DEDICATION TO ST. JOSAPHAT, Bishop and Martyr.
ENCYCLICAL LETTER
ECCLESIAM DEI OF THE HIGH PONTIFF PIUS
XI
TO THE VENERABLE PATRIARCH BROTHERS,
PRIMATES, ARCHBISHOPS, BISHOPS
AND TO THE OTHER LOCAL ORDINARIES
WHO HAVE PEACE AND COMMUNION
WITH THE APOSTOLIC SEE,
ON THE OCCASION OF THE
THIRTEENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE
ARCHOTHYRUS OF MARTYRS
Venerable Brothers, Health and the Apostolic Blessing.
The Church of God, by admirable providence, was constituted in such a way as to succeed in the fullness of time as an immense family, embracing the universality of mankind, and therefore, as we know, was made divinely manifest, among its other notes. characteristics, through ecumenical unity. Since Christ our Lord was not satisfied with entrusting to the Apostles alone the mission which He had received from the Father, when he said: « All power in heaven and on earth is given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all peoples “[ 1 ], but he also wanted the Apostolic College to be perfectly one, with a double and very close bond: one intrinsic, with the same faith and charity that” is spread in hearts … by the Holy Spirit “[ 2]; the other extrinsic with the regime of one alone above all, having entrusted to Peter the primacy over the other Apostles as a perpetual principle and visible foundation of unity. This unity, at the close of his mortal life, He with great solicitude recommended them [ 3 ]; this same, with most ardent prayers, asked the Father [ 4 ], and pleaded, ” heard for his reverence ” [ 5 ].
Therefore the Church was formed and grew into “a single body” animated and vigorous by the same spirit, of which ” Christ is the head, from whom the whole body is composed and connected through all the communication joints ” [ 6 ]; and for this same reason, the visible head is the one who takes the place of Christ on earth, the Roman Pontiff. In him, as the successor of Peter, that word of Christ is perpetually fulfilled: ” On this rock I will build my Church ” [ 7 ]; and he, perpetually exercising that office which was entrusted to Peter, never ceases to confirm, where necessary, his brothers in faith and to shepherd all the lambs and sheep of the Lord’s flock.
Now no other prerogative ever ” enemy man ” opposed more hostility than unity of government in the Church, such as that to which unity of spirit is joined, ” in the bond of peace ” [ 8 ]; and if the enemy could never prevail against the Church herself, he nevertheless obtained from her womb not a small number of children, and even entire peoples. To such great damage not a little conferred both the struggles of the nationalities between them, and the laws contrary to religion and piety, and also the overwhelming love for the perishable goods of the earth.
Of all the greatest and most lamentable was the separation of the Byzantines from the ecumenical Church. Although it seemed that the Councils of Lyons and Florence could remedy it, nevertheless it was subsequently renewed and continues to this day with immense damage to souls. Let us therefore see how the Eastern Slavs were misled and were lost, together with others, although they had remained longer than the others in the womb of the mother Church. It is known, in fact, that they still maintained some relations with this Apostolic See, even after the schism of Michele Cerulario: and these relations, interrupted by the invasions of the Tartars and Mongols, were subsequently resumed and continued until they were prevented by stubbornness. rebel of the powerful.
But in this case the Roman Pontiffs omitted nothing of what belongs to their office; indeed some of them took to heart in a special way the salvation of the Eastern Slavs. Thus Gregory VII sent with a very kind letter [ 9 ] wishes of every heavenly blessing to the Prince of Kiev, ” to Demetrius, king of the Russians and to his queenIn the beginning of their reign, at the request of their son present in Rome. Thus Honorius III sent his legates to the city of Novgorod; and the same was done by Gregory IX and, not long after, Innocent IV, who sent as a legate a man of great and strong spirit, Giovanni da Pian del Carpine, a luster of the Franciscan family. The fruit of so much solicitude of Our Predecessors was seen in the year 1255, when there was the re-establishment of harmony and unity, and to celebrate it in the name of the Pontiff, and by his authority, his legate, the Abbot Opizone, crowned, with solemn pomp, Daniel, son of Romano. And so, according to the venerable tradition and the most ancient customs of the Eastern Slavs, it was obtained that at the Council of Florence, Isidore, Metropolitan of Kiev and Moscow, Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church,
Therefore this restoration of unity lasted in Kiev for many years; but there were then added new reasons for breaking with the political upheavals, which matured in the early 16th century. But it was again happily renewed in 1595, and the following year, at the Council of Brest, promulgated by the metropolitan of Kiev and other Ruthenian bishops. Clement VIII welcomed them with all affection, and by publishing the constitution ” Magnus Domini ” he invited all the faithful to give thanks to God, ” who always has thoughts of peace, and wants all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth ” .
But in order for such unity and concord to be perpetuated, God, supremely provident, wanted to consecrate them, as it were, with the seal of holiness and martyrdom. Such a great boast has gone to St. Josaphat, Archbishop of Polotsk, of the Eastern Slavic rite, who rightfully should be recognized as the glory and support of the Eastern Slavs, since it will hardly be found another who has given their name a greater luster, or that he better provided for their health, this Pastor and Apostle of theirs, especially for having shed his blood for the unity of the holy Church. Recurring therefore the three hundredth anniversary of his most glorious martyrdom, It is extremely dear to us to renew the memory of such a great person, so that the Lord, invoked by the most fervent supplications of the good, “arouse in your Church that spirit, which the blessed Martyr and Pontiff Josaphat was full of … so much so that he gave his life for his sheep “[ 10 ], so that, by growing zeal among the people to promote unity, increased the work that was so close to his heart, until that promise of Christ and at the same time the desire of all the Saints is fulfilled, that ” there may be one fold and one Shepherd ” [ 11 ].
He was born of parents separated from unity, but, religiously baptized with the name of John, he began from an early age to cultivate piety; and while he followed the splendor of the Slavic liturgy, he sought above all the truth and glory of God: and for this reason, not for the impulse of human reasons, he turned, still a child, to the communion of the ecumenical, that is, Catholic Church, to which he judged to be already destined for the same validity of his baptism. On the contrary, feeling moved by divine inspiration to re-establish holy unity everywhere, he understood that it would be very helpful to retain the Eastern Slavic rite and the Basilian monastic institute in union with the Catholic Church. Therefore, accepted in the year 1604 among the monks of San Basilio, and changed the name of John to that of Josaphat,
Thus the Metropolitan of Kiev, Joseph Velamin Rutsky, who was the head of that same monastery as Archimandrite, testifies that ” in a short time he made such progress in the monastic life that he could be a teacher to others”. So, as soon as he was ordained a priest, Josaphat found himself elected to govern the monastery as an archimandrite. In exercising this office not only did he endeavor to maintain and defend the monastery and the adjacent temple, insuring them against enemy attacks, but also, having found them almost abandoned by the faithful, he did everything to make them frequent again by the Christian people. And at the same time, having first of all at heart the union of his fellow citizens with the chair of Peter, he sought on every side useful arguments to promote and consolidate it, mainly by studying those liturgical books that Orientals, and dissidents themselves, are accustomed to use according to the prescriptions of the Holy Fathers.
Having said such diligent preparation, he then set about treating, with strength and gentleness together, the cause of the restoration of unity, obtaining such abundant fruits as to deserve from the same opponents the title of ” kidnapper of souls.”. And the great number of souls he led to the one fold of Jesus Christ is truly admirable, from all orders and from all social classes, plebeians, shopkeepers, knights, and even prefects and governors of provinces, as narrated by the Sokolinski of Polotsk, of the Tyszkievicz of Novogrodesc, of the Mieleczko of Smolensk. But he extended his apostolate to a much wider field when he was appointed bishop in Polotsk: an apostolate that had to be extraordinarily effective, while he offered the example of a life of supreme chastity, poverty and frugality and at the same time of so much liberality. towards the indigent to reach up to commit the omophorionto help their misery. In the meantime, he kept himself rigidly in the sphere of religion, not dealing in the least with political negotiations, although more than once he did not lack great solicitations to meddle with civil cures and struggles, while at last he strove, with the distinguished zeal of a most holy Bishop, to inculcate the truth without ceasing, with words and writings. In fact, he published several writings, which he wrote in a form entirely suited to the character of his people, such as on the primacy of St. Peter, on the baptism of St. Vladimir, an apology for Catholic unity, a catechism on the method of Blessed Peter Canisius, and others like it. Since he then insisted very much on exhorting both clergy to the diligence of their office, the zeal of their ministry awakened in the priests, he succeeded in obtaining that the people, duly instructed in Christian doctrine and nourished by an appropriate preaching of the word of God, became accustomed to attending the Sacraments and sacred functions and gave themselves to an increasingly correct standard of living. And thus, having spread the spirit of God widely, Saint Josaphat wonderfully consolidated the work of unity, to which he had dedicated himself. But above all then he consolidated it, and indeed consecrated it, when he met martyrdom for it, and met it with the most lively enthusiasm and the most admirable magnanimity. He always thought of martyrdom, often spoke of it. Martyrdom was wished in a famous sermon. Martyrdom ardently asked God what singular benefit, so much so that, a few days before his death, when he was warned of the pitfalls that were being placed on him: ” duly instructed in Christian doctrine and nourished by an appropriate preaching of the word of God, he became accustomed to attending the sacraments and sacred functions and gave himself to an increasingly correct standard of living. And thus, having spread the spirit of God widely, Saint Josaphat wonderfully consolidated the work of unity, to which he had dedicated himself. But above all then he consolidated it, and indeed consecrated it, when he met martyrdom for it, and met it with the most lively enthusiasm and the most admirable magnanimity. He always thought of martyrdom, often spoke of it. Martyrdom was wished in a famous sermon. Martyrdom ardently asked God for what singular benefit, so much so that, a few days before his death, when he was warned of the pitfalls being placed on him: ” duly instructed in Christian doctrine and nourished by an appropriate preaching of the word of God, he became accustomed to attending the sacraments and sacred functions and gave himself to an increasingly correct standard of living. And thus, having spread the spirit of God widely, Saint Josaphat wonderfully consolidated the work of unity, to which he had dedicated himself. But above all then he consolidated it, and indeed consecrated it, when he met martyrdom for it, and met it with the most lively enthusiasm and the most admirable magnanimity. He always thought of martyrdom, often spoke of it. Martyrdom was wished in a famous sermon. Martyrdom ardently asked God what singular benefit, so much so that, a few days before his death, when he was warned of the pitfalls that were being placed on him: ” he got used to attending the Sacraments and sacred functions and gave himself to an increasingly correct standard of living. And thus, having spread the spirit of God widely, Saint Josaphat wonderfully consolidated the work of unity, to which he had dedicated himself. But above all then he consolidated it, and indeed consecrated it, when he met martyrdom for it, and met it with the most lively enthusiasm and the most admirable magnanimity. He always thought of martyrdom, often spoke of it. Martyrdom was wished in a famous sermon. Martyrdom ardently asked God what singular benefit, so much so that, a few days before his death, when he was warned of the pitfalls that were being placed on him: ” he got used to attending the Sacraments and sacred functions and gave himself to an increasingly correct standard of living. And thus, having spread the spirit of God widely, Saint Josaphat wonderfully consolidated the work of unity, to which he had dedicated himself. But above all then he consolidated it, and indeed consecrated it, when he met martyrdom for it, and met it with the most lively enthusiasm and the most admirable magnanimity. He always thought of martyrdom, often spoke of it. Martyrdom was wished in a famous sermon. Martyrdom ardently asked God what singular benefit, so much so that, a few days before his death, when he was warned of the pitfalls that were being placed on him: ” and he consecrated indeed, when he met martyrdom for it, and met it with the most lively enthusiasm and the most admirable magnanimity. He always thought of martyrdom, often spoke of it. Martyrdom was wished in a famous sermon. Martyrdom ardently asked God what singular benefit, so much so that, a few days before his death, when he was warned of the pitfalls that were being placed on him: ” and he consecrated indeed, when he met martyrdom for it, and met it with the most lively enthusiasm and the most admirable magnanimity. He always thought of martyrdom, often spoke of it. Martyrdom was wished in a famous sermon. Martyrdom ardently asked God what singular benefit, so much so that, a few days before his death, when he was warned of the pitfalls that were being placed on him: “Lord – he said – grant me to be able to shed your blood for the unity and obedience of the Apostolic See ». His desire was fulfilled on Sunday 12 November 1623 when, surrounded by enemies who went in search of the Apostle of unity, he met them smiling and kind, and prayed to them, for example of his Master and Lord, that they would not touch the his family, gave himself into their hands; and while he was most cruelly wounded, he did not cease to the extreme of invoking God’s forgiveness upon his killers.
Great were the advantages of such a famous martyrdom, especially among the Ruthenian bishops who drew a living example of firmness and courage, as they themselves attested, two months later, in a letter sent to the Sacred Congregation of Propaganda: ” We offer ourselves very ready to give blood and life for the Catholic faith, as one of us already gave it ». Furthermore, very many, and among these the killers of the Martyr themselves, returned immediately afterwards to the bosom of the one Church.
Therefore, the blood of Saint Josaphat, as it was three centuries ago, is also and especially now a pledge of peace and a seal of unity: especially now, let’s say, after those unfortunate Slavic provinces, devastated by disturbances and riots, have been bloodied by furious wars and merciless. And we seem to hear the voice of that blood, ” which speaks better than that of Abel ” [ 12 ], and to see that martyr turn to his Slavic brothers repeating, as in the past, with the words of Jesus: ” The sheep lie without shepherd. I have compassion for this multitude”. And truly, how miserable their condition is! How terrible their distress! How many exiles from the homeland! How much massacre of bodies and how much ruin of souls! Observing the present calamities of the Slavs, certainly much more serious than those which our Saint complained about, we can hardly succeed, for our paternal affection, to stop the tears.
To alleviate such a great pile of miseries, We, for our part, Hurried, it is true, to bring aid to the needy, without any human aim, without making any other distinction than that of the most pressing necessity. But Our chance could not reach everything. Indeed, we could not prevent the multiplication of offenses against truth and virtue, with contempt for every religious sentiment, with prison and with persecution, in many places even bloody, of Christians and of priests and bishops themselves.
In considering so many evils, the solemn commemoration of the distinguished Shepherd of the Slavs comforts us not a little, because it offers us the opportunity to express the paternal sentiments that animate us towards all the Eastern Slavs and to put before them, as the synthesis of all goods, the return to the ecumenical unity of the holy Church.
While we invite dissidents to such unity, we ardently desire that all the faithful, following in the footsteps and teachings of St. Josaphat, study, each according to their own strength, to cooperate with Us. And they understand well that this unity, better than with discussions and other stimuli, is to be promoted with the examples and works of a holy life, especially with charity towards the Slavic brothers and towards other Orientals, according to what the Apostle, ” having the same charity, one soul, the same sentiment, without doing anything out of spite or vainglory; but out of humility, one believes the other superior to himself, each taking care not of what is good for him but what is good for others “[ 13 ].
To this end, as it is necessary that the dissident Orientals, laying down ancient prejudices, try to know the true life of the Church, without wanting to impute to the Roman Church the sins of private individuals, sins which she condemns and tries to correct for the first time; so the Latins should try to know better and more deeply the history and customs of the Orientals; because precisely from this intimate knowledge derived such great efficacy to the apostolate of Saint Josaphat.
This was the reason why we tried to promote with renewed ardor the Pontifical Oriental Institute, founded by our late Predecessor Benedict XV , convinced that from the right knowledge of the facts will arise the just appreciation of men and likewise that sincere benevolence, which, combined with Christ’s charity, with God’s help, will greatly benefit religious unity.
Animated by this charity, all will experience what the divinely inspired Apostle teaches: ” There is no distinction between a Jew and a Greek, because he is the Lord of all, rich to all who invoke him ” [ 14 ]. And, what is more important, by scrupulously obeying the same Apostle, not only will prejudices lay aside, but also vain mistrust, rancor and hatred: in a word, all those animosities so contrary to Christian charity, which divide among themselves the nations. In fact, St. Paul himself warns: “Don’t lie to each other. In fact, you have stripped yourself of the old man with his actions and you have clothed the new, which is renewed, for a full knowledge, in the image of its creator. Here there is no longer Gentile and Jew … Barbarian and Scythian, servant and free, but Christ is all in all ”[ 15 ].
In this way, with the reconciliation of individuals and peoples, the union of the Church will also be obtained with the return to her bosom of all those who, for whatever reason, separated from her. And the fulfillment of this union will take place not because of human commitment, but because of the goodness of that one God who ” does not prefer people ” [ 16 ], and who ” made no difference between us and them ” [ 17 ] ; and thus, united among themselves, all peoples, of whatever lineage or language, and whatever their sacred rites may be, will enjoy the same rights; rites that the Roman Church always venerated and held religiously, decreeing their conservation and adorning them as with precious garments, almost ” queen in a golden mantle with a variety of ornaments”[ 18 ].
But since this agreement of all peoples in ecumenical unity is above all the work of God, and therefore to be obtained with divine help and assistance, we have recourse with all diligence to prayer, following in this the teachings and examples of St. Josaphat, who in his apostolate for unity trusted above all in the value of prayer.
And under his guidance and patronage, we venerate with special worship the Sacrament of the Eucharist, pledge and principal cause of unity, that mystery of faith for which those Eastern Slavs, who in their separation from the Roman Church jealously preserved their love. and zeal, they managed to avoid the impiety of the worst heresies. From here it is legitimate to hope for the fruit that the holy mother Church asks with pious trust in the celebration of these august mysteries, that is, that ” God may grant propitiously the gifts of unity and peace, which are mystically symbolized in the oblations made to the altar ” [ 19 ]. And this grace the Latins and the Orientals implore in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass: these ” praying to the Lord for the unity of all», Those by begging the same Christ our Lord who« regarding the faith of his Church, deign to pacify and unify her according to his will ».
Another bond of reintegration of unity with the Eastern Slavs lies in their singular devotion to the great Virgin Mother of God, by virtue of which many turn away from heresy and come closer to us. And in this devotion, in which he noted a great deal, our Saint equally trusted a great deal to foster the work of unity: hence he used with particular veneration to honor, in the custom of the Orientals, a small icon of the Virgin Mother of God, who by the Basilian monks and by the faithful of any rite, even in Rome in the church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus, she is highly venerated with the title of ” Queen of the pastures”. Therefore, we invoke her, as most benign Mother, with this title especially, to guide the dissident brothers to the pastures of health, where Peter, always living in his successors, as Vicar of the eternal Shepherd, feeds and governs all the lambs and all the sheep of Christ’s flock.
Finally, to the Saints all of Heaven we have recourse as our intercessors for such a great grace, especially to those who once flourished most of the Orientals for the fame of holiness and wisdom, and still flourish today for the veneration and worship of peoples. But first of all let us invoke St. Josaphat as patron, so that, just as he was a very strong advocate of unity in life, so now he promotes it with God and vigorously supports it. And so We pray the suppliant words of Our ancestor of immortal memory, Pius IX: “God grant that your blood, O Saint Josaphat, which you shed for the Church of Christ, be a pledge of that union with this Holy Apostolic See, for which you always yearned, and which day and night you implored with fervent prayer from God, sum goodness and power. And so that this may finally come true, we sincerely desire to have you assiduous intercessor with God himself and the Court of Heaven ».
As an auspice of divine favors and as a testimony of Our benevolence, we impart with all affection Venerable Brothers, to you, to the clergy and to your people, the Apostolic Blessing.
Given in Rome, at St. Peter’s on November 12, 1923, the second year of Our Pontificate .
PIUS PP. XI
[ 1 ] Matth ., XXVIII, 18, 19.
[ 2 ] Rom ., V, 5.
[ 3 ] Ioann ., XVII, 11, 21, 22.
[ 4 ] Ibid .
[ 5 ] Hebr ., V, 7.
[ 6 ] Eph ., IV, 4, 5, 15, 16.
[ 7 ] Matth ., XVI, 18.
[ 8 ] Eph. , IV, 3.
[ 9 ] Ep ., Lib. 2, ep. 74, apud Migne, Patr. lat ., t. 148, col. 425.
[ 10 ] In officio S. Iosaphat.
[ 11 ] Ioann ., X, 16.
[ 12 ] Hebr ., XII, 24.
[ 13 ] Phil ., II, 2-4.
[ 14 ] Rom ., X, 12.
[ 15 ] Coloss ., III, 9-11.
[ 16 ] Act ., X, 34.
[ 17 ] Ibid. , XIV, 9.
[ 18 ] Psalm . XLIV, 10.
[ 19 ] Secreta Missae in solemnitate Corporis Christi.
Fr. Bassols Imo Donald 