Declaration on Authority and Privileges

Declaration on Authority and Privileges

Ravenna Declaration on Temporal Authority and Privileges, Liberties and General Councils
Type	Imperial Edict
Edict number	unnumbered 01878 (given in 1955)
Issued by	Theophylactus I Augustus on 2 January 1847
Code of Laws details
Code of Laws document number	1847-010201
Publication date	3 March 1847
Summary
Prevents papal bulls, letters, and excommunications from being executed or performed in Latium except upon the consent of the Monarch.

Declaration on Authority and Privileges is an imperial edict issued during the reign of Theophylactus I Augustus on 2 January 1847. The edict was issued concurrently with the Donation of Fabria and Fabrian independence, aimed at maintaining the relationship between the Latin monarchy and the Papacy under the doctrine of Apenninism. Since the Xth century, the Fabria and the Papacy fell under the dominion of Latium, though following the X Agreement, the Church no longer required Imperial authority for episcopal consecration. The edict is considered as one of the basic laws forming the Constitution of Latium.

Background

Main article: Apenninism

Apenninism developed following the X Agreement, and held that the monarch's or state's authority over the Catholic Church was comparable to the Pope. Apenninism rejects ultramontanism and down plays the authority of the Pope without denying the role of the Pope as first among equals in the Catholic Church. It restricted power of the Pope in favor of the Latin monarch, Latin state and local bishops, and simply contests the Pope's supremacy and infallibility by arguing that papal primacy was always limited by temporal, in this case Latin Imperial, authority

The doctrine derives it's name from the Apennine Peninsula, upon which Latium is located.

Provisions

The edict was designed following the principles of Apenninism. It includes but is not limited to the following:

• Papal legates cannot be sent into Latium, or exercise their power within, except at the Monarch's request or with his consent
• Imperial officers cannot be excommunicated for any act performed in the discharge of their official state duties
• Papal bulls and letters may not be executed except upon the consent of the Monarch
• The Monarch may confirm appointments of bishops made by the Pope, or he or she may appoint individuals to serve as bishops

See also

• Constitution of Latium
• Donation of Fabria