Constitution of our most holy lord, by divine Providence pope, UrbanVIII, concerning the missions of religious to Japan and other regions of the Eastern Indias. Rome: from the press of the reverend Apostolic Chamber. MDCXX[X]III.

UrbanVIII

To all the faithful of Christ who shall scan these present letters, health and apostolic benediction. In fulfilment of our pastoral charge in regard to the safety of souls and the spread of the Catholic faith, while readily changing those things which have been wisely, ordained by the Roman pontiffs our predecessors, wherever through the teachings of experience change seems advisable, we have made some arrangements, as the same have seemed expedient in the Lord, in regard to the spread of the Catholic faith and the health of souls.

In sooth, by his letters in form similar to a brief given on the twenty-eighth day of January, 1585, and the thirteenth year of his pontificate, Pope GregoryXIII, our predecessor of happy memory, led thereto through certain reasons known at the time, issued an interdict and prohibition to all patriarchs and bishops, including even the province of China and Japan, under pain of ecclesiastical interdict and of suspension, from entering the church portals and the exercise of pontifical power, to all others besides priests, clerics, and ecclesiastical ministers, both secular and regular—of whatsoever order, standing, degree, rank, and condition they might be—under pain of major excommunication to be incurred ipso facto, to this effect: that without his express license and that of the apostolic see, no one should dare go to the aforesaid countries and provinces of Japan to preach the gospel, teach Christian doctrine, administer the sacraments, or discharge other ecclesiastical duties.

Subsequently, however, Pope ClementVIII, also our predecessor of renowned memory, having learned that the countries and provinces of China and Japan, as well as of other near-by and adjacent islands, besides the neighboring kingdoms of Eastern India, were very extensive and thickly inhabited; that, moreover, in order to bring so great a multitude of souls to the Catholic faith and strengthen them with spiritual nourishment, more workmen and ministers were needed than could be levied from the religious of the Society of Jesus, therefore to all and singular the masters or priors-general of the mendicant orders for the time being did he make the following grant, to wit: that whenever necessity required they might send—by way, however, of Portugal only, and thence by sea to the Indias and the city of Goa—to the local superiors of their orders resident in those lands, whomsoever of their subjects they might deem fitting and serviceable for the discharge of the said offices and ministries, provided the same were of respectable character and learning. Again, that the religious of the said orders to be thus sent to the said countries of the Indias, as well as their fellow-members resident therein, who had been chosen and approved for the discharge of this said duty by their masters or priors-general, or other superiors, might go to the said Japan as well as its near-by and adjacent islands, and even to the said islands, countries, and provinces of China and the neighbor-kingdoms and mainland [terra firma] of Eastern India.

Moreover, under pain of major excommunication (wherefrom, unless at the point of death, absolution was not to be granted save by the Roman pontiff himself); of forfeiture besides of active and passive vote, and of all dignities, administrations, and offices whatsoever; furthermore, of disqualification to hold and exercise the same in the future—all moreover to be incurred ipso facto by all religious, no matter what privileges had been granted them by the said Clement and other Roman pontiffs his predecessors, of no matter what tenor or form, whether general or special, even though with permit attached to preach the word of God throughout the whole world—no matter, either, whether hereafter the same or like privileges should be granted, approved, and renewed as long as therein special, specific, and express mention of this prohibition and interdict should not be made with annulment of the same—thereupon he interdicted and forbade them all and singular, under no matter what pretext or color of design, to leave the islands known as the Philippines or any other part of the Western Indias or country held as part of the Western Indias and thence to pass to the said Japanese Islands, provinces, and countries and other near-by, adjacent, and neighboring lands. Furthermore he ordered that should any one have gone to the said Japan or countries near by, or in the future should go thither, no matter what his reasons, on being warned he should immediately depart thence and return to the said Philippine Islands or other countries of the Western Indias, under the same penalties as above; and, moreover, under the same penalties as well as others at the option of any ecclesiastical judge whomsoever he might be constrained and compelled thereto.

While later Pope Paul V, also our predecessor of happy memory, having learned by experience that the prohibition to go to the Indias and the city of Goa otherwise than by way of Portugal was neither obeyed, nor even advantageous for the spread of the Catholic faith: in order therefore that, as he desired, he might make due provision whereby so important a work of God might be carried on without hindrance, made the following grant to all and singular the masters, ministers and priors—general of the mendicant orders—or the heads of orders for the time being, by whatever title they might be known—that whenever necessity should require them to send to Japan and other near-by, adjacent, and neighboring islands, provinces arid countries, to the superiors of their orders resident therein, any religious of their order of respectable character and learning, whomsoever they might deem fit and serviceable for the discharge of the said duties and offices, to this end they might freely and lawfully send them otherwise than by way of Portugal—in all remaining matters, however, being bound in all respects to observe the said letters of his predecessor Clement, and the fuller instructions contained in those issued by the said Gregory and Clement and his predecessor Paul V the tenor whereof in these our presents we wish to be considered as expressed therein.

Since, however, the experience of many years has shown that the ordinances contained in the foregoing letters were not of avail, and that other provision was needed whereby the sacred holy gospel of the Lord Christ might be the more easily preached and spread throughout the said islands and kingdoms, therefore in the discharge of our pastoral duty, following the norm of the said Paul our predecessor, after mature counsel with our venerable brethren, cardinals of the holy Roman church, who are in care of the spread of the faith throughout the whole world, in virtue of these presents to all and singular the masters, ministers, and priors-general of any religious order, or institute, even of the Society of Jesus, or the heads of orders, by whatsoever other title they may be known, hereby through our apostolic authority, we do grant and convey the following powers, to wit: that whenever it be deemed expedient, they may freely and lawfully send to the said islands, provinces, countries, and kingdoms of Eastern India by other way than by Portugal whatever members of their orders and institutes they may deem suitable for the missions by reason of age, character, morals, and learning—provided, however, that in all other matters (and not otherwise) they follow the said instructions of our predecessor Clement. Moreover, under penalty of excommunication latae sententiae, we forbid all ecclesiastics and religious, of whatsoever order and institute, both of non-mendicants and mendicants, even those of the Society of Jesus, as well as the seculars of religious, from hindering the journey of the aforesaid religious to the above-named islands, provinces, countries, and kingdoms.

At the same time we exhort most earnestly in the Lord the said religious who are to be, or even have been, sent to the said places, to observe uniformity in their instructions to the people, especially those who have been recently converted to the Christian faith, in order that such neophytes be not scandalized through conflicting teachings, especially in matters relating to morals.

Wherefore since in matters of so great concern we hold that care and watchfulness on the part of the aforesaid are of much avail, hence we again and again urge them to restrict their teachings to general principles.

Accordingly, to the end that this be the more easily carried out, in their instructions to the peoples of the said places in Eastern India, the said religious shall as far as possible use exclusively the Roman Catechism, and the “Christian Doctrine” (both small and large) of Robert Bellarmino, a cardinal of the holy Roman church of good renown, translated and printed in the dialects of the aforesaid peoples.

But since, to the no little grief of our heart, we have learned that in Japan now for many years is raging a most bitter persecution against Christians, especially against religious, we therefore grant and convey to all and singular the Christians now as well as in the future resident in Japan, the power to receive freely and lawfully the sacraments (such however as require episcopal ministry being excepted) even those that appertain to parish priests, from any priests, as the above, whose services they may secure—provided, however, these have been, or shall be, sent thither by their generals.

Furthermore, since by the sacred canons, the decrees of councils and apostolic constitutions, all religious and even other ecclesiastics, especially such as are in holy orders, are forbidden strictly to engage in worldly affairs and traffickings, as gravely harmful, undignified, and unbecoming to persons consecrated to divine service, especially such as are vowed to the preaching of the sacred holy gospels of the Lord Christ, therefore following the norm of the said sacred canons, decrees, and apostolic constitutions, by our apostolic authority, in virtue of these presents, we interdict and forbid all and singular the religious in the afore-named places, or who shall go thither—no matter of what order and institute, whether non-mendicant or mendicant, even of the Society of Jesus—to devote themselves to, or engage in, any business or trafficking, no matter in what way, whether personally or through others, in their own name or that of their community, be the same directly or indirectly, no matter under what pretense or color of design; and this under penalty of excommunication latae sententiae to be incurred ipso facto, of deprival moreover of active and passive vote, and of all offices, degrees, and dignities whatsoever, of disqualification besides to hold the same, as well as of forfeiture of all merchandise and the gains accruing therefrom—the same to be set apart by the superiors of the orders whereof the delinquents were members, for the service of the missions in the said Indias in charge of the said orders, now and hereafter, nor to be used for any other purpose whatsoever.

Moreover, under the same penalties we charge the same superiors, while keeping watch strictly in this regard, to proceed against delinquents with the said penalties, nor relieve them from the duty of forfeiture of the said merchandise, or the repayment of gains, no matter how small the amount involved. However should disputes (which God forfend) spring up among the religious of the said orders, let them be settled and ended by the bishops of the said places for the time being, in their capacity of delegates of the apostolic see.

But should matters of graver moment be brought to their notice, let the said bishops without delay refer them to us and the Roman pontiffs our successors, to the end that, whatever the ruling and decree, this may be provided for after mature deliberation. Such is our wish and command.

Moreover, while commanding that without fail these present letters be observed by all and singular to whom for the time being they appertain, we withdraw from all and singular the judges—no matter of what rank, whether ordinary or delegate, even though the same be auditors of cases appertaining to the apostolic palace—the power and authority to rule and interpret otherwise, any decisions to the contrary heretofore given, whether knowingly or through mistake, no matter by what authority, to be held as null and void. Therefore we command all and singular the patriarchs, archbishops, bishops, and other prelates of churches and palaces, even those of religious, throughout the whole world, without fail to have these present letters observed in their provinces, cities, dioceses, chapters, and jurisdictions, besides whenever requested by the religious of the said orders to have and see that the same be published solemnly,1 notwithstanding to the contrary any interdict, prohibitions, letters, or other premises of our said predecessors, nor any apostolic or synodal decree, be the same issued in provincial or general council, no matter whether embodied in special or general constitutions and ordinances (even in those granted to the Society of Jesus and the other said orders, provinces and regions); no matter whether confirmed by apostolic pledge or otherwise by statute, custom, privilege, or apostolic indult and letters, even those granted by the pontiffs in the fulness of their power, be the same general or special—all which, in so far as they conflict with these our present letters, prohibition, and interdict, wherefore they are to be considered as having been duly expressed and inserted therein, we hereby desire and command shall be invoked in favor of no one, no matter of what order, even though of the Society of Jesus, but be held as null and void. And since it would be difficult to have these present letters exhibited and published in all places, we desire that to all copies of them (even in print), whenever the same be certified to by any public notary, or the secretary of any of the said orders, and attested with his seal by any church dignitary, or the generals of the aforesaid orders, the same respect be accorded in court, or outside, as would be given to these presents were they themselves to be exhibited or shown. Given at Rome at St. Peter’s, under the seal of the Fisherman, the twenty-second day of February, 1632, and the tenth year of our pontificate.

M. A. Maraldi

We, CÆsar Montius, by the grace of God and the apostolic see patriarch of Antioch, nuncio of our most holy lord UrbanVIII, by divine Providence pope, with power of legate a latere of the same see in the kingdoms of the Spains, and collector-general for the apostolic chamber, to all and singular who shall view and see as well as hear these present letters, hereby do attest and in the word of truth do vouch that this present copy of the same agrees with the original in every respect. Wherefore we command that to it full regard be shown. In testimony whereof we have sealed these presents, signed by our own hand, and have ordered the same to be issued by our secretary. Maduti, of the diocese of Ysleta, the twenty-eighth day of June, 1633.

By order of the same most illustrious lord:

D. Francisco Gutierrez Corrilla, secretary.