Dictatus Papae

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Dictatus Papae is a 1075 papal decree attributed to Pope Gregory VII that asserted sweeping papal authority over the Church and secular rulers, becoming a key text of the Investiture Controversy.


Statements (46)
Predicate Object
instanceOf canon law text
medieval document
papal decree
aim to codify papal prerogatives
to limit secular interference in ecclesiastical appointments
asserts exclusive papal right to depose bishops
exclusive papal right to depose emperors
papal authority over secular rulers in spiritual matters
right of the pope to absolve subjects from fealty to unjust rulers
supremacy of papal authority over the universal Church
that no book or chapter shall be considered canonical without papal authority
that no synod shall be called a general one without papal order
that the Roman Church has never erred
that the Roman Church is the mother and teacher of all churches
that the Roman Church will never err according to Scripture
that the Roman pontiff alone may use certain titles
that the pope alone can use imperial insignia
that the pope may confirm or annul the decrees of councils
that the pope may convene general councils
that the pope may depose absent bishops
that the pope may depose and reinstate bishops without a synod
that the pope may establish new laws for the Church
that the pope may excommunicate persons absentia
that the pope may judge all causes while being judged by no one
that the pope may transfer bishops from see to see
that the pope’s name alone shall be spoken in the churches
associatedWith Gregorian Reform
conflict between Pope Gregory VII and Emperor Henry IV
author Pope Gregory VII
date 1075
genre list of propositions
hasSubjectHeading Church and state—Catholic Church—History—To 1500
Papal supremacy
historicalContext Investiture Controversy
influenced development of papal monarchy in the Middle Ages
medieval canon law collections
language Latin
numberOfPropositions 27
placeOfComposition Rome
preservedIn Register of Pope Gregory VII
religion Catholic Church
timePeriod 11th century
topic investiture of bishops
papal monarchy
papal primacy
relationship between Church and state

Referenced by (5)

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