List of encyclicals of Pope Pius XII

This is a list of encyclicals of Pope Pius XII. Pope Pius XII issued 41 Papal Encyclicals, during his reign as Pope for over 19 years, from his election of March 2, 1939 until his death on October 9, 1958. The forty-one encyclicals of Pope Pius XII exceed the thirty-two encyclicals written by all his successors, Pope John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul I, John Paul II and Benedict XVI during the fifty years that followed (1958-2008). 
==The Encyclicals of Pius XII ==
No.	Title 	Title 	Subject 	Date 	Text
No.	Latin 	English translation 	Subject 	Date 	Text
1. 	Summi Pontificatus 	"On the Supreme Pontificate" 	On the Unity of Human Society 	October 20, 1939 	(English)
2. 	Sertum Laetitiae 	"The Crown of Joy" 	On the Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary of the establishment of the hierarchy in the United States	November 1, 1939 	(English)
3. 	Saeculo Exeunte 	 	On the Eight Century of the Independence of Portugal 	June 13, 1940 	(English)
4. 	Mystici Corporis Christi	"On the Mystical Body of Christ"	On the Mystical Body of Christ and the Church 	June 29, 1943 	(English)
5. 	Divino Afflante Spiritu 	"Inspired by the Divine Spirit" 	On Sacred Scripture 	September 30, 1943	(English)
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|6. || Orientalis Ecclesiae || "Of the Eastern Church" || On St. Cyril, Patriarch of Antioch || April 9, 1944 || (English)
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|7. || Communium Interpretes || "Interpreter of the universal anguish" || On Ending the Second World War || April 15, 1945 || (English)
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|8. || Orientales Omnes || "All the Eastern Churches" || On the 250th Anniversary of Reunion of the Ruthenian Church with Rome || December 23, 1945 || (English)
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|9. || Quemadmodum || || On Pleading for Care for the World's Destitute Children || January 6, 1946 || (English)
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|10. || Deiparae Virginis Mariae || "Of the Blessed Virgin Mary" || Should We Define the Assumption? || May 1, 1946 || (English)
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|11. || Fulgens Radiatur || "The radiant light" || On the Brilliant Light of Saint Benedict || March 21, 1947 || (English)
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|12. || Mediator Dei || "Mediator of God" || On the Sacred Liturgy || November 20, 1947 || (English)
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|13. || Optatissima Pax || "Longed-for peace" || On Prescribing Public Prayers for Social and World Peace || December 18, 1947 || (English)
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|14. || Auspicia Quaedam || || Prayers for World Peace and the Solution Of The Problems Of Palestine |-
|| May 1, 1948 || (English)
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|15. || In Multiplicibus Curis || "Among the multiple preoccupations" || On Prayers for Peace in Palestine || October 24, 1948 || (English)
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|16. || Redemptoris Nostri Cruciatus || "The Passion of Our Redeemer" || On Holy Places in Palestine || April 15, 1949 || (English)
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|17. || Anni Sacri || "On the Holy Year" || On a Program For Combating Atheistic Propaganda Throughout The World || March 12, 1950 || (English)
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|18. || Summi Maeroris || "With the deepest sorrow" || On a Call for Public Prayers for Peace || July 19, 1950 || (English)
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|19. || Humani Generis || "On Human Origin" || Concerning Some False Opinions Threatening to Undermine the Foundations of Catholic Doctrine || August 12, 1950 || (English)
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|20. || Mirabile Illud || "That admirable" || On a Crusade for Prayers for Peace || December 6, 1950 || (English)
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|21. || Evangelii Praecones || "Toiling missionaries" || On the Promotion of Catholic Missions || June 2, 1951 || (English)
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|22. || Sempiternus Rex Christus || "Christ, the Eternal King" || On the Council of Chalcedon || September 8, 1951 || (English)
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|23. || Ingruentium Malorum || "Approaching evil" || On Reciting the Rosary || September 15, 1951 || (English)
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|24. || Orientales Ecclesias || "The Oriental Churches" || On The Persecuted Eastern Church and describing the hopeless situation of the faithful in Bulgaria || December 15, 1952|| (English)
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|25. || Doctor Mellifluus || "Sweet Doctor" || On St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Last of the Fathers || May 24, 1953 || (English)
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|26. || Fulgens Corona || "The radiant crown" || Proclaiming a Marian Year to Commemorate the Centenary of the Definition of the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception || September 8, 1953 || (English)
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|27. || Sacra Virginitas || "On Holy Virginity" || On Consecrated Virginity || March 25, 1954 || (English)
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|28. || Ecclesiae Fastos || "History of the Church" || On St. Boniface || June 5, 1952 || (English)
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|29. || Ad Sinarum Gentem || "To the Chinese people" || On the Supranationality of the Church || October 7, 1954 || (English)
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|30. || Ad Caeli Reginam || "To the Queen of Heaven" || On Proclaiming the Queenship of Mary || October 11, 1954 || (English)
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|31. || Musicae Sacrae || "Of Sacred Music" || On Sacred Music || December 25, 1955 || (English)
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|32. || Haurietis Aquas || "You shall draw waters" || On Devotion to the Sacred Heart || May 15, 1956 || (English)
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|33. || Luctuosissimi Eventus || "Sorrowful events" || Urging Public Prayers for Peace and Freedom for the People of Hungary || October 28, 1956 || (English)
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|34. || Laetamur Admodum || "We are most pleased" || Renewing Exhortation for Prayers for Peace in Poland, Hungary, and the Middle East || November 1, 1956 || (English)
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|35. || Datis Nuperrime || || Lamenting the Sorrowful Events in Hungary, and Condemning the Ruthless Use of Force || November 5, 1956 || (English)
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|36. || Fidei Donum || "The gift of faith" || On the Present Condition of the Catholic Missions, especially in Africa || April 21, 1957 || (English)
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|37. || Invicti Athletae || "Of the unconquered athlete" || On St. Andrew Bobola || May 16, 1957 || (English)
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|38. || Le Pelerinage de Lourdes || "Of the pilgrimage to Lourdes" || Warning Against Materialism on the Centenary of the Apparitions at Lourdes || July 2, 1957 || (English)
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|39. || Miranda Prorsus || || On the Communications Fields: Motion Pictures, Radio, Television || September 8, 1957 || (English)
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|40. || Meminisse Juvat || "It is helpful to recall" || On Prayers for the Persecuted Church || July 14, 1958|| (English)
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|41. || Ad Apostolorum Principis || "At the Prince of the Apostles" || On Communism and the Church in China || June 29, 1958 || (English)
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==Background ==
An encyclical (from Latin encyclia, from the Greek "en kyklo, ", meaning "general" or "encircling") was a circular letter sent to all the churches of a particular area in the ancient Christian church. For the modern Roman Catholic Church, a Papal Encyclical, in the strictest sense, is a letter sent by the Pope which is explicitly addressed to Roman Catholic bishops of a particular area or to the world, usually treating some aspect of Catholic doctrine. A Papal Encyclical is generally used for significant issues, and is second in importance only to the highest ranking document now issued by popes, an Apostolic Constitution. 
The title of a Papal Encyclical is usually taken from its first few words.
==View of Pope Pius XII ==
Pope Pius XII held that Papal Encyclicals, even when they are not ex cathedra, can nonetheless be sufficiently authoritative to end theological debate on a particular question: 
== The use of encyclicals by Pius XII ==
Encyclicals indicate high Papalpriority for an issue at a given time. Only pontiffs define when, and under which circumstances encyclicals should be issued. They may choose to issue an apostolic constitution, bull, encyclical, apostolic letter or give a papal speech. Pontiffs differ on the use of encyclicals: On the issue of birth control and contraception for example, Pope Pius XI issued the encyclical Casti Connubii, while Pope Pius XII spoke to midwives and the medical profession, when he clarified his position on the issue.Acta Apostolicae Sedis, (AAS) 1951, 835, AAS 1958, 90, AAS 1941, 40, AAS 1952, 258 Pope Paul VI published an encyclical Humanae Vitae on the same topic. On matters of war and peace, Pope Pius XII issued ten encyclicals, most of them after 1945, three of them Datis Nuperrime, Sertum Laetitiae, Luctuosissimi Eventus protesting the Soviet invasion and crackdown of the Hungarian revolution in 1956. Pope Paul VI spoke about the war in Vietnam and Pope John Paul II, issued his protest against the war in Iraq in speeches. On social issues, Pope Leo XIII promulgated Rerum Novarum, followed by Quadragesimo Anno of Pius XI, and Centesimus Annus by John Paul II. Pius XII spoke on the same topic to a consistory of cardinals in his Christmas messages and to numerous academic and professional associations.Allocution to the Cardinals AAS 1946, 141, and, AAS 1952, 5, AAS 1955, 15; The magisterium of Pius XII is therefore significantly larger than the below listed 41 encyclicals. Most of the detailed teachings are in his papal speeches on specific topics such as:
* Conscience, guilt and fair punishment,AAS, 1955, 60, 
* Ethics of psychological research,AAS 1958, 268, 
* Farmers,AAS 1950, 251 
* Fashion Industry,AAS 1957 1011,
* Formation of conscience,AA", 1952, 270 
* Genetic research,AAS 1953, 666 
* Human dignity,AAS 1951, 215 
* Medical doctors and the use of weapons,AAS 1954, 587 
* Military medical research,AAS 1953, 744
==External links==
*Pope Pius XII Encyclicals (most in English, Italian, Portuguese with some in French, Italian, Spanish and one in German) - from the Papal Archive at the internet site of the Holy See. 
*PapalEncyclicals.net - Pope Pius XII - online copies
==Quotes==
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cs:Encykliky Pia XII.
es:Anexo:Encíclicas del papa Pío XII
hu:XII. Piusz pápa enciklikái
nl:Lijst van encyclieken van paus Pius XII
pl:Lista encyklik Papieża Piusa XII