Secretariate of Briefs to Princes and of Latin Letters
Encyclopedia
The Secretariate of Briefs to Princes and of Latin Letters, or in short Secretariate of Briefs, was one of the so-called offices of the Roman Curia
which were abolished in the 20th century. It had two small sections.
The Secretariate of Briefs to Princes consisted of the secretary and two office assistants. The secretary was a prelate whose duty it is to write the pontifical Briefs addressed to emperors, kings, civil princes or other exalted personages. He also prepared the allocutions which the pope pronounced at Consistories, and the Encyclical
s or Apostolic Letters addressed to the bishops and to the faithful. All this he did according to the instructions of the pope. He had to be a proficient Latinist, since these documents are written in Latin.
The secretary for Latin letters
was also a prelate or private chamberlain (cameriere segreto in Italian), whose duties were to write the letters of less solemnity which the sovereign pontiff addresses to different personages. He had an office assistant.
Roman Curia
The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Catholic Church, together with the Pope...
which were abolished in the 20th century. It had two small sections.
The Secretariate of Briefs to Princes consisted of the secretary and two office assistants. The secretary was a prelate whose duty it is to write the pontifical Briefs addressed to emperors, kings, civil princes or other exalted personages. He also prepared the allocutions which the pope pronounced at Consistories, and the Encyclical
Encyclical
An encyclical was originally a circular letter sent to all the churches of a particular area in the ancient Catholic Church. At that time, the word could be used for a letter sent out by any bishop...
s or Apostolic Letters addressed to the bishops and to the faithful. All this he did according to the instructions of the pope. He had to be a proficient Latinist, since these documents are written in Latin.
The secretary for Latin letters
Latin Letters Office
The Latin Letters Office is a department of the Roman Curia's secretariat of State in Vatican City. It is well-known among modern-day Latinists as the place where the Catholic Church's documents are written in or translated into Latin....
was also a prelate or private chamberlain (cameriere segreto in Italian), whose duties were to write the letters of less solemnity which the sovereign pontiff addresses to different personages. He had an office assistant.