Breviarium Romanum

of their benefices church offices that provide an income, and inability to hold those or obtain others in the future, as well as the penalty of excommunication to be incurred without further declaration. Under these same prohibitions and penalties, we intend and will that all things having their origin in the Roman Breviary be included, whether in part or in whole. These include Missals books containing the texts for Mass, Diurnals books for the daytime prayers of the Divine Office, the Little Offices of the Blessed Virgin, the Offices of Holy Week, and other such works. These are not to be printed henceforth unless they have been previously printed in the said press by the same printer, Andreas original: "Andream"; likely referring to Andrea Brogiotti, the director of the Vatican Press, so that they may entirely agree with the Breviary published by our command. Furthermore, we enjoin our Nuncios papal ambassadors living in all places to watch over this matter diligently and ensure that everything is carried out according to the prescription of our will. We do not, however, wish by these letters to prohibit Breviaries and the other aforementioned books which have been printed up to now. Instead, looking to the protection of all, we permit and indulge by Apostolic kindness that printers and booksellers may sell them, and that Churches, Clergy, and others may keep and use them. This is granted notwithstanding any licenses, indults, and privileges for printing Breviaries granted to any printers by us or our predecessors as Roman Pontiffs until now, which we expressly revoke by these presents and wish to be considered revoked. We also revoke any general and special constitutions and ordinances issued, confirmed, and approved in any way that contradict the premises. Regarding all these, even if special, specific, and express mention should have been made of them and their entire contents, we consider such contents as expressed in these presents. For this time only, we specially and expressly derogate from them and any other contrary things. We also desire that the same faith be given to copies of our present letters, even those printed in the Breviaries themselves, or signed by the hand of any public Notary and secured with the seal of a person established in Ecclesiastical dignity, as would be given to these presents themselves if they were exhibited or shown.

Given at Rome, at Saint Peter's, under the Ring of the Fisherman the official signet ring used by the Pope to seal private or administrative documents, on the 25th day of January, 1631. In the eighth year of our Pontificate.

FROM THE REGISTER OF DECREES

OF THE SACRED CONGREGATION OF RITES

The Sacred Congregation of Rites has declared and decreed that, after the Bull of Saint Pius V regarding the Roman Breviary, the Ordinaries local bishops or their equivalents of places, whether Secular or Regular, could not and cannot add the Offices of Saints to the Calendars the liturgical schedule of feast days, even their own. They may only add those granted by the Rubrics the rules and instructions written in red in liturgical books of the Roman Breviary, or by license of the Sacred Congregation of Rites or the Apostolic See. Nor may they, by their own authority or under any pretext, change the rite the rank or level of importance of a feast found in the Roman Calendar or the Breviary Rubrics to a higher rank, nor extend granted Offices from place to place.

Likewise, it has forbidden and prohibited a Feast with an Office from being celebrated throughout an entire City or Diocese, even by the authority of any Ordinary, simply because a Parish, Regular, or Abbey church exists in that place, or because of some Relic. It shall be celebrated only in the titular church of the Saint itself, or where the body or a significant Relic is kept, and not elsewhere.

It declared that significant Relics are the head, arm, leg, or that part of the body in which

the Martyr suffered, provided it is whole, not small, and legitimately approved by the Ordinaries.

Regarding local holy Bishops, Martyrs, Citizens, and other Feasts for which nothing is held in the Roman Calendar or the Breviary Rubrics, as well as those Blessed those who have been beatified but not yet canonized as saints not yet canonized, nothing shall be established by one's own authority, but the Sacred Congregation of Rites must be entirely consulted.

The decree recently issued regarding the election of Saints as Patrons, which has been printed, shall be entirely observed.

And all these things it has decreed, established, and commanded, renewing the penalties of the Constitution of Saint Pius V respectively.

Finally, after a report of these Decrees was made to Our Most Holy Lord Pope Urban VIII, he praised and approved them. He commanded them to be observed by everyone everywhere under the aforementioned penalties. Furthermore, he ordered them to be placed in the new Breviaries to be printed by command of His Holiness.

January 13, 1631.
In place of the + Seal.
T. Tegrimius, Bishop of Assisi, Secretary.

BY THE SAME FOR OPTIONAL SAINTS.

The same Sacred Congregation of Rites, held on the 2nd day of December, 1673, established by command of Clement X that Feasts of Optional Saints original: "Sanctis ad libitum"; saints whose celebration is not mandatory for the whole Church are not to be transferred in the future if their festival falls on a Sunday or any day of the movable Feasts. Instead, in that year, their Offices are to be omitted. Pope Innocent XI later confirmed this in a Congregation held on January 24, 1682, by general decree. He further extended it to Octaves eight-day periods of celebration following a major feast and the Birthdays of Saints that must be recited by Apostolic indult a special permission in any Religious Order or Diocese. Thus, not even on the said Feasts or Octaves can the Optional Feasts falling at that time be recited; they must be omitted entirely.

It permitted, however, that a transferred Feast which was otherwise to be celebrated on that day may be moved to another day that is not hindered. Likewise, an Office to be recited once a week or month by Apostolic indult may be omitted on that day, so that there is room for celebrating the Optional Office.