Declaration of the Clergy of France
Encyclopedia
Under the Declaration of the Clergy of France of 1682, the following privileges were claimed by France
in relation to the Holy See
. They are the framework of Gallicanism
, and have never been accepted by the Pope
.
Early Modern France
Kingdom of France is the early modern period of French history from the end of the 15th century to the end of the 18th century...
in relation to the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
. They are the framework of Gallicanism
Gallicanism
Gallicanism is the belief that popular civil authority—often represented by the monarchs' authority or the State's authority—over the Catholic Church is comparable to that of the Pope's...
, and have never been accepted by the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
.
- Kings of France had the right to assemble church councils in their dominions.
- Kings of France had the right to make laws and regulations touching ecclesiastical matters.
- The PopePopeThe Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
required the king's consent to send papal legatePapal legateA papal legate – from the Latin, authentic Roman title Legatus – is a personal representative of the pope to foreign nations, or to some part of the Catholic Church. He is empowered on matters of Catholic Faith and for the settlement of ecclesiastical matters....
s into France. - Those legates required the king's consent to exercise their power within France.
- Bishops, even when commanded by the Pope, could not go out of the kingdom without the king's consent.
- Royal officers could not be excommunicated for any act performed in the discharge of their official duties.
- The Pope could not authorize the alienation of landed church estates in France, or the diminishing of any foundations.
- Papal BullPapal bullA Papal bull is a particular type of letters patent or charter issued by a Pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the bulla that was appended to the end in order to authenticate it....
s and Letters required the PareatisPareatisIn French law, Letters of Pareatis were documents required for the extension of a legal decision into jurisdictions other than that where it was originally made. The "Gallican liberties" included a requirement that papal decisions would not have effect in France without the King's...
of the king or his officers before they took effect within France. - The Pope could not issue dispensations "to the prejudice of the laudable customs and statutes" of the French cathedral Churches.
- It was lawful to appeal from the Pope to a future council or to have recourse to the "appeal as from an abuse" ("appel comme d'abus") against acts of the ecclesiastical power.