Apostolic Constitution

An apostolic constitution is a formal papal document that establishes or regulates major matters of Catholic Church governance, doctrine, or discipline.

Papal bull: A formal papal document issued under the pope’s seal. A bull is a form in which an apostolic constitution may be promulgated.
Pastor aeternus: The 1870 constitution of the First Vatican Council defining papal primacy and infallibility. It illustrates a constitution defining a major doctrine of Church authority.
Promulgation: The official publication by which a law is made known and ordinarily begins to bind. Promulgation gives a constitution public legal force under its stated terms.
Pope Gregory VII: The pope from 1073 to 1085 who pursued reforms that strengthened papal authority. Medieval papal reform expanded the governing role later expressed through formal papal legislation.
Papal infallibility: The Catholic doctrine that the pope is preserved from error when defining certain teachings on faith or morals under specific conditions. A constitution may define doctrine, but its document type alone does not make every statement infallible.
Papal encyclical: A circular letter in which a pope teaches or exhorts bishops and, often, the wider Church. Encyclicals usually teach or exhort, while constitutions commonly legislate or establish structures.
Munificentissimus Deus: The 1950 apostolic constitution in which Pope Pius XII defined the bodily Assumption of Mary. It shows a constitution used to define Catholic doctrine.
Papal primacy: The pope’s supreme authority over the Catholic Church. The pope’s governing authority is the basis for issuing universal constitutions.
Pope Innocent III: The pope from 1198 to 1216, whose pontificate marked a high point of medieval papal power. His extensive legal and administrative activity exemplifies the growth of papal governance.
Dogmatic constitution: A constitution that presents authoritative teaching on Catholic doctrine, often issued by an ecumenical council. The term identifies a doctrinal subtype distinct from constitutions focused chiefly on governance.

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