Anunciemos la bondad y la belleza de ser amados por Dios gratuitamente, para que la justicia, la paz y la fraternidad llegue a todas las periferias de nuestro mundo.

The battle for meaning and influence between Latin American liberations theologians and the Vatican was one of the most significant conflicts in the global Catholic church of the twentieth century. With the election of the Argentinean Jorge Mario Bergoglio as head of the global church in 2013, the question about the legacy of liberation theology was actualized. The canonization of Archbishop Oscar Romero and the pope’s approximation to the public figure of Gustavo Gutiérrez signaled a new approach to the liberation theology movement in the Vatican. This article argues that Pope Francis shares some of the main theological concerns as pontiff with liberation theology. Although the pope remains an outsider to liberation theology, he has in a sense solved the conflict between the Vatican and the Latin American social movement. Through an analysis of ecclesial documents and theological literature, his can be discerned on three levels. First, Pope Francis’ use of certain theological ideas from liberation theology has been made possible and less controversial by post-cold war contexts. Second, Pope Francis has contributed to the solution of this conflict through significant symbolic gestures rather than through a shift of official positions. Third, as Pope Francis, the Argentinian Jorge Mario Bergoglio has appropriated certain elements that are specific to liberation theology without acknowledging his intellectual debt to it.

Celem niniejszego artykułu jest przedstawienie jednej z najważniejszych ksiąg liturgicznych, wydanych na ziemiach polskich po Soborze Trydenckim (1545–1563) – Rytuału Piotrkowskiego. Wzorem tej księgi był wydany w 1614 r. Rituale Romanum, rozesłany przez Stolicę Apostolską do wszystkich zakątów ówczesnego świata. Zawierał on zarówno obrzędy, jak i rubryki słu­żące kapłanom do sprawowania liturgii sakramentów oraz sakramentaliów. Rytuał ten został nazwany „Piotrkowskim” ze względu na podjętą decyzję synodu obradującego w Piotrkowie (Trybunalskim) w 1621 r.

Soon after the restoration of Independence in 1990, The Act for the Restitution of the Status of the Catholic Church in Lithuania was adopted, which declared cooperation between the State and the Church on the basis of parity. A difficult search for consensus between the bishops and changeable negotiations with secular authorities lasted ten years and the process was reinitiated three times until finally, in 2000, three agreements between the Holy See and the Republic of Lithuania were signed. Having been granted access to the current archives of the Lithuanian Bishops’ Conference and the archdioceses for the first time, the author of the present article aims to reconstruct the course of preparation of the agreements from the perspective of the Church. It is revealed how the agreement that had to regulate the restitution of Church property was completely rejected. While discussing the fifteen-year experience of the integration of ratified acts into the Lithuanian legal system and administrative practice, the author asserts that they made a wider impact on civic power and the development of democracy than their direct function would allow us to imagine. The understanding that the Church and the State had a common aim – welfare of person – led the Catholic community itself to greater openness and a positive interaction with other agents of society.

In its new charter, the Vatican calls on healthcare workers to be ministers of life. This is a challenging task and a most noble mission. The mission field itself is the vast, complex and mysterious field of suffering (Pope John Paul II). For Catholic healthcare professionals, it is not so much to have a mission, but to be a mission on this earth, as Pope Francis often reminds us. The daily mission needs to be nourished by a commensurate spirituality. Each deed can be offered to the Lord as part of our response. Healthcare professionals may feel called to specific mission fields too, such as working to reduce the culture of gun violence or to promote the culture of life. The ongoing formation of conscience is a vital prerequisite, so we can continually respond to the novel ethical challenges that progress in technology and medicine inevitably bring. May we each respond enthusiastically to the call to mission: “Here I am Lord, send me!” (Isaiah 6:8).

espanolSe da noticia de los principales documentos y actos juridicos dados en el ano 2020 por el Romano Pontifice y los distintos dicasterios de la curia romana, asi como de los acuerdos internacionales suscritos por la Santa Sede. Tambien se hace referencia a la actividad canonica en el ambito de la Conferencia Episcopal Espanola. EnglishThe main documents and legal texts issued by the Pope in 2020 and the various dicasteries of the Roman Curia, as well as internationalagreements signed by the Holy See, are outlined. Canon law actions within the purview of the Spanish Episcopal Conference are also described.

This study focuses on the functioning and political significance of the figure of the cardinal protectors of the Hispanic kingdoms in Rome at the time of the reign of Felipe II and Felipe III, based on the study of the documentation of the Spanish monarchy embassy to the Holy See, which is conserved in the General Archive of Simancas and in the National Historical Archive of Spain. The work here was not only to identify the different cardinals holding the role of protectors but also to highlight the mechanisms that supported their appointment, including the interim protectors and the vice-protectors or "pro-protectors". Moreover, this work explores the political and diplomatic role that cardinal protectors played beyond their official task, as, for example, the recommendation and presentation in consistory, to the Holy See, of the candidates proposed by the monarch capable to occupy an ecclesiastical vacant and benefit in the sphere of the monarch’s royal patronage.

The Kingdom of SCS and the Holy See established diplomatic relations in March 1920. The Holy See accepted the new country with hostility and hesitation. The nuncio monitored not only the state’s religious policy but also the political atmosphere. He wanted to achieve unity among Roman Catholics in the civil and political spheres. The authorities of the Kingdom of SCS emphasized the need to maintain religious unity as the primary motivation in preparation for the concordat negotiations. Meanwhile, the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy dissatisfied with the state’s religious legislation asked the Holy See not to sign a concordat until their conditions were met. Much of the controversy during the talks concerned government ownership of church land, the establishment of religious orders, and the appointment of bishops. The negotiations were postponed with the intention of being continued. The 1925 talks did not achieve the goal but helped to define certain issues.

The article analyses the Resurrection of Christ, a fresco commissioned from Pinturicchio by Pope Alexander VI in 1492 as part of his project to renovate the Borgia Apartments in the Vatican. The an...

This paper, accompanied by the edition of fifteen letters addressed by Angelo Mai Prefect of the Vatican Library to the Benedictine monk Ottavio Fraja Frangipane Prefect of the Montecassino Archive...

Paolo Sorrentino called his series The Young Pope “a thriller of the soul.” In this religio-political drama, Sorrentino explores the fortune of the Catholic Church were a young, intransigent, irritable American cardinal elected pope. Building his story line around the life of Christ, with intertextual citations to the New Testament and visual allusions to Christian art and Jesus movies, Sorrentino offers a twenty-first-century gospel to remind the viewer that the gospel is not only about tolerance. By presenting his young pope as the returned Christ, and not as a Christ figure, he shows that conservatism is equally present with liberalism in its message.

RESUMEN La embajada a Polonia del Almirante de Aragon de 1597 supuso un punto de inflexion en las relaciones entre la Monarquia Hispana y la corona de Polonia-Lituania. La dificil eleccion de Segismundo III como rey en 1587 no fue reconocida por Felipe II, quien durante anos siguio apoyando a su sobrino, el archiduque Maximiliano, en sus aspiraciones al trono polaco. Sin embargo, a partir de 1596 y por influjo de la diplomacia papal, las dos cortes iniciaron un progresivo acercamiento, que culmino con esta embajada. En este articulo describimos algunos aspectos de la mision, centrando nuestra atencion en la compleja situacion interna de Polonia-Lituania y en una serie de cuestiones en torno al frente danubiano que, olvidadas por la problematica baltica, no han despertado tanto la atencion de los historiadores. Palabras clave: Diplomacia, Felipe II, Segismundo III Toponimos: Polonia-Lituania, Hungria, Crimea Periodo: Edad Moderna. ABSTRACT The Admiral of Aragon’s embassy to Poland in 1597 was a turning point in the relationship between the Hispanic Monarchy and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The difficult election of Sigismund III as king in 1587 was not recognized by Philip II, who for years continued to support his nephew, Archduke Maximilian in his claims to the Polish throne. However, from 1596 onwards, there was a gradual rapprochement that culminated in this embassy. This article describes some aspects of the mission, focusing attention on the complex internal situation of Poland-Lithuania and on a whole series of issues vis-a-vis the Danube front, which, overshadowed by the Baltic problem, have not received so much attention from historians. Key words: Diplomacy, Philip II of Spain, Sigismund III Place names: Poland-Lithuania, Hungary, Crimean Period: Early Modern Age. REFERENCIAS Anusik, Z. 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This article analyses the collection of poems in the Vatican Manuscript Reginensis Latinus 1351. These poems were composed by Baudri of Bourgueil, also called Baldric of Dol, (ca. 1050 –1130) a Ben...

En este trabajo se analiza el rol de la Iglesia católica salvadoreña como agente de secularización. A partir del análisis de las relaciones de colaboración, tensión y conflicto entre la Diócesis de San Salvador y las municipalidades del Estado, y a partir del análisis del concordato firmado entre el Estado salvadoreño y la Santa Sede (1862). La investigación revela que en el proceso de secularización la Iglesia se desempeñó como agente y como producto de dicho proceso. Realidad: Revista de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades No. 156, 2020: 83-111

In the article the question of the influence of liturgy on the development of theological truth of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary was concerned. Analysing its content, an interrelation between liturgy and the Holy See can be noticed. On the one hand, liturgy, being a profession of Heaven’s Truths and surrendered to the Supreme Teaching Office of the Church, is the source which can deliver arguments and testimonies for recognizing certain point of the Christian’s teaching. On the other hand, not only does the Holy See give its consent to introducing the celebration of “the Assumption” of the Blessed Virgin Mary, but also it stated authoritatively its content. That, in turn, contributes to the explanation of the matter of the celebration.The source materials for the article are chosen pieces of Polish theological literature from the period between the Announcement of the Assumption (1st November,1950) and 1965. Having studied the sources one can notice that Mariology experts base their knowledge on the Holy Bible and the Church Tradition. Analysing the achievements of Polish Mariology, one can see a creative and independent approach towards the sources. Hence, the texts are not only studied, but also new conclusions are drawn. These, in turn, create a significant input into the development of Mariology.

Problem kanonizacji świętego Rocha sięga swoimi początkami wieków średnich. Szczególnie odnotować należy problem braku bulli kanonizacyjnej informującej Kościół Powszechny o dokonanej przez papieża kanonizacji. Ta, w przeciągu wieków, w swojej formie przybierała różnego rodzaju rozwiązania; różniła się zasadniczo kanonizacja wieków średnich od kanonizacji nowożytnej. Wielu papieży wypowiadało się na ten temat szukając optymalnego rozwiązania. Z jednej strony sprostania zapotrzebowaniom wiernych, z drugiej ujednolicenia procedur doprowadzających do wymaganego celu. Taki zamiar osiągnięto za sprawą wielu papieży wypowiadających się w różnego rodzaju dokumentach Stolicy Apostolskiej, które zostały w niniejszym artykule chociaż częściowo uwzględnione. Przedstawienie procedur doprowadzających do aktu kanonizacji, począwszy od wieku X po wiek XVI, zajmowało wysiłki kilkunastu papieży. To o nich wspominamy szczególnie w kontekście nieistniejącej dziś bulli kanonizacyjnej świętego Rocha. Poszukiwania okoliczności jej powstania i ogłoszenia przedstawiamy w kontekście materiałów źródłowych; już nie tylko bulli papieskich, ale istniejących najstarszych hagiografii świętego, począwszy od Vita sancti Rochi Francesca Dieda, księgi Anonima niemieckiego, Acta Breviora, aż po La vie et légénde de Monseigneur saint Roch Jehana Phelipota. Pojawiające się w nich punkty wspólne życiorysu świętego Rocha, ale i różnice, pozwalają na przeprowadzenie analizy odpowiadającej na pytanie, czy kanonizacja świętego Rocha dokonała się podczas Soboru w Konstancji (1414–1418), czy też w innych okolicznościach. Ponadto przedstawione zostały w niniejszym opracowaniu argumenty pośrednie, które w odróżnieniu od historycznych jednoznacznie, od czasów śmierci świętego, przyczyniały się do powstania jego kultu. Są to argumenty liturgiczne, o powszechnej dla Kościoła rozpiętości, jak i argumenty artystyczne, dokumentujące święte życie patrona od zarazy dżumy. W wielu miejscach, dzięki obrazom i rzeźbom, silna wiara w szybkim czasie stała się elementem propagującym kult świętego nie tylko w Europie. Artykuł kończy hipoteza ukierunkowana na trop odnalezienia – zdaniem autora – zaginionej bulli, która rozwiązałaby powstałe i narastające wokół świętego Rocha wątpliwości.

Antoni Baraniak SDB odegrał znaczącą rolę w pracach Konferencji Episkopatu Polski oraz jej komisji specjalistycznych. Formalnie od 1951 r. był członkiem Konferencji Episkopatu Polski, w praktyce jednak w posiedzeniach planarnych uczestniczył od 1957 r., gdy został mianowany arcybiskupem metropolitą poznańskim. Równocześnie wszedł w skład Komisji Głównej/Rady Głównej Episkopatu Polski. Jego aktywność obejmowała kilka obszarów działań: nauczanie pasterskie; kształtowanie stosunków z władzami PRL; wkład w posoborową reformę statusu prawnego KEP; kontakty ze Stolicą, konferencjami episkopatów oraz udział w gremiach watykańskich. Ważnym odcinkiem zaangażowania na forum Konferencji Episkopatu Polski był udział w pracach komisji specjalistycznych. Od 1959 r. aż do śmierci w 1977 r. Antoni Baraniak SDB przewodniczył Komisji Soborowej/Komisji do Spraw Realizacji Uchwał Soboru Watykańskiego II. Moderowana przez niego działalność tego gremium obejmowała: 1) animowanie ogólnopolskich programów duszpasterskich zawierających elementy przygotowania pastoralnego do Soboru Watykańskiego II (m.in. „Czuwań Soborowych”); 2) koordynację i porządkowanie przygotowań do poszczególnych sesji soborowych, w szczególności redakcji schematów soborowych; 3) ogólne nadzorowanie prac studyjnych nad dokumentami soborowymi, w tym wydania ich edycji polskiej oraz komentarzy; 4) starania o tworzenie literatury popularyzującej i przybliżającej dorobek Soboru, a także powstawanie różnorodnych pomocy duszpasterskich; 5) wyznaczanie głównych kierunków odnowy posoborowej, ich dostosowanie do możliwości i potrzeb duszpasterskich Kościoła katolickiego w Polsce oraz koordynowanie współdziałania w tym wymiarze poszczególnych komisji episkopatu; 6) formułowanie postulatów związanych z wdrażaniem reform posoborowych w Kościele Powszechnym, w tym odnoszących się do problematyki poruszanej na Synodach Biskupów. Ponadto – w latach 1959-1965 – zasiadał w Komisji Wydawnictw Katolickich, co miało bezpośredni związek z przygotowaniami do Millenium Chrztu Polski oraz pracami Soboru Watykańskiego II.

EnglishOne of the characteristics of the early Modern era is the development of cartography. Between 1450 and 1650 maps moved from portraying the world in Medieval terms – that is, as orbis terrae – to a division of the terrestrial globe in segments in the form of grids and coordinates. This change was due in particular to the numerous travels of exploration or adventure and diplomacy undertaken in those years by Europeans. In the case of Italy and Iran, “our man” is Pietro della Valle (1586-1652). He was there, and with him the gaze and interests of Italy, represented at that time by the Vatican and by the Republic of Venice. But he was not alone. Together with della Valle there were also the British Sir Robert Sherley, the German Heinrich von Poser und Gros Naedlitz and the Spanish Don Garcia de Silva y Figueroa. They, and others who followed them, tried to get information about and to influence the affairs of Iran and of the wider geopolitics of the Near East, at the same time making a contribution to the cartography of the country through their travel accounts and other writings. italianoUna delle caratteristiche della prima eta moderna e lo sviluppo della cartografia. Fra il 1450 e il 1650 le carte passarono da rappresentare il mondo in modo medievale, in termini di orbis terrae, a una divisione del globo terrestre in segmenti formati da reticolati e coordinate. Questo cambio fu dovuto in particolare ai numerosi viaggi di esplorazione o avventura e di natura diplomatica intrapresi in quegli anni dagli europei. Anche l’Italia vanta nomi importanti di viaggiatori che contribuirono a questo sviluppo. Nel caso dell’Iran, che all’epoca gli europei chiamavano Persia, il “nostro uomo” e Pietro della Valle (1586-1652). Lui c’era, e con lui lo sguardo e gli interessi dell’Italia, rappresentata all’epoca dallo Stato della Chiesa e dalla Repubblica di Venezia. Ma della Valle non era solo. Con lui c’erano anche l’inglese Sir Robert Sherley, il tedesco Heinrich von Poser und Gros Naedlitz e lo spagnolo don Garcia de Silva y Figueroa. Essi, ed altri che li seguirono, cercarono di informarsi ed influire sugli affari dell’Iran e della piu ampia geopolitica del Vicino Oriente, contribuendo al contempo attraverso i loro resoconti di viaggio ed altri scritti a cartografare il paese. Mutatis mutandis e in alcuni casi letteralmente sulle tracce dei loro predecessori, oggi come ieri i viaggiatori europei continuano ad interessarsi del paese, e del suo rapporto con l’Europa.

У науковій статті автори намагаються визначити правовий статус Греко-католицької Церкви у Польській державі упродовж 1919–1925. Розкривається репресивна політика польських органів влади проти греко-католицького духовенства впродовж другої половини 1919 р. Вище духовенство ГКЦ рішу­че протестувало проти арештів священнослужителів. У статті зазначається, що репресії пояс­нюють­ся державницькою позицією значної частини священнослужителів. Більшість отців ГКЦ підтримали бойкот перепису населення 1921 р. і бойкот виборів до польського сенату і сейму 1922 р. у Галичині. Священики усвідомлювали, що ці заходи організовані задля узаконення польської прина­леж­ності Східної Галичини. Відзначено, що спроба станиславівського єпископа Г. Хомишина нормалізувати польсько-українські відносини в Галичині шляхом переговорів між польськими і українськими ієрархами не була підтримана більшістю священнослужителів. У статті акцентовано увагу на негативній реакції поль­сь­ких урядових структур до дипломатичних зусиль митрополита Андрея Шептицького лобіювати україн­ські інтереси у окремих країнах Європи та Америки. Згадується, що польські власті прагнули забо­ронити А. Шептицькому повернутися до Галичини, домогтися від нього письмого визнання лояльного ставлення до польської держави. Розглядався варіант відкликання його з митрополичого престолу під приводом надання йому високої посади у Римі. Переслідування українського ієрарха викликало різко негативний резонанс серед загалу греко-католицького духівництва та вірних. Відзначається, що Конкордат, підписаний 1925 р. закріпив правовий статус ГКЦ та нову мо­дель церковно-державних відносин у Другій Речі посполитій, яка мусила забезпечувати політичну лояль­ність ієрархії та духовенства відносно польської держави. Аналіз дотримання/недотримання греко-католицькими священиками умов Конкордату стане предметом подальших наукових досліджень колективом авторів. Ключові слова: правовий статус, Греко-католицька Церква, Митрополит А. Шептицький, Кон­кордат, репресії духовенства.

In the aftermath of the Liberation of Vienna by the army commanded by Jan III Sobieski, international diplomacy was activated immediately to extend the Polish-Imperial League and continue the war against the Turkish. The diplo­macy of the Holy See, planned by Innocent XI, was particularly active: Franc­esco Buonvisi, ordinary nuncio in Vienna, and Opizio Pallavicini, nuncio in Warsaw, worked hard to encourage the adhesion of the Serenissima Republic of Venice. With the signing of the treaty on March 6, 1684 between Warsaw, Vienna, and Venice—solemnly celebrated in Rome on the following May 24— Innocent XI could count on joint action against the infidels by land and sea, with the armies of Poland, of the Empire, and the naval fleet of the Serenis­sima. The article intends to retrace the diplomatic phases—not always an easy task—which led to the signing of the League, paying attention to the decisive role played by the diplomacy of the Holy See.

During the dispute between Portugal and the Holy See over the rights of Patronage (Padroado real) in Asia, the Inquisition played a secondary role in the legal allegations of the Crown. In the local context of the controversies with the apostolic vicars sent by the Congregation de Propaganda Fide, priests and missionaries of the Portuguese Padroado saw the Holy Office as an instrument to defend the rights of the Crown, arresting and excommunicating on behalf of the tribunal. Imperial agents in the Estado da Índia envisioned the Inquisition as an instrument for claiming jurisdictional rights over territory, while they also faced conflicts with the inquisitors.

From time to time, there is a proposal in the public debate in Poland to break the 1993 concordat, and this has also recently been the case. However, in the current systemic and political reality of contemporary Poland, the issue of the invalidity or expiry of the Polish concordat is one purely for theoretical (academic) discussion. It is worth analyzing this through the prism of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties of 1969 and the Constitution of the Republic of Poland of 1997. The only hypothetical grounds for an annulment of the 1993 Concordat would be the allegation that it was concluded in violation of Art. 46 of the Vienna Convention, i.e. in breach of the rules of national law concerning the competence to conclude a treaty of fundamental importance. The Government of the Republic of Poland did not raise this objection within a reasonable time. There are also no circumstances that could constitute obvious reasons for considering the Polish concordat of 1993 as expired. One might try to defend the position that the concordat may be terminated unilaterally, despite the fact that it does not contain an appropriate clause in this regard. It can be compared to a friendship treaty. Such contracts are, by their very nature, subject to termination. It also seems that if need be, the Polish side might be able to terminate the concordat due to a fundamental change in circumstances, e.g. by referring to the rapidly progressing secularization process of Polish society. A very serious barrier to the termination of the concordat by the Polish side is the Constitution of the Republic of Poland of 1997. In Art. 25 sec. 4 it provides for the obligation to define the relations between the state and the Catholic Church, especially in the form of an international agreement with the Holy See. The hypothetical termination of the 1993 concordat would require prior appropriate amendment of Poland’s constitution and the consent of a number of state bodies. In the current legal situation in Poland, the termination of the treaty with the Vatican is very difficult in procedural terms, and is politically unrealistic.

The purpose of the following lines is an approach to the concept of Church risen from the Second Vatican Council, especially from the first eight numbers in the Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium, where the Church is defined as mystery. In order to do that, in a first moment and by means of an immersion into the theological and magisterial texts of the imminent pre-council, we will prove how the doctrine originated from the Vatican II connects perfectly with the preceding tradition. In a second moment and considering the numbers already mentioned as the main basis of the Dogmatic Constitution about the Church, we will go deeper in the analysis of the meaning of the concept mystery according to its application to the Church, mainly under the perspective of its relation with Christ.

The article aims to present the culture-forming role of the Catholic Church, which emerges from selected communications of the Polish Embassy at the Vatican, in opposition to the sovietisation of Polish culture developed by the communist authorities of the People’s Republic of Poland in the years 1956–1968. Materials from the Archive of the Józef Piłsudski Institute in America and available literature constituted the basis for the analysis. The undertaken research considering the sources fills a significant gap in the knowledge about the Catholic Church’s opposition to the process of sovietisation of Polish culture during the Cold War. It should be emphasised that in the post-war period the Church was the institution that shaped Christian values and a kind of “bastion” of resistance to the authorities whose one of the goals was to sovietise Polish culture. It continued the discourse on the ground of the expression of the inability to reconcile the communist ideology with Christian values in European, including Polish, culture. It also acted as a correspondent for the affairs of oppressed nations subjected to the course of sovietisation. The undertaken research is an answer for lack of knowledge on the Catholic Church opposition towards the process of sovietising Polish culture during the Cold War. All the above allows the hypothesis that the Catholic Church during this period was the only one successful opposition to the PRL authorities which were against the Polish culture and society.

The article is inspired by the discovery of new documents concerning the case of the heretic Fanino Fanini da Faenza, who in 1549–1550 was at the centre of a bitter jurisdictional conflict between the Holy See and the Estense State. Thanks to the new evidence collected, it is possible to outline the role played by the legate of Romagna, Cardinal Girolamo Recanati Capodiferro, who conducted negotiations with Duke Ercole II d’Este through the mediation of the Portuguese scholar António Ribeiro. The study then attempts to broaden the analysis, showing that Fanini’s story allows us to reflect on the positions taken by some members of the sacred college (in particular Marcello Cervini and Capodiferro himself) in the months preceding the death of Paul III, on their attitude towards the heretical emergency, and on the attempts of the Italian princes to impose their own control over the inquisitorial courts.

Az elmúlt évtizedek fegyveres konfliktusai gyakran olyan területen zajlottak, ahol az interkulturális és a vallási különbségek nagy jelentőséggel bírtak. Kiemelke-dően igaz ez a közel-keleti országokra, ahol a keresztények vallásuk miatt állami disz kriminációval, sok esetben nyílt üldöztetéssel találták szemben magukat. Bár Libanon az egyetlen állam a Közel-Keleten, amelynek tartósan keresztény vezetője van, a keresztények százalékos aránya a térségben – főként a muszlimok termékenységi rátája miatt – az elmúlt évszázad alatt csaknem a felére csökkent. Mivel az ország etnikai, vallási és felekezeti szempontból meglehetősen heterogén, a békés együttélés – főként az 1941-ben kikiáltott szuverenitás óta – az államot kihívás elé állította. Bár a térségbeli véres polgárháború (1975–1990) 30 éve lezárult, a tartós béke időszaka nem azonnal köszöntött be. Mind a polgárháború lezárásának előmozdításában, mind az azt követő megbékélésben elvitathatatlan érdemei vannak az elmúlt évtizedek pápáinak és az Apostoli Szentszék mérsékelt és kiegyensúlyozott diplomáciai törekvéseinek.

In September 2018, the Vatican and the People’s Republic of China reached a landmark provisional agreement, marking a new phase of relations between the two states since the severance of ties in 19...

This essay focuses on Pope Alexander VII’s predilection and talent for books and libraries—his private library, the Vatican Library, and the Alessandrina Library, specifically the Sapienza ...

In international politics, the Holy See and the United Nations [UN] share a universal mission for peace and human rights, and some observers see the Vatican’s relationship with the international or...

The present article studies some aspects of foreign policy of the Holy See in Spain during the First Carlist War (1833-40). The paper is based on materials from Vatican secret archives (Secretariat of state archives, international policy fund). Some previous investigations in that field are shown and discussed. Letters of the apostolic nuncio in Spain in 18271833 F. Tiberi and of the nuncio in 18331835 (not recognized by the Spanish government) L. Amat to the secretary of state cardinal T. Bernetti are studied. The attitude of the Pope's representatives towards the Carlist movement is shown. The article states that F. Tiberi was against the direct interference of the Holy See in the war in Spain. L. Amat sympathized with the Carlists, but did not believe in their victory. Therefore, he considered that the Holy See should not officially recognize neither side of the conflict. After the suppression of the Society of Jesus in Spain in July 1835, the nuncio was recalled from Madrid. The diplomatic relations between the liberal government in Madrid and the Holy See were broken. The break of relations led to negative consequences for the positions of Church in Spain.

Over the last few years, Italy has occupied a relatively marginal position with respect to the jihadist threat. Nonetheless, the propaganda of the Islamic State mentions Italy and the bordering Vat...

The attitude of the Church towards the authoritarian and totalitarian state was originally determined by the fact of existence of the Ecclesiastical State. Its downfall contributed to the change in the optics of the papist policy. Leo XIII initiated open realistic policy. He declared the Church’s readiness to co-exist (co-operate) with any form of government or social system which would not disturb the essential ecclesiastical tasks. The opinion which won was that the objectives to be attained by the Church were beyond systems and politics. This approach allowed to develop a concept, that evangelization activity should be pursued in any socio-political reality, with adapted methods. Acceptance was granted to those state systems which declared that they would defend of the Church’s position, as evidenced by establishment of political relationships between the Holy See and III Reich, fascist Italy, Spain of gen. Franco. On the other hand, the communist (totalitarian) countries were accused of rejecting “the moral norms of co-existence defined by the Church”. One can state that the Vatican offered support to those governments or totalitarian and authoritarian states whose internal and foreign policy agreed with the interests of the Church. During the pontificate of John XXIII, the Church started to express not only willingness to co-operate with each form of government, but also the need to have respect for other philosophies of life, including the leftist ones. As regards economic and political questions, the communist doctrine was not deprecated, unless in its extreme version. However, the doctrinal principles of materialism and programmatic atheism were consistently condemned and negated. Also, the Vatican decided to enter into dialogue with the extreme Left. Certainly, the papacy realised that the communist doctrine and totalitarian state in their very essence were enemies of the Church and religion. True evolution in the attitude towards different forms of governments and states was triggered by the II Vatican Oecumenical Council. While political struggle and discussion were avoided, disputes pertaining to philosophical views on life were undertaken. Agreement of any form was refused when atheism was “administratively succoured”. During the pontificate of Paul VI specific guidelines, principles and rules of procedure were introduced to regulate co-operation with totalitarian communist states. In order to ensure functioning of the Church in totalitarian systems, the Vatican resigned from any polemics as related to capitalism and communism. In turn, the Church demanded from totalitarian regimes to cease imposing the totalitarian world-view on the society. And thus, the Church’s fight for the Christian outlook on life was not given up. Depending on internal and external socio-political situation, and also on the form of the State and government concerned, the Church defined different conditions indispensable to be satisfied for its successful functioning. The evangelization mission was given superiority.

The article is a vote in discussion about the conciliar reform of liturgy, that is today not seldom criticized, or even questioned by the followers of the former Roman rite. For that reason the conciliar theology of liturgy is briefly recalled. Proper understanding and exploring of this theology may, according to the author, contribute to a better realization of the liturgical renewal, that in practice confronts various obstacles and difficulties. Yet these do not cross out the right of the reform itself which is invariably positively evaluated by the recent popes. Utter rejection of the liturgical reform would mean the lack of acceptance of the conciliar ecclesiology. The existence of two forms of the Roman rite within one Church is possible only under condition of mutual respect and appreciation as well as on the ground of positive reception of the entire teaching of the Vatican II (including liturgy), which is a duty of all catholics.

Scientific objective: To characterize the genesis of the institutions of the Holy See in the years 1948–2018, competent in media matters, against the background of changes in the Roman Curia’s system; showing the institutional evolution of the “media department”—from the Papal Commission established ad experimentum by the Council, having the status of an expert and promotional dicastery, to the dicastery with rights analogous to the congregation. Research method: Historical and normative analysis based on papal legislation and the literature on the subject. Results and conclusions: The analysis led to the conclusion that a feature of the changes was the systematic raising of the rank of institutions competent in matters of media and their functional and organizational integration. Cognitive value: The paper addresses the problem of tradition and modernization of the constitution of the Holy See’s primary organs, of which the Curia’s reform project initiated by Pope Francis and implemented since 2014 is a key element.This thread is a relatively new and little recognized subject of scientific analysis.

Primate Stefan Wyszyński’s Attitude towards the Apparent Normalization of State-church Relations in the First Years of Edward Gierek’s Rule (1971-1974) The article describes primate Wyszyński’s view on the political situation in the Polish People’s Republic during the period of 1971-1974. It contains his attitude to the political system, communist ideology, and negotiations between the Holy See and the government of the Polish People’s Republic. Primate Wyszyński was a political visionary, who had a very realistic view on the political situation in Poland. It was visible in his relation to the normalization, which the authorities declared in the first part of Edward Gierek’s decade.