TheRoman Pontifical (Latin:Pontificale Romanum) is thepontifical as used inRoman Rite liturgies of theCatholic Church. It is theliturgical book that contains the rites and ceremonies usually performed bybishops.[1]
The pontifical is the compendium ofrites for the enactment of certainsacraments andsacramentals that may be celebrated by a bishop, including especially the consecration of holychrism, and the sacraments ofconfirmation andholy orders. However, it does not include the rites for theMass or theDivine Office, which can be found in theRoman Missal andBreviary respectively. Because of the use of the adjectivepontifical in other contexts to refer to the Pope, it is sometimes mistakenly thought that thePontificale Romanum is a book reserved to the Pope. It could be argued that it is the book of those entitled to the use, in certain contexts, of thepontificalia, i.e. episcopal insignia. These are not always limited just to bishops, but according to current1983Code of Canon Law of theLatin Church, it can in certain circumstances be used by others, such asabbots and rulers of dioceses or quasi-dioceses who have not been ordained bishops.
The Pontifical has its sources mostly in texts and rubrics which existed in the oldsacramentaries andOrdines Romani and were gradually collected together to form one volume for the greater convenience of the officiating bishop. The earliest pontificals date from the late ninth century. From the mid-tenth century, one particular compilation, known to historians as thePontificale Romano-Germanicum, became dominant, and was widely copied.[2]
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UnderClement VIII, a standard version was published for the use of the entireRoman Rite, under the titlePontificale Romanum.[3] It was reprinted by authority with many variations many times,[4] and its lasttypical edition following this form is from 1962.[5] In 1968, it was recast and restructured according to the decisions of theSecond Vatican Council.[6][7] In December 2021, six months after the promulgation of the motu propio,Traditionis custodes, which put restrictions on the use ofthe Missal of 1962,Arthur Roche,Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, stated that Bishops did not have permission to authorize the use of thePontificale Romanum that was issued in 1962 and that this edition was no longer in use.[8][9] On February 11, 2022, however, Pope Francis clarified in a Latin statement that the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, and bishops who work with their priests and apostolates, may continue to utilize the former liturgical books ("namely the Missal, the Ritual, the Pontifical and the Roman Breviary, in force in the year 1962"[10]), and other formerEcclesia Dei communities have taken this to mean that the same applies to them.[11]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Pontificale".Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.