The Bull Religionis Zelus
Introduction to the Amended Text
Isidore Agudo, Archivist GeneraI O.F.M. Cap.
Through the good offices of Catherine Cibo, Duchess of Camerino, the Capuchin reform was approved by Pope CIement VII in a brief Exponi nobis given at Viterbo JuIy 3, 1528 and on the same day officially “sealed,” that is issued in the form of a bull beginning with the words: Religionis Zelus. While preserving the substance of the brief, the bull contains a number of changes. Along with the original document, which was given to Louis of Fossombrone, two authentic copies of the bull were made, one for Raphael, brother of Louis and the other for Catherine Cibo. None of these documents has survived.
It is said that the original was preserved in the town of Fossombrone. The chronicler Mario of Mercato Saracino arranged to have two true copies made at Ancona by Vincenzo Pavesio, notary apostolic, on July 10, 1579. From the copy kept in the general archives of the order (the other is preserved in the archives of the province of Ancona) Zachary Boverius (Annales I, 94-96) published the text of the bull, without, however, strictly adhering to the wording. Apart from some changes of little or no consequence, there are a number of omissions. Both Luke Wadding (Annales XVI, ad ano 1528 n XV) and the editor of the Bullarium Capuccinorum (1,3 ff) follow Bovarius’ text, with its omissions and introduce some variations of their own. The text found in the Bullarium Romanum (ed. Turin VI, 113-115) is certainly better. But it must be admitted that the Ancona version (even though the notary testified that it was “faithfully reproduced from the original and collated with it “word for word, “) is not free from copyist’s errors. Since scholars, especially Franciscan, who write about our history usually make use of the editions of Boverius or Wadding, or the Bullarium Cappuccinorum, we have published a corrected version of the authentic transcript which is purged of the more obvious errors. For the sake of clarity, we have kept the paragraph numbering used by Boverius and our Bullarium and which needed to be adopted.
Religionis Zelus
Clement, Bishop Servant of the Servants of God
To our beloved sons Louis and Raphael of Fossombrone, professed religious of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin. Greetings, and our apostolic blessing.
Your zeal for religion, uprightness of life and conduct and other praiseworthy qualities of sincerity and virtue of which we have been reliably informed lead us favourably to accede, as far as God permits, to your petition, particularly in those matters which concern the salvation of souls and the propagation of religion.
1. Indeed, the petition you recently submitted recounts how, led by a fervent desire of serving the Most High
2. Our beloved son, Andrew, cardinal priest of the title of St. Prisca, protector of the above-mentioned order, also
3. Wherefore we have been humbly petitioned on your behalf to grant you, out of our apostolic kindness permission to lead this eremitical life,
4. We, therefore, ever concerned for the salvation of souls, absolve you from any excommunication, suspension, interdict, and other ecclesiastical censures and penalties,
5. To wear the habit with the pointed hood.
6. To receive all, diocesan clergy and priests as well as lay people, into your community.
7. To wear the beard.
8. To betake yourselves, with permission of the owners, to hermitages or other places to dwell there and lead an austere and eremitical life and to beg anywhere.
9. We further grant you full and free permission and faculties to enjoy each and every privilege, indult and concession made to the Order of Friars Minor and the Camaldolese hermits of Blessed Romuald, in general or in particular, which have been granted or will be granted
10. And we command all archbishops, bishops and others of ecclesiastical dignity, as well as the canons of metropolitan and other cathedral churches,
11. All this notwithstanding the decrees of our predecessor of happy memory, Boniface VIII, the one published by general council in two sessions, other constitutions and apostolic ordinances, as well as the statues of the above-mentioned order and its customs, even though confirmed by oath, apostolic letters issued by any of our predecessors in the apostolic see, or by ourselves, even those with the binding force of general law and of permanent application, by motu proprio and with knowledge and the fullness of apostolic authority, along with any clauses that have an annulling, voiding, revoking, confirming, restricting, restoring, corroborating, declarative, derogating effect,
Given at Viterbo, on the feast of Our Lord’s Incarnation, on the third of July, in the fifth year of our pontificate.
- Vestris – nostris. Trans. ↑
- Fervore serviendi – favore serviendo. Trans. ↑
- Vestri – nostri. Trans. ↑
- Quantum – quanta. Trans. ↑
- Indulsit – omitted. Trans. ↑
- Famulari – tumulari. Trans. ↑
- Huiusmodi – omitted. Bov., Wadd., and Bull. Cap. ↑
- Harum serie … consentes – omitted. Bov., Wadd., and Bull. Cap. ↑
- Potiuntur – omitted. Bov., Wadd., and Bull. Cap. ↑
- Discretioni vestrae – omitted. Wadd. ↑
- Efficacis … praemissis – omitted. Wadd. ↑
- Juris – in eis. Trans. ↑
- Etiam – omitted. Bov., Wadd., and Bull. Cap. ↑
- Mentis – mensis. Bov. and Bull. Cap ↑
- Ei – ex. Trans. ↑