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 B ...

promulgated 41 papal

encyclical An encyclical was originally a circular letter sent to all the churches of a particular area in the ancient Roman Church. At that time, the word could be used for a letter sent out by any bishop. The word comes from the Late Latin (originally from ...

s, 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 Pope John XXIII ( la, Ioannes XXIII; it, Giovanni XXIII; born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, ; 25 November 18813 June 1963) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 28 October 1958 until his death in June 19 ...

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, Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 to his ...

John Paul I Pope John Paul I ( la, Ioannes Paulus I}; it, Giovanni Paolo I; born Albino Luciani ; 17 October 1912 – 28 September 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City from 26 August 1978 to his death 33 days later. Hi ...

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 sovereign ...

) 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 The Patriarch of Alexandria is the archbishop of Alexandria, Egypt. Historically, this office has included the designation "pope" (etymologically "Father", like "Abbot"). The Alexandrian episcopate was revered as one of the three major episco ...

, , 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 opposin ...

, , 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 Assumption, in Christianity, refers to the Assumption of Mary, a belief in the taking up of the Virgin Mary into heaven. Assumption may also refer to: Places * Assumption, Alberta, Canada * Assumption, Illinois, United States ** Assumption Town ...

? , , May 1, 1946 ,
(English)
, - , 11. , , '' Fulgens radiatur'' , , "The radiant light" , , On the Brilliant Light of

Saint Benedict Benedict of Nursia ( la, Benedictus Nursiae; it, Benedetto da Norcia; 2 March AD 480 – 21 March AD 548) was an Christianity in Italy, Italian Christian monk, writer, and theologian who is venerated in the Catholic Church, the Eastern Ortho ...

, , 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 Liturgy is the customary public ritual of worship performed by a religious group. ''Liturgy'' can also be used to refer specifically to public worship by Christians. As a religious phenomenon, liturgy represents a communal response to and partic ...

, , 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 ''In multiplicibus curis'' was an encyclical given by Pope Pius XII on 24 October 1948 at Castel Gandolfo, near Rome, in the tenth year of his pontificate. The encyclical repeated the Vatican's prior attitude to its concerns in the Holy Land and ...

'' , , "Among the multiple preoccupations" , , On Prayers for Peace in

Palestine __NOTOC__ Palestine may refer to: * State of Palestine, a state in Western Asia * Palestine (region), a geographic region in Western Asia * Palestinian territories, territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely the West Bank (including East ...

, , 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 (biblical), jubilee year ( he, יובל ''yūḇāl'') is mentioned to occur every 50th year; during which slaves and prisoners would be freed, deb ...

" , , 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 {{Infobox encyclical, title=Summi maeroris, language of title=Latin, translation of title=, pope=Pius XII, Papal coats of arms=C o a Pius XII.svg, signature date=19 July 1950, subject=, number=17, before=Anni Sacri, after=Humani Generis''Summi maero ...

'' , , "With the deepest sorrow" , , On a Call for Public Prayers for Peace , , July 19, 1950 ,
(English)
, - , 19. , , ''

Humani generis ''Humani generis'' is a papal encyclical that Pope Pius XII promulgated on 12 August 1950 "concerning some false opinions threatening to undermine the foundations of Catholic Doctrine". Theological opinions and doctrines known as ''Nouvelle Théolo ...

'' , , "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 ''Mirabile illud'' is an encyclical of Pope Pius XII on the crusade of prayer for peace, given at Rome from St. Peter's on the 6 December 1950, the twelfth year of his Pontificate. The Pope is concerned about imminent war spreading from the Ko ...

'' , , "That admirable" , , On a Crusade for Prayers for Peace , , December 6, 1950 ,
(English)
, - , 21. , , ''

Evangelii praecones ''Evangelii praecones'' (June 2, 1951) was an encyclical letter of Pope Pius XII about Catholic missions. In it, he described necessary improvements and changes, and the persecution of the Church in some parts of the world. The encyclical was i ...

'' , , "Toiling missionaries" , , On the Promotion of

Catholic Missions Missionary work of the Catholic Church has often been undertaken outside the geographically defined parishes and dioceses by religious orders who have people and material resources to spare, and some of which specialized in missions. Eventually, p ...

, , 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, Bith ...

, , 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 Macedon ...

, , 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 through ...

, 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 di ...

to Commemorate the

Centenary {{other uses, Centennial (disambiguation), Centenary (disambiguation) A centennial, or centenary in British English, is a 100th anniversary or otherwise relates to a century, a period of 100 years. Notable events Notable centennial events at ...

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 Boniface, OSB ( la, Bonifatius; 675 – 5 June 754) was an English Benedictines, Benedictine monk and leading figure in the Anglo-Saxon mission to the Germanic parts of the Frankish Empire during the eighth century. He organised significant ...

, , 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 (Latin for "You will draw waters") is a landmark encyclical of Pope Pius XII on devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Written on May 15, 1956, it was attached to the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the feast of the Sacred Heart of ...

'' , , "You shall draw waters" , , On Devotion to the

Sacred Heart The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus ( la, Cor Jesu Sacratissimum) is one of the most widely practised and well-known Catholic devotions, wherein the heart of Jesus is viewed as a symbol of "God's boundless and passionate love for mankind". This devo ...

, , 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 populous ...

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

, and the

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

, , 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 This is a list of encyclicals of Pope Pius XII. Pius XII promulgated 41 papal encyclicals, during his reign as pope 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 gift of faith" , , On the Present Condition of the

, 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 ''Invicti athletae'' (May 16, 1957) is an encyclical of Pope Pius XII to the bishops of the world on the 300th anniversary of the martyrdom of Saint Andrew Bobola. Some parts of the encyclical are addressed particularly to the Catholics of Pol ...

'' , , "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 Château ...

" , , Warning Against

Materialism Materialism is a form of philosophical monism which holds matter to be the fundamental substance in nature, and all things, including mental states and consciousness, are results of material interactions. According to philosophical materiali ...

on the

of the Apparitions at Lourdes , , July 2, 1957 ,
(English)
, - , 39. , , ''

Miranda prorsus Miranda may refer to: Law * ''Miranda v. Arizona'', an American legal case * ''Miranda'' warning, an American police warning given to suspects about their rights, before they are interrogated Places Australia * Miranda, New South Wales * Mirand ...

'' , , , , 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 transmit ...

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 s ...

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 * Circula ...

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 ca ...

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 system ...

. 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 Pope Pius XII ( it, Pio XII), born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli (; 2 March 18769 October 1958), was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 2 March 1939 until his death in October 1958. Before his e ...

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

Encyclical An encyclical was originally a circular letter sent to all the churches of a particular area in the ancient Roman Church. At that time, the word could be used for a letter sent out by any bishop. The word comes from the Late Latin (originally from ...

s indicate high

Papal 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 ...

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 Speech is a human vocal communication using language. Each language uses Phonetics, phonetic combinations of vowel and consonant sounds that form the sound of its words (that is, all English words sound different from all French words, even if ...

. Pontiffs differ on the use of encyclicals. On the issue of

birth control 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 ...

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 Pope Pius XI ( it, Pio XI), born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti (; 31 May 1857 – 10 February 1939), was head of the Catholic Church from 6 February 1922 to his death in February 1939. He was the first sovereign of Vatican City fro ...

issued the encyclical ''

Casti connubii ''Casti connubii'' (Latin: "of chaste wedlock") is a papal encyclical promulgated by Pope Pius XI on 31 December 1930 in response to the Lambeth Conference of the Anglican Communion. It stressed the sanctity of marriage, prohibited Catholics f ...

'', while

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, Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 to his ...

published an encyclical ''

Humanae vitae ''Humanae vitae'' (Latin: ''Of Human Life'') is an encyclical written by Pope Paul VI and dated 25 July 1968. The text was issued at a Vatican press conference on 29 July. Subtitled ''On the Regulation of Birth'', it re-affirmed the teaching of ...

'' 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 ''Sertum laetitiae'' (November 1, 1939) is an encyclical from Pope Pius XII to the Catholic Church of the United States of America in memory of the 150th anniversary of the installation of the first American bishop. The encyclical recalls Pope ...

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

Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...

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 Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...

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 ''Rerum novarum'' (from its incipit, with the direct translation of the Latin meaning "of revolutionary change"), or ''Rights and Duties of Capital and Labor'', is an encyclical issued by Pope Leo XIII on 15 May 1891. It is an open letter, pass ...

'', followed by '' Quadragesimo anno'' by Pius XI, and ''

Centesimus annus ''Centesimus annus'' (Latin for "the hundredth year") is an encyclical which was written by Pope John Paul II in 1991 on the hundredth anniversary of ''Rerum novarum'', an encyclical issued by Pope Leo XIII in 1891. It is part of a larger body o ...

'' 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 *Consistory ...

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 Chur ...

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 Rome ...

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