Showing posts with label Leo X. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Leo X. Show all posts

Monday, June 02, 2025

Pope Leo X's Approval of the Complutensian Polyglot

Pope Leo X, writing on March 22, 1520, approved of the publication of the Complutensian Polyglot. One of the issues faced by the Complutensian project was that Cardinal Francisco Ximénez de Cisneros (1436 to 1517) died in 1517, after 15 years of work and an enormous outlay of money.  Although the project was essentially completed four months before his death, the actual publication of the work was not made during his life, and the result was that there had not been any papal approval of the work prior to his demise.  Pope Leo X, soon to become famous to history for his condemnation of Martin Luther in Exsurge Domine (June 15, 1520), officially approved the Complutensian Polyglot in the letter that was included as front matter to volume 1 of the CP.  

One point to highlight from this document is that it approves the Complutensian Polyglot, which includes prefaces that adopt Jerome's view of the lack of full canonicity of the Deuterocanonical books.  

Finally, it's worth noting (as Dr. Ed Gallagher does here) that this is not an issue that is limited to the prologues reproduced from Jerome and others (I think that some are Isidore's, or at least influenced by Isidore, but I have not checked to be sure).  The bigger issue is the portion of the book that, above all other portions, Leo X is most likely to have read.  That portion has two parts, (1) the dedicatory prologue written in 1517 (a full translation can be found here); and (2) . 

The dedicatory prologue includes this:

There are many reasons, Holy Father, that impel us to print the languages of the original text of Holy Scripture ... Since, however, the most learned translator can present only a part of this, the full Scripture in translation inevitably remains up to the present time laden with a variety of sublime truths which cannot be understood from any source other than the original language.  Moreover, wherever a diversity in the Latin manuscripts or the suspicion of a corrupted reading (we know how frequently this occurs because of the ignorance and negligence of copyists), it is necessary to go back to the original source of Scripture, as St. Jerome and St. Augustine and other ecclesiastical writers advise us to do, to examine the authenticity of the books of the Old Testament in light of the correctness of the Hebrew text and of the New Testament in the light of the Greek copies. And so that every student of Holy Scripture might have at hand the original texts themselves and be able to quench his thirst at the very fountainhead of the water that flows unto life everlasting and not have to content himself with rivulets alone, we ordered the original languages of Holy Scripture with their translations adjoined to be printed and dedicated to your Holiness.

Translation is from Catholic Reform: From Cardinal Ximenes to the Council of Trent, 1495-1563 : an Essay with Illustrative Documents and a Brief Study of St. Ignatius Loyola, by John C. Olin (Fordham University Press, 1990).

The next is the Prologue to the Reader (begins on the back side of the dedicatory prologue).

I have provided an image of the first page of the prologue with a relevant portion highlighted, below.  However, the relevant Latin text is this (as helpfully and correctly transcribed by Dr. Gallagher): 

At vero libri extra canonem: quos Ecclesia potius ad aedificationem populi quam ad autoritatem ecclesiasticorum dogmatum confirmandam recipit. Graecam tamen habent scripturam: sed cum duplici latina interpretatione: altera beati Hieronymi: altera interlineari de verbo ad verbum: eo modo quo in caeteris. 

My translation:

But truly [there are] books outside the canon, which the Church receives rather for the edification of the people than for the establishing of ecclesiastical doctrines: they have Greek writing, but with a double Latin translation; one by the blessed Jerome, the other interlinear: word for word, in the same manner as the others.  

Gallagher's translation:

But there are books outside the canon which the Church has received more for the edification of the people than for the authoritative confirmation of ecclesiastical dogmas. But they have Greek writing, but with a double Latin translation, one of blessed Jerome, the other a word-for-word interlinear, just as in the others. 

Gallagher notes that the first sentence, "But ... dogmas," is "a quotation from Jerome's Preface to the Books of Solomon, discussed here, p. 102."  There are plenty of additional jewels to be found in Gallagher's post.

I should add here that we have additional evidence of Leo X's tacit approval of the distinction between "Sacred Scripture" (generally) and "Sacred Scripture that is in the canon."  The evidence comes from his condemnation of Martin Luther in Exsurge Domine, in which he condemns as number thirty-seven of the errors of Martin Luther: "37. Purgatory cannot be proved from Sacred Scripture which is in the canon."  

The following is an (unprofessional) English translation of his letter, followed by an image of the letter and an approximate transcription of the same.  I've also included an image of (perhaps) the most significant of the prologues included.  Note well, however, that there are other prologues that (taken alone) might seem to reflect a more favorable attitude toward the deuterocanonical books. Below that are images of additional material referenced above.

*** 

TO THE VENERABLE BROTHER FRANCISCO, BISHOP OF ÁVILA, AND TO THE BELOVED SON FRANCISCO DE MENDOZA, ARCHDEACON OF PEDROCHE IN THE CHURCH OF CÓRDOBA, OR TO EITHER OF THEM.

POPE LEO X

To the venerable brother and beloved son, greetings and apostolic blessing.

Some time ago, through the report of our venerable brother Bernardino, Bishop of Sabina, and our beloved son Giles, priest and Cardinal (titular of St. Matthew), we understood that among other things which the late Francis, priest and Cardinal (titular of St. Balbina), completed with the highest praise before he departed from human affairs, there exists a work of the New and Old Testaments—namely, the New [Testament] in Greek and Latin, and the Old [Testament] in Greek and Latin as well as in Hebrew and Chaldean languages—compiled by the same Cardinal Francis with much diligence and the agreement of learned men, and printed at the expense of the same Cardinal Francis in up to six hundred volumes or more.

But since, after such printing, the said Cardinal Francis was suddenly taken by death, and our approval for the publication of the said work had not been requested, the work itself has not until now been able to reach the hands of scholars and the public good, for whom it will be fruitful. Moreover, the will of the said Cardinal Francis, recorded in his testament, remains partly unexecuted. And this is to be fulfilled from the price for which the said volumes will be sold.

Wherefore, we deem it unworthy that a work of such usefulness for the public should be hidden any longer, and that the pious will of so worthy a man should be frustrated by a delayed execution. And desiring to support both with the help of our provision:

Of our own accord, and with certain knowledge, approving the aforesaid work, and granting that it may henceforth freely come to light through the hands of scholars and others, we command your discretion—who, as we have heard, are among the executors of the said testament—by these letters, that you should diligently see to it that the aforesaid volumes be sold for the best price that can be obtained, even without the other executors of the said testament, if any there be, and that from this price you should cause the said will to be fulfilled according to the means of the said price.

And lest any of the said volumes remain unsold, we forbid all and each person, both ecclesiastical and secular, of whatever dignity, state, rank, order, and condition they may be, under penalty of latae sententiae excommunication (from which no one may be absolved except by us or by our special mandate, except when in the moment of death), and also under the penalty of one thousand gold ducats to be paid by each transgressor to the court—and which are to be assigned, in equal parts, to the building of the basilica of Saint Peter in the city and to our treasury for the time being, for up to seven years from the day the sale begins—that they presume to print the same [work] in any way.

But if, rashly (which may it not be), they do not fear to violate this prohibition, we grant to you, or to either of you, the power and faculty by the tenor of these presents to denounce such transgressors as excommunicated and to command that they be avoided as such, as well as to fine each individually with the penalty of five hundred ducats, and to do whatever else may be necessary or appropriate in this matter.

Notwithstanding apostolic constitutions and ordinances and all other things whatsoever to the contrary.

Given at Rome, at Saint Peter’s, under the Fisherman’s Ring, on the 22nd day of March, 1520, in the eighth year of our pontificate.



VENERABILI FRATRI FRANCISCO EPISCOPO ABULEN. ET DILECTO FILIO FRANCISCO DE MENDOZA, ARCHIDIACONO DE PEDROCHE IN ECCLESIA CORDUBENSI VEL EORUM ALTERI.

LEO PAPA X.

Venerabilis frater et dilecte fili salutem et apostolicam benedictionem.

Dudum relatione venerabilis fratris Bernardini, Episcopi Sabinensis, et dilecti filii nostrorum Egidii.tt.sancti Mathei, presbyteri Cardinalis, nobis facta intelleximus, quod inter alia quae bonae memoriae Franciscus.tt.sanctae Balbinae presbyter Cardinalis, ante que ab humanis excederet summa cum laude absolvit: extat opus novi et veteris testamenti, novi videlicet in greco et latino, et veteris in greco et latino predictis, necnon hebraeo et caldeo sermonibus ab eodem Francisco Cardinale multa cum vigilia et doctorum consensu compositum, et usque ad sexcenta volumina vel amplius impensa eiusdem Francisci Cardinalis impressa. 

Sed cum post impressionem huiusmodi subito dictus Franciscus Cardinalis morte esset ablatus et noster ad publicationem dicti operis consensus petitius non esset; nequevit hactenus opus ipsum ad doctorum manus et publicam utilitatem cui erit fructuosum advenire. Manet insuper voluntas dicti Francisci Cardinalis in illius testamento notata pro parte inexequuta. Et est ex precio pro quo dicta volumina vendentur explenda. Unde nos indignum existimantes, quod huiusmodi diopus amplius cum publicae utilitatis factura lateat, et pia tam imitabilis viri voluntas diutius debita exequutione frustretur. Et utriquae damno nostrae provisionis opesubvenire volentes. 

Motu proprio et ex certa scientia nostra opus praefatum comprobantes. Et ut tale in lucem per doctorum et aliorum manus libere de caetero venire possit concedentes, discretioni vestrae, qui sicut accepimus ex exequutoribus dicti testamenti estis, per haec scripta mandamus, quatenus volumina praedicta pro precio de quo melius agi poterit etiam sine aliis dicti testamenti exequutoribus, si qui sint, diligenter vendi procuretis, et faciatis ex ipso precio dictam voluntatem iuxta vires eiusdem precii adimpleri.

Et ne aliquod dictorum voluminum non venditum maneat, inhibemus universis et singulis tam ecclesiasticis quam secularibus personis cuiuscumque dignitatis, status, gradus, ordinis et conditionis sint, sub excommunicationis latae sententiae a qua nisi a nobis impis vel de nostro speciali mandato, praeterquam in mortis articulo constituti, absolvi possint, necnon mille ducatorum auri de camera per quemlibet transgressorum solvendorum, et quos fabricae basilicae sancti Petri de urbe et nostrae camerae paribus portionibus ad id deputatis pro tempore usquae ad septennium a die inchoatae venditionis himmoi imprimere quoquomodo presmant.

Si vero temerarie inhibitionem huiusmodi quod absit praeterire non expaverint. Vobis et vestrum cui quae transgressores praedictros excommunicatos denunciandi et eos ut tales evitari mandandi necnon poena quingentorum ducatorum hmmoi singulariter mulctari et quaevis alia desuper necessaria seu oportuna faciendi licentiam et facultatem tenore praesentium elargimur.

Non obstan. constitutionibus et ordinationibus apostolicis caeterisqae quibuscunque.

Datum Romae apud sanctum Petrum sub annulo Piscatoris. die xxii Martii, MDXX. Pontificatus nostri anno octavo.                         Evangelista.

*** 

Finally, here is the famous prologue that was included, which identifies the deuterocanonical books as apocrypha.  It's not the only prologue material provided, and there is some tension between the various prologues provided, but it is indeed here (at p. 358/1042 of this scan):

In view of my recent debate with Nick Sayers, I found interesting the quotation: "Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dominus Deus Omnipotens qui erat et qui est et qui venturus est." (Rev. 4.8)




Saturday, September 24, 2011

Contrasting Ecumenism

"For this reason", the Pope added, "I am very grateful to our Protestant brothers and sisters who have made it possible to hold this highly significant meeting in the convent where Luther began his theological journey, to pray ... and talk together about our responsibility as Christians today. I am delighted to be able to express our fundamental unity as brothers and sisters who work together for the good of humankind, announcing the joyful message of Christ, of God Who has a human face and Who speaks to us".
(Benedict XVI, Vatican Information Service, 23 September 2011)
In virtue of our pastoral office committed to us by the divine favor we can under no circumstances tolerate or overlook any longer the pernicious poison of the above errors without disgrace to the Christian religion and injury to orthodox faith. Some of these errors we have decided to include in the present document; their substance is as follows:

...

25. The Roman Pontiff, the successor of Peter, is not the vicar of Christ over all the churches of the entire world, instituted by Christ Himself in blessed Peter.

...

28. If the pope with a great part of the Church thought so and so, he would not err; still it is not a sin or heresy to think the contrary, especially in a matter not necessary for salvation, until one alternative is condemned and another approved by a general Council.

...

33. That heretics be burned is against the will of the Spirit.

...

37. Purgatory cannot be proved from Sacred Scripture which is in the canon.

...

No one of sound mind is ignorant how destructive, pernicious, scandalous, and seductive to pious and simple minds these various errors are, how opposed they are to all charity and reverence for the holy Roman Church who is the mother of all the faithful and teacher of the faith; how destructive they are of the vigor of ecclesiastical discipline, namely obedience. This virtue is the font and origin of all virtues and without it anyone is readily convicted of being unfaithful.
(Leo X, Ex Surge Domine, 15 June 152)

In addition to the contrast between Benedict XVI and Leo X in general, I selected a few of the alleged "errors" of the Reformation that Leo X singled out. Papal supremacy, of course, made the last. But so did the idea that it is ok to disagree with the pope and the majority of the church, even when the matter has not been defined. According to Leo X, capital punishment of heretics is not just ok, it's "the will of the Spirit." And Leo X actually thought one could prove purgatory from the canonical Scriptures.

One might say that in some ways there has been substantial progress between the time of Leo X and the time of Benedict XVI. But Rome has not officially repudiated its own earlier teachings - it has not said it was wrong, even after nearly half a millenium of demonstration of those errors.

-TurretinFan

Guess Which of These Popes is German and Which is Not


"Luther’s thinking, his whole spirituality, was thoroughly Christocentric:" Benedict XVI

"Moreover, because the preceding errors and many others are contained in the books or writings of Martin Luther, we likewise condemn, reprobate, and reject completely the books and all the writings and sermons of the said Martin, whether in Latin or any other language, containing the said errors or any one of them; and we wish them to be regarded as utterly condemned, reprobated, and rejected." - Leo X

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Leo X on Luther

Do people still believe what Leo X said about Luther. Mr. Bellisario (editor of the "Catholic Champion" blog) has republished part of an English translation of one of Leo X's writings against Luther. (link).

What's interesting is that the the decree Mr. Bellisario cuts and pastes from here (link) makes reference to an earlier bull, Exsurge Domine, also by Leo X, in which Leo X says:

Moreover, because the preceding errors and many others are contained in the books or writings of Martin Luther, we likewise condemn, reprobate, and reject completely the books and all the writings and sermons of the said Martin, whether in Latin or any other language, containing the said errors or any one of them; and we wish them to be regarded as utterly condemned, reprobated, and rejected. We forbid each and every one of the faithful of either sex, in virtue of holy obedience and under the above penalties to be incurred automatically, to read, assert, preach, praise, print, publish, or defend them. They will incur these penalties if they presume to uphold them in any way, personally or through another or others, directly or indirectly, tacitly or explicitly, publicly or occultly, either in their own homes or in other public or private places. Indeed immediately after the publication of this letter these works, wherever they may be, shall be sought out carefully by the ordinaries and others [ecclesiastics and regulars], and under each and every one of the above penalties shall be burned publicly and solemnly in the presence of the clerics and people.


Indeed, the bull pasted by Bellisario makes reference to this particular section, noting: "in several states and localities of the said Germany the books and writings of the said Martin were publicly burned, as we had enjoined."

The document concludes (in a style normal for papal bulls): "X No one whatsoever may infringe this our written decision, declaration, precept, injunction, assignation, will, decree; or rashly contravene it. Should anyone dare to attempt such a thing, let him know that he will incur the wrath of Almighty God and of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul."

I've asked before, and I'll ask again: who has infringed this written decision and/or contravened it? Did they do so with a greater authority than that of Leo X?

I've heard people claim that "canon law" has done away with the penalty announced by Leo X for reading Luther, but I have not seen how they propose to use canon law to overcome, infringe, or contravene a papal bull.

-TurretinFan