LETTER

To Our Venerable Brethi the Patriarchs, Primates, Archbishops, and Bishops of the whole world in favor and communion with the

Apostolic See.

VENERABLE BRETHREN,

Health and Apostolic Benediction.

We return thanks as it meet to the sovereign goodness of God, Whose will and providential “wish ; governs the whole of men’s lives, that the fiftieth

i anniversary of our priesheod has shown upon the

Church. Moreover, the wonderful unanimity of

hearts displayed in tokens of respect, the liberal

gifts, the public manifestations of readiness, is such | as He alone could have inspired. on Whom entirely | depend the spirits, the wills, and the hearts of men, and Who rules and directs events for the glory of the Christian religion.

It is indeed a wonderful and memorable event, whereby the enemies of the Church, in spite of themselves, whether they desire it or not, see with their own eyes that the Church maintains her divine lile, and the virtue with which she is endowed from heaven; this indeed makes them feel : that the impious strive in vain when they rage and E plan foolish attacks against the Lord and against his à

Church.

Pee dii Was CU NITRATE pT ET DE CO A te C pA

rimules,

rid

diction.

n goodil wish fiftieth pon the mity of liberal is such entirely of men, lory of

' event, spite of ee with ns her 2 is enem feel ge and inst his

In order that the memory of this heavenly benefit may be continued, and that its utility may be spread as far and wide as possible, We have laid open the treasures of heavenly graces to all the flock commiited to Our care. We have not bees v «nting in imploring the suecors of divine merey in. favor of those who are outside the ark of salvation whereby We hope to obtain that a// nations and all peoples, uniled in the faith by the bond of charity, may soon Jorm one flock under one shepherd. This is what We have asked of Our Lord Jesus-Christ in Our supplications on the occasion of the late solemn canonizations.

For lifting up Our eyes towards the Church triumphant We have solemnly decreed and accorded on the one hand the supreme honor of the saints ; on the other the title of Blessed to those Christian heroes, the examination of whose sublime virtues and miracles have been happily concluded according to due rights of law, so that the heavenly Jerusalem may be joined in a communion of the same joy with those who still pursue on earth the pilgrimage which lead them to God.

But by the help of God, in order that we may crown this joy, We desire to fulfil, as far as lies in Our power, Our apostolic duty of charity by extending the plenitude of Our infinite spiritual treasurers to those beloved children ofthe Church who, having died the death of the just, have quitted this world o! strife with the sign of faith, and are branches of the mystical vine, though they cannot enter into ever lasting rest until they have paid the uttermost farthing which they owe to the avenging justice ol God.

We are moved to this both by the pious desires of Catholics to whom We know that Our resolution will be especially grateful, and by the fearful tortu. res which the souls of the departed suffer, but we are

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also animated by the custom of the Church, which, amidst the most joyous solemnities of the year, fails not to make a holy and salutary commemoration of the dead that they may be delivered from their sins.

Therefore, since it is certain by the doctrine of the Catholic Church, that the souls detained in purgatory are benefitted by the prayers of the faithful, and especially by the august Sacrifice of the Altar, We think We can cive them no more useful and desirable pledge of Our love than by everywhere increasing the offering of the pure oblation of the Most Holy Sacrifice of Our Divine Mediator, for the extinction of their pain. We therefore, decree, with all the necessary dispensations and indulgences, the last Sunday of next September as a day of ample expiation on which will be celebrated by Ourselves, and equally by each of our brethern the Patriarchs, Archbishops and Bishops, and also by other Prelates exercising jurisdiction in a diocese, each in his own church, whether patriarchal, metropolitan, or cathedral, a special Mass for the Dead with the greatest solemnity possible, and according to the rite ordered in the Missal for the Commemoration of all souls.

We desire also that this should take place in the same manner in all parish and collegiate churches, both of the secular and regular clergy, and by all priests generally, provided that they do not omit the proper office of the Mass for the day where it is obligatory.

As to the faithful, We strenuously exhort them after sacramental confession devoutly to partake of the Bread of Angels for the benefit of the souls in purgatory. We grant by our Apostolic authority a plenary indulgence to be gained by such of the faithful, applicable to the dead, and the favor of a privileged altar to all those who, as has been said before, say Mass.

Thus those pious souls who expiate the remainder

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hich, fails o of sins.

f the atory tally e can ge of ring ce of their ssary w of n on

and wchs, alates own 'athe- ;atest

lered

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them ke of ils in rity a f the of a | said

under

oftheir sins amidst such tortures will receive a special and opportune consolation, thanks to the life-giving Victim of the Universal Church, united to her visible head, and, animated "with alike spirit oi charity, will offer to God that He may admit them to ihe dwelling of His consolation, to light and eternel peace.

In the meanwhile, Venerable Brethren, we affectionately grant you in the Lord as a pledge of celestial gilts the Apostolic benediction, to you and to all the clergy and people committed to your charge.

Given at St. Peter's, at Rome, at the solemnity of Easter, in the year 1888, the eleventh of our Pontificate.

LEO XIII, POPE

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