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{{Short description|Phrase referring to Saint Peter}} | |||
⚫ | '''''Vicarius Filii Dei''''' (]: '']'' or ''Representative of the Son of God'') is a phrase first used in the forged medieval '']'' to refer to ], |
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{{Italic title}} | |||
⚫ | '''''Vicarius Filii Dei''''' (]: '']'' or ''Representative of the Son of God'') is a phrase first used in the forged medieval '']'' to refer to ], who is regarded as the first ] by the ].<ref>{{cite web|title=St. Peter|url=http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=5358|work=Saints and Angels|publisher=Catholic Online|access-date=4 August 2013}}</ref> | ||
==Origins and uses of the phrase== | ==Origins and uses of the phrase== | ||
The earliest known instance of the phrase ''Vicarius Filii Dei'' is in the '']'', now dated between the eighth and the ninth centuries AD. | The earliest known instance of the phrase ''Vicarius Filii Dei'' is in the '']'', now dated between the eighth and the ninth centuries AD. | ||
⚫ | {{ |
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⚫ | {{blockquote| It et cuncto populo Romanae gloriae imperij subiacenti, ut sicut in terris vicarius filii Dei esse videtur constitutus etiam et pontifices<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/donation.html|title=Donation of Constantine|website=www.thelatinlibrary.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://asv.vatican.va/en/visit/p_nob/doc_don_costantino.htm|title=A COPY OF THE DONATION OF THE EMPEROR COSTANTINE I (306-337) TO POPE SYLVESTER I (314-335)|date=May 7, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110507013626/http://asv.vatican.va/en/visit/p_nob/doc_don_costantino.htm|archive-date=2011-05-07}}</ref>|author=|title=|source=}} | ||
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⚫ | ] states that "many of the recent critical students of the document locate its composition at Rome and attribute the forgery to an ecclesiastic, their chief argument being an intrinsic one: this false document was composed in favour of the popes and of the Holy Catholic Roman Church, therefore the Christ Church itself must have had the chief interest in a forgery executed for a purpose so clearly expressed".<ref name="NACE" /> | ||
⚫ | However, it goes on to state, "Grauert, for whom the forger is a Frankish subject, shares the view of Hergenröther, i.e. the forger had in mind a defence of the new Western Empire from the attacks of the ]. Therefore it was highly important for him to establish the legitimacy of the newly founded empire, and this purpose was especially aided by all that the document alleges concerning the elevation of the pope.<ref name="NACE"> Vol. 5. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1909. 1 November 2017</ref> | ||
⚫ | However, it goes on to state, "Grauert, for whom the forger is a Frankish subject, shares the view of ], i.e. the forger had in mind a defence of the new Western Empire from the attacks of the ]. Therefore it was highly important for him to establish the legitimacy of the newly founded empire, and this purpose was especially aided by all that the document alleges concerning the elevation of the pope."<ref name="NACE">Kirsch, Johann Peter. "". ''The Catholic Encyclopedia'' Vol. 5. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1909. Retrieved 1 November 2017.</ref> | ||
] excluded it from his "]". Later it was added as "Palea". It was also included in some collections of Greek canons. As a forgery it currently carries no dogmatic or canonical authority, although it was previously used as such for hundreds of years in the past.<ref name="NACE"/> | |||
Despite the Donation later being recognized as a forgery, initially the whistleblower ] who discovered the forgery had his work suppressed by the ]<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/case_wing_z1020_i39_1664 |title=Index librorum prohibitorum |date=1664 |publisher=Romae : Ex Typographia Reuerendae Camerae Apostolicae |others=The Newberry Library |pages=195}}</ref> | |||
⚫ | == |
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]. Contrary to some claims, no tiara has ever been inscribed with the phrase ''Vicarius Filii Dei''.<ref name="osv" />]] | |||
] included the phrase in his "]" in Distinctio 96 chapter 14.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gratien |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z2cz-_RXhTUC&q=vicarius |title=Decretum Gratiani emendatum et notationibus illustratum, unà cum glossis , Gregorii XIII, pont. max. jussu editum |date=1582 |publisher=in aedibus populi romani |pages=623 |language=la}}</ref> The title was also included in some collections of Greek canons. Though it was derived from a forgery (]) and some<ref name="NACE" /> have said it carried no dogmatic or canonical authority, Protestants pointed to the weight and authority proscribed within Gratian's Decretal Distinctio 19 Chapter 6 which stated that the decretal epistles were reckoned part of the canonical scriptures.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gratien |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z2cz-_RXhTUC&q=canonicis+scripturis |title=Decretum Gratiani emendatum et notationibus illustratum, unà cum glossis , Gregorii XIII, pont. max. jussu editum |date=1582 |publisher=in aedibus populi romani |pages=107 |language=la}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Whitaker |first=William |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gP4QAAAAIAAJ&dq=decretal+canonical+scripture&pg=PA109 |title=A Disputation on Holy Scripture: Against the Papists, Especially Bellarmine and Stapleton |date=1849 |publisher=Printed at the University Press |pages=109 |language=en}}</ref> It was previously also used as such for hundreds of years in the past. | |||
After the "Donation of Constantine", the title "''Vicarius Filii Dei''" appeared again in ''Our Sunday Visitor'', a Catholic journal. An article in the April 18, 1915, issue of ''Our Sunday Visitor'' had the following question and answer: ''What are the letters on the ], and what do they signify, if anything?'' The letters on the Pope's crown are these: Vicarius Filii Dei, which is a Latin for 'Vicar of the Son of God.'<ref>Our Sunday Visitor, April 18, 1915, p.3</ref> This has been used by some groups as evidence for the claim that the phrase appears on the papal tiara (see below). However, the writer of the article later withdrew his statements. A rebuttal was mentioned in a 1922 edition of the journal: "The Pope claims to be the vicar of the Son of God, while the Latin words for this designation are not inscribed, as anti-Catholics maintain, on the Pope's tiara."<ref name="osv">Our Sunday Visitor, 11, No. 14, July 23, 1922</ref> | |||
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=== Documented Usage === | |||
⚫ | Catholic ] |
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Several popes used the phrase and quoted it throughout their documents including the following: | |||
* ] in his ''In Terra Pax Hominibus'', 1054<ref>{{Cite book |last=Contractus |first=Hermannus |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WnWS1OBUM6YC&q=vicarius+filii+dei |title=Patrologiae cursus completus, seu bibliotheca universalis, integra, uniformis, commoda, oeconomica, omnium SS. Patrum, doctorum scriptorumque ecclesiasticorum, sive latinorum, qui ab aevo apostolico ad tempora Innocentii 3. (anno 1216) pro Latinis et Concilii Florentini (ann. 1439) pro Graecis floruerunt: Recusio chronologica ...: Hermanni Contracti monachi Augià Divitis, Humberti S. R. E. cardinalis Silvà Candidà episcopi opera omnia ... accedunt S. Leonis 9., Victoris 2., Stephani 9., Nicolai 2., summorum pontificum opuscula, epistolà et privilegia |date=1853 |publisher=Migne |pages=753 |language=la}}</ref> | |||
* ] in his ''letter to Caydonius the Tartar'', 1289<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5Y_dq4SdrZAC&dq=ita+illi+est+agendum+vicarius+enim+jesu+christi+filii+dei+est&pg=PA456 |title=Pontificiarum constitutionum in Bullariis Magno, et Romano contentarum, et aliunde desumptarum epitome, et secundum materias dispositio cum indicibus locupletissimis opera et studio Aloysii Guerra S.T.D. Tomus primus |date=1772 |pages=456 |language=la}}</ref> | |||
* ] in his ''Licet juxta doctrinam'', 1327<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NAuR8FQ-CdYC&dq=Hoc+ille+imperator+Christianissimus+Constantinus+aliquando+testatus+est+dicens:+Beatus+Petrus+videbatur+in+terris+vicarius+Dei+filii+constitutus.&pg=PA468 |title=Historia di tutte l'heresie descritta da Domenico Bernino. Tomo primo . .. |date=1707 |pages=468 |language=la}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Baronio |first1=Cesare |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4jp4mcmQ1qYC&dq=Hoc+ille+imperator+Christianissimus+Constantinus+aliquando+testatus+est+dicens:+Beatus+Petrus+videbatur+in+terris+vicarius+Dei+filii+constitutus.&pg=PA323 |title=Caesaris S. R. E. Card. Baronii, Od. Raynaldi et Jac. Laderchii congregationis oratorii presbyterorum annales ecclesiastici: 1313 - 1333 |last2=Rinaldi |first2=Odorico |last3=Laderchi |first3=Giacomo |date=1872 |publisher=Guerin |pages=323 |language=la}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Martène (O.S.B.) |first=Edmond |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0AzzOmcWMTQC&pg=PA705 |title=Thesaurus novus anecdotorum: tomus secundus : in quo continentur urbani Papae IV epistolae LXIV, Clementis Papae IV epistolae DCCXI ... alia que plura de Schismate pontificium Avenionesium monumenta |date=1717 |publisher=sumptibus Florentini Delaulne, Hilarii Foucault, Michaelis Clouzier, Joannis-Gaufridi Nyon, Stephani Ganeau, Nicolai Gosselin |pages=706 |language=la}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2D9GAAAAcAAJ&q=vicarius+filii&pg=PA168 |title=Magnum Bullarium Romanum: A Beato Leone Magno Usque Ad S.D.N. Benedictum XIII.. Constitutiones Variorum Pontificum in praecedentibus Editionibus desideratas, summoque studio hinc inde conquistas complectens. 9 |date=1730 |pages=168 |language=la}}</ref> | |||
* ] in his ''Bulla Sabbatina,'' 1322<ref>{{Cite book |last=Josepho.) |first=Raphael (a Sancto |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8XhCAAAAcAAJ&dq=%22vicarius+filii+dei%22&pg=PA34 |title=Signum Salutis, Salus in Periculis: hoc est, beneficia & admiranda Sac. Ordini Fratrum Gloriosissimae Dei Genitricis semperque Virginis Mariae de Monte Carmelo, nec non antiquissimae & celeberrimae archi-fraternitati sacri ac thaumaturgi Scapularis ... |date=1718 |publisher=Leidenmayr |pages=34 |language=la}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Josepho.) |first=Raphael (a Sancto |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8XhCAAAAcAAJ&dq=%22Vicarie+mei+dilecti+Filii%22&pg=PA306 |title=Signum Salutis, Salus in Periculis: hoc est, beneficia & admiranda Sac. Ordini Fratrum Gloriosissimae Dei Genitricis semperque Virginis Mariae de Monte Carmelo, nec non antiquissimae & celeberrimae archi-fraternitati sacri ac thaumaturgi Scapularis ... |date=1718 |publisher=Leidenmayr |language=la}}</ref> | |||
* ] in his ''Rivi Muniensis,'' 1965<ref>{{Cite web |title=De Fernando Poo (Rivi Muniensis), Constitutio Apostolica, Nonnullis territoriis a vicariatu apostolico de Fernando Póo detractis, novus vicariatus apostolicus conditur, «Rivi Muniensis» nomine, d. 9 m. Augusti a. 1965, Paulus PP. VI {{!}} Paulus PP. VI |url=https://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/la/apost_constitutions/documents/hf_p-vi_apc_19650809_rivi-muniensis.html |access-date=2022-12-04 |website=www.vatican.va}}</ref> and in his ''Bafianae,'' 1968 <ref>{{Cite web |title=Bafianae, Constitutio Apostolica, Quae erat praefectura apostolica Bafiensis in dioecesium ordinem redigitur, «Bafiana» nomine, d. 11 m. Ianuarii a. 1968, Paulus PP. VI {{!}} Paulus PP. VI |url=https://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/la/apost_constitutions/documents/hf_p-vi_apc_19680111_bafianae.html |access-date=2022-12-04 |website=www.vatican.va}}</ref> | |||
==== Lawyers ==== | |||
Catholic documents used the phrase as well including those from Canon Lawyer ] in his ''Summa de potestate ecclesiastica.''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Triumphus |first=Augustinus |title='Incipit Summa augustini de Ancona de suma postestate ecclesiastica' - Viewer {{!}} MDZ |url=https://www.digitale-sammlungen.de/en/view/bsb00036403?page=1 |access-date=2022-12-04 |website=www.digitale-sammlungen.de |pages=391}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=texte |first=Augustin d'Ancône (127-1328) Auteur du |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k608263 |title=Summa de potestate ecclesiastica () / Augustinus de Ancona |date=1476 |pages=245 |language=EN}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Trionfo |first=Agostino |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OpBa1MXdJHEC&pg=PP5 |title=Augustini Triumphi Anconitani catholici doctoris Summa de potestate ecclesiastica edita anno Dni 1320 |date=1584 |publisher=ex typographia Georgij Ferrarij |pages=218, 239 |language=la}}</ref> Others such as Venetian lawyer Alphonsus Alvarez Guerrero, a Spanish civil and canon lawyer (1559) used the phrase in his ''Thesaurus Christianae Religiones.''<ref>{{Cite book |last=Guerrero |first=Alfonso Álvarez |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MJFibZ7WITQC&pg=PA305 |title=Thesaurus Christianae Religionis el Speculum, Sacrorum, Summorum, Romanarum, Pontificum, Imperatorum ac Regum, et Sanctissimarum Episcoparum |date=1559 |publisher=Apud Cominum de Tridino Montisferrati |pages=305 |language=la}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Guerrero |first=Alfonso Alvárez |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=espIumimFJUC&dq=%22Thesaurus+christianae+religionis%22&pg=PA305 |title=Thesaurus christianae religionis et speculum Sacrorum Summorum Romanorum Pontificum, Imperatorum, ac Regum et Sanctissimorum Episcopum |date=1559 |publisher=Al segno della Fontana |pages=305 |language=la}}</ref> Venetian jureconsult and author (16th century) Giovanni Battista Ziletti (1577) also used the phrase in his work ''Consiliorum Seu Responsorum, Ad Causas Criminales, Recens Editorum''<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3GxEAAAAcAAJ&dq=Dei+Filii+vicarius&pg=PA182 |title=Consiliorum Selectorum, In Criminalibus Causis: Consiliorum Seu Responsorum, Ad Causas Criminales ... Tomus Secundus. 2 |date=1577 |pages=182 |language=la}}</ref> | |||
==== Cardinals and Bishops ==== | |||
In 1561 ] and Spanish theologian ] used the phrase in his monumental ''Summa de Ecclesia.''<ref>{{Cite book |last=Juan : de Torquemada |url=http://archive.org/details/bub_gb_GWP6pAt-ctEC |title=Summa de ecclesia d. Ioan. De Turrecremata tituli sancti Sixti presbyteri cardinalis, una cum eiusdem apparatu, nunc primùm in lucem edito, super decreto papae Eugenij 4. in Concilio Florentino de unione Graecorum emanato, ... cum indice copiosissimo per ordinem alphabeticum ducto |date=1561 |publisher=Michele Tramezzino! |others=National Central Library of Rome |pages=483 |language=Latin}}</ref> In 1581, Antonino (Archbishop of Florence) in Volume 3 of his ''Summa Theologicae'' quotes the phrase and applies it to the pope.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Santo) |first=Antonino (Arzobispo de Florencia |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xhI7FDH2TcQC&dq=vicarius+filii+dei&pg=PA401 |title=Eximij doctoris B. Antonini Archiepiscopi Florentini ... Summae Sacrae Theologiae, iuris Pontificij Caesarei prima pars ...: accedunt ... Indices copiosissimi |date=1581 |publisher=apud Iuntas |pages=401 |language=la}}</ref> The acclaimed Cardinal ] used an English equivalent "Vicar of the Son of God" to refer to the pope.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Manning |first=Henry Edward |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=re4QAAAAIAAJ&dq=%22Vicar+of+the+son+of+god%22&pg=PA183 |title=The Glories of the Sacred Heart |date=1885 |publisher=D. & J. Sadlier & Company |pages=183 |language=en}}</ref> In his "Vindication of the Popes against opponents of all kinds" ''Vindiciae Summorum Pontificum adversus omnis generis adversarios,'' Wilibald Heiss (1755) also used the title.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Heiss |first=Wilibald |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KKtrgXB1lqkC&dq=%22filii+dei+vicarius%22&pg=PA90 |title=Vindiciae Summorum Pontificum adversus omnis generis adversarios, ineffabilibus..., summam tiaram decussatim afficientes, methodo theologico-historica copiose adornatae per Wilibaldum Heissium, franciscanum,... |date=1756 |publisher=sumptibus Andreae Stadler, & Christophori Barti |pages=90 |language=la}}</ref> ] ] also used the title in his work ''Bibliotheca Concionatoria Complectens Panegyricas Orationes Sanctorum'' where he described the win of ] over ] ]<ref>{{Cite book |last=Houdry (S.I.) |first=Vincent |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aNo-z9OhT_8C&q=vicarius+filii+dei |title=R.P. Vincentii Houdry ... Bibliotheca concionatoria complectens panegyricas orationes sanctorum: tomus primus |date=1767 |publisher=ex Typographia Balleoniana |pages=102 |language=la}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Houdry |first=Vincent |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J05ghbXFYxsC&q=vicarius+filii+dei |title=Bibliotheca concionatoria complectens panegyricas orationes sanctorum |date=1779 |publisher=Ex typographia HEredis Nicolai Pezzana |pages=96 |language=la}}</ref> | |||
==== Ecclesiastical Anthology ==== | |||
In his ''Polyanthea Sacrorum,'' Giovanni Paolo Paravicini and also Laurentius Brancati in his ''Epitome Canonum Omnium,'' enumerated papal names or claims to authority and stated that the "Papa Est Vicarius Filii Dei Sicut Petris" "The Pope is Vicarius Filii Dei like Peter".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Brancati |first=Laurentius cardinalis |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SEhRAAAAcAAJ&dq=vicarius+dei&pg=PA630 |title=Epitome canonum omnium, qui in concilijs generalibus, ac provincialibus, in dicreto Gratiani, in decretalibus ... continentur |date=1659 |publisher=Mascardi |pages=630 |language=la}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Brancati |first=Lorenzo |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T4pEAAAAcAAJ&dq=vicarius+dei+filii&pg=PA447 |title=... D. Laurentii Brancati ... epitome canonum omnium, qui in conciliis generalibus ac provincialibus, in Decreto Gratiani, in Decretalibus, in epistolis et constitutionibus Rom. pontificum, usque ad nostra tempora, continentur |date=1684 |publisher=Metternich |pages=447 |language=la}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Paravicini |first=Giovanni |title='Polyanthea Sacrorum Canonum Coordinatorum : Qui In Conciliis Generalibus Ac Provincialibus, In Oriente ac Occidente celebratis, In Decreto Gratiani, in Decretalibus, in Epistolis ac Constitutionibus Romanorum Pontificium, Ad nostra usque tempora prodierunt ; Olim operâ Eminentissimi ... Domini, Dni Brancati De Laurea, Sac. Rom. Eccl. Cardinalis, ... In Epitomen Redacti, Nunc verò sic coordinati, & Serie Alphabeticâ dispositi, ... in oculos pariter ac animos Lectorum incurrat, Tribus Tomis Divisa ; Opus omnibus Praelatis Ecclesiasticis, ... utile, .... 3' - Viewer {{!}} MDZ |url=https://www.digitale-sammlungen.de/en/view/bsb10628709?page=211&q=%22vicarius+filii+dei%22 |access-date=2022-12-04 |website=www.digitale-sammlungen.de |page=211}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Paravicini |first=Johannes Paulus |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jK1LAAAAcAAJ&dq=Polyanthea+Sacrorum+Canonum+Coordinatorum+Qui+%22Vicarius+filii+dei%22&pg=PA205 |title=Polyanthea sacrorum canonum coordinatorum qui in conciliis, in decreto, Gratiani in decretialibus ... ad nostra usque tempora prodierunt etc |date=1728 |publisher=Vidua Joannes Schlebusch |pages=205 |language=la}}</ref> Wolfgang Frölich in his 1790 work (''Who is Peter) Quis est Petrus seu qualis Petri Primatus?: Liber theologico-canonico catholicus'' described Peter's successor with the phrase "Christi Filii Dei Vicarius".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Frölich |first=Wolfgang |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=S5xEAAAAcAAJ&dq=filii+dei+vicarius+1790&pg=PA438 |title=Quis est Petrus? seu Qualis Petri primatus? Liber theologico-canonico Catholicus . |date=1790 |pages=438 |language=la}}</ref> The French catechism ''Catéchisme de persévérance'', also used the French version of the title "vicaire du Fils de Dieu".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gaume |first=Jean |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gkkQAAAAYAAJ&dq=%22Vicaire+du+Fils+de+Dieu%22&pg=PA25 |title=Catéchisme de persévérance, ou, Exposé historique, dogmatique, moral et liturgique de la religion depuis l'origine du monde jusqu'a nos jours |date=1845 |publisher=Gaume frères |pages=25 |language=fr}}</ref> Italian ] ] ] also used the title in his ''Prompta Bibliotheca Canonica, Juridica, Moralis.'' <ref>{{Cite book |last=Ferraris |first=Lucius |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2vM1AQAAMAAJ&dq=vicarius+filii+dei&pg=PA1827 |title=F. Lucii Ferraris Prompta bibliotheca canonica, juridica, moralis, theologica, nec non ascetica, polemica, rubricistica, historica |date=1858 |publisher=J.-P. Migne |pages=1828 |language=la}}</ref> Theologian D'Utrecht in his work ''Défense de L'Eglise Romaine et des Souverains Pontifes'' also used the title.<ref>{{Cite book |last=D'Utrecht |first=Germain |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B_BNAAAAcAAJ&dq=vicarius+filii+dei&pg=PA629 |title=Defense de l'eglise romaine |date=1696 |pages=629 |language=fr}}</ref> | |||
⚫ | ===Papal title?=== | ||
] principle employed by Andreas Helwig in 1612. ]] | |||
].|256x256px]]The Protestant writer ] suggested that ''Vicarius Filii Dei'' was an expansion of the historical title ''Vicarius Christi'', rather than an official title used by the Popes themselves. His interpretation did not become common until about the time of the ].<ref>] (1948). ''Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers'', (PDF), pp. 605–608. Review and Herald. Compare ''Ibid.'', p. 649; (PDF), pp. 228, 242.</ref> Some later Protestant figures asserted that ''Vicarius Filii Dei'' was an official title of the Pope, with some saying that this title appeared on the ] and/or a ]. Some Catholic converts to Protestantism such as Balthasar Hoffman<ref>{{Cite book |last=Robinson |first=Edgar Sutton |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9WXozG4cLPIC&dq=Balthasar+Hoffman+germany+1828&pg=PA312 |title=The Ministerial Directory: Of the Ministers in the Presbyterian Church in the United States (Southern), and in the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (Northern), Together with a Statement of the Work of the Executive Committees and Boards of the Two Churches... |date=1898 |publisher=Ministerial Directory Company |pages=312 |language=en}}</ref> also testified to witnessing the title engraved with 100 diamonds on the 1845 tiara of ]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hoffman |first=Balthasar |date=1908 |title=Letter to Dr U.S. Butterbaugh |url=http://www.biblelightinfo.com/Sources/1908%20Letter-Hoffmann.gif |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221204174144/http://www.biblelightinfo.com/Sources/1908%20Letter-Hoffmann.gif |archive-date=December 4, 2022 |access-date=December 4, 2022}}</ref> | |||
Catholic ] Patrick Madrid answers the Protestant assertions by claiming that ''Vicarius Filii Dei'' has never been an official Papal title. Catholics answer the claims that "Vicarius Filii Dei" is written on the ] by stating that a simple inspection of the more than 20 papal tiaras still in existence—including those in use in 1866 during the reign of ] when ] made his claim—shows that none have this inscription, nor is there any evidence that any of the earlier papal tiaras destroyed by invading French troops in 1798 had it.<ref name="Madrid_1998_MarApr">Patrick Madrid. "". ''Envoy'' magazine, March/April 1998</ref> However, a Catholic publication, ], did admit to the title being inscribed on a tiara.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=April 18, 1915 |title=Our Sunday Visitor |url=http://www.biblelightinfo.com/Sources/OSV%20Apr%2018%201915.pdf |journal=Our Sunday Visitor |volume=3 |issue=51 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221204182413/http://www.biblelightinfo.com/Sources/OSV%20Apr%2018%201915.pdf |archive-date=December 4, 2022}}</ref> Catholic scholar, professor emeritus at the Catholic University of America, Dr Johannes Quasten (1900–1987), stated that "The title Vicarius Filii Dei as well as the title vicarius christi is very common as the title of the pope".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Quasten |first=Johannes |date=March 10, 1943 |title=Quasten Document |url=http://www.biblelightinfo.com/quasten.jpg |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221204234032/http://www.biblelightinfo.com/quasten.jpg |archive-date=December 4, 2022 |access-date=December 4, 2022}}</ref> | |||
==Protestant view== | ==Protestant view== | ||
Some fundamentalist Protestants have the view that ''Vicarius Filii Dei'' can be applied to the ]. | |||
===Origins of a controversy=== | |||
Some individual Protestants of varying denominations view the Pope as the Antichrist, or like one. It was once a common belief among ]s and is still part of the confession of faith of some Protestant churches, such as those within ].<ref>, a Lutheran Confession in the ]</ref> In relation to this, some Protestant groups identify the Roman Papacy with the ] (]) from the ], and believe that the phrase ''Vicarius Filii Dei'', reduced to its Roman numerals, sums up to 666, where "U" is taken as "V" (two forms of "V" developed in Latin, which were both used for its ancestor "U" and modern "V"). To produce 666, the sum works as follows: '''VIC'''AR'''IV'''S F'''ILII''' '''D'''E'''I''' = 5+1+100+1+5+1+50+1+1+500+1 = 666.{{fact}} | |||
The earliest extant record of a ] writer on this subject is that of Professor ] in 1612. In his work ''Antichristus Romanus'' he took fifteen titles in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin and computed their numerical equivalents using the principle of ] in those languages, arriving at the number ] mentioned in the ]. Out of all these titles, he preferred to single out ''Vicarius Filii Dei'', for the reason that it met "all the conditions which ]<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bellarmino |first=Roberto Francesco Romolo |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=o25TAAAAcAAJ&dq=Fatentur+omnes+pertinere+Antichristum+verba+illa+Ioannis&pg=PA284 |title=Dispvtationvm Roberti Bellarmini Politiani ... de controversiis Christianæ fidei, adversvs hvivs temporis hæreticos, qvatvor tomis comprehensarvm, tomvs ... Accessere opuscula recenter nonnulla ... |date=1615 |publisher=sumptibus Ioannis Gymnici & Antonij Hierat |pages=284 |language=la}}</ref> had thus far demanded."<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Helwig |first=Andreas |url=http://archive.org/details/antichristusromanus |title=Antichristus Romanus |date=1512 |publisher=VVttenbergae, Typis Laurentij Seuberlichs |pages=c2 (20)}}</ref> | |||
Helwig's criteria were as follows:<ref name=":0" /> | |||
The earliest extant record of a ] writer on this subject and addressing the phrase ''Vicarius Filii Dei'' is ] in 1612.<ref>''Antichristus Romanus, in proprio suo nomine, numerum illum Apocalypticum (DCLXVI) continente proditus'' (Wittenberg, 1612)</ref> In his work ''Antichristus Romanus'' he took 15 titles in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin and computed their numerical equivalents in those languages, arriving at the number ] mentioned in the ]. Out of all these titles, he preferred to single out ''Vicarius Filii Dei'', used in the ''Donation of Constantine'', for the reason that it met "all the conditions ] had thus far demanded." Besides being in Latin, the title was "not offensive or vile", but rather was "honorable to this very one." | |||
# must yield the required number | |||
⚫ | ===Seventh-day Adventist views=== | ||
# must agree with the papal order | |||
In 1866, ] was the first to propose the interpretation to the ].<ref name="SDABC">'']'', 223</ref> See '']'' . In ''The United States in the Light of Prophecy'', he wrote: | |||
# must not be a vile name applied by enemies, but acceptable to Antichrist himself | |||
⚫ | < |
||
# must be one of which he can boast.<ref name=":0" /> | |||
⚫ | Helwig suggested that the supposed title was an expansion of the historical title '']'', rather than an official title used by the Popes themselves. Additionally, he said nothing about the title appearing on tiaras or mitres. Helwig's interpretation did not become a common one until about the time of the French Revolution.<ref>See Leroy Edwin Froom, ''Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers'', vol. 2, pp. 605-608. Compare ''Ibid.'', p. 649; vol. 3, pp. 228, 242.</ref> Some later Protestant figures directly claimed that ''Vicarius Filii Dei'' was an official title of the Roman Catholic Pope, some claimed that this title appeared on the ] and/or a ]. | ||
Some Protestants view the Pope as the Antichrist. This view was common at the time of Helwig and is still part of the confession of faith of some Protestant churches, such as those within ]<ref>, a Lutheran Confession in the ]</ref> and the London Baptist confession of 1689.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EVFQAAAAcAAJ&q=antichrist |title=A Confession of Faith: Put Forth by the Elders and Brethren of Many Congregations of Christians, (baptized Upon Profession of Their Faith), in London and the Country ... : First Printed in 1689 |date=1809 |publisher=sold |pages=48 |language=en}}</ref> | |||
⚫ | ===Historical Seventh-day Adventist views=== | ||
⚫ | In 1866, ] was the first to propose the interpretation to the ].<ref name="SDABC">'']'', 223</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Smith|first=Uriah|date=1866|title=The Two-Horned Beast - A Review of H. E. Carver.|work=]|url=https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/RH/RH18661120-V28-25.pdf}}</ref> In ''The United States in the Light of Prophecy'', he wrote: "The pope wears upon his pontifical crown in jeweled letters, this title: ''{{'}}Vicarius Filii Dei{{'}}'', 'Viceregent of the Son of God'; the numerical value of which title is just six hundred and sixty-six. The most plausible supposition we have ever seen on this point is that here we find the number in question. It is the number of the beast, the papacy; it is the number of his name, for he adopts it as his distinctive title; it is the number of a man, for he who bears it is the 'man of sin'."<ref>Uriah Smith, ''The United States in the Light of Prophecy''. Battle Creek, Michigan: Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association (1884), 4th edition, p.224.</ref> | ||
Uriah Smith maintained his interpretation in the various editions of ''Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation'', which was influential in the church.<ref name="SDABC"/> | |||
In November 1948, ], a Seventh-day Adventist ministerial leader, editor of the church's ], and a church historian, wrote an article to correct the mistaken use of some of the denomination's evangelists who continued to claim that the Latin words |
In November 1948, ], a Seventh-day Adventist ministerial leader, editor of the church's '']'', and a church historian, wrote an article to correct the mistaken use of some of the denomination's evangelists who continued to claim that the Latin words ''"Vicarius Filii Dei"'' were written on a papal tiara. | ||
{{ |
{{blockquote|Each pope, like any other sovereign, has his own tiara, which is the papal crown. There is, therefore, no one tiara that is worn by the full succession of papal pontiffs. Moreover, personal examination of these various tiaras, by different men back through the years, and a scrutiny of the pictures of many more, have failed to disclose one engraved with the inscription Vicarius Filii Dei ... As heralds of truth, we are to proclaim the truth truthfully. No fabrication should ever becloud our presentation of truth. The present truth of the threefold message ] of Revelation 14] is so overwhelming in its logical appeal, and so inescapable in its claims, that it needs no dubious evidence or illustration to support it.<ref name="adventistarchives">"". ''Ministry'', vol. 10, no. 21. p.35. November, 1948</ref>|source=}} | ||
Froom continues in the article stating that a leading evangelist took photos of several tiaras in a trip to the Vatican and then, failing to find a tiara with the inscribed words, proceeded to add the words himself for use in his evangelistic preaching. The evangelist then tried to include the image in a book on Bible prophecy that he was publishing in one of the church's leading publishing houses in the United States. However, the image was rejected by the publishing house and by the General Conference for being misleading. However, some Adventist evangelists continue to make this claim. Froom concludes his 1948 article with the following words: | |||
Froom also stated in the 1948 article that at one point a prominent Adventist went to Rome to take some pictures of the papal tiaras, but "the photographs were without any wording of any sort on any one of the three crown, front or back." Later, an Adventist artist who wanted to illustrate a standard Adventist text on prophecies added the words "Vicarius", "Filii", and "Dei", one word on each of the three tiaras in the photograph taken. He submitted his image for publishing in a standard church text on Bible prophecy; the image was to serve as an illustration in the book, not as a visual proof. However, when an Adventist publishing house and the Adventist General Conference received it, they "emphatically rejected it as misleading and deceptive, and refused to allow its use. (All honor to them!)." Froom concluded his 1948 article with the following words: "Truth does not need fabrication to aid or support it. Its very nature precludes any manipulation or duplicity. We cannot afford to be party to any fraud. The reflex action upon our own souls should be a sufficient deterrent. We must never use a quotation or a picture merely because it sounds or looks impressive. We must honor the truth, and meticulously observe the principle of honesty in the handling of evidence under all circumstances."<ref name="adventistarchives"/> | |||
], co-founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and prolific writer, never referenced "''Vicarius Filii Dei''" in any of her writings. However, regarding 666, she stated: | |||
It is worth noting however that the equivalent title "Vicarius Christi" is indeed known to be inscribed upon the Belgium Tiara given to ] on 18 June 1871 by the Ladies of the Royal Court of the King of the Belgians and designed by ] of Ghent.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Belgium Tiara |url=http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rpHSPTj_mxQ/TPf-QEgwHMI/AAAAAAAAAvI/Y90jclVHurs/s1600/TiaraPiusIX.jpg |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221206003310/http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rpHSPTj_mxQ/TPf-QEgwHMI/AAAAAAAAAvI/Y90jclVHurs/s1600/TiaraPiusIX.jpg |archive-date=December 6, 2022 |access-date=December 6, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Collins |first=Michael |url=http://archive.org/details/vatican0000coll |title=The Vatican |date=2014 |publisher=London : Dorling Kindersley |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-1-4093-4975-4 |pages=266}}</ref> Adventists have proposed that the alternate "Vicarius Christi" is no better than Vicarius Filii Dei, because of the correlation in Leviticus 24:18 between the substitute ''Vicarium'' in the Vulgate<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/1462TheGutenbergBibleLatinVulgate |title=1462 The Gutenberg Bible Latin Vulgate |pages=102 |language=English}}</ref> and the substitute ἀντί "life for life" in the Greek text.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Swete |first=Henry Barclay |url=http://archive.org/details/oldtestamentingr01swetuoft |title=The Old Testament in Greek according to the Septuagint |date=1896–1905 |publisher=Cambridge : University Press |others=Robarts - University of Toronto |pages=272}}</ref> They have proposed ''Vicarius Christi'' therefore means "Antichrist".<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Bohr |first=Stephen |date=2016 |title=Reflections on Pope Francis, The UN, and the 2030 Agenda. |url=https://secretsunsealed.org/content/Newsletters/SU_News2016Q2_web.pdf |journal=Secrets Unsealed Newsletter |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221206225951/https://secretsunsealed.org/content/Newsletters/SU_News2016Q2_web.pdf |archive-date=December 6, 2022}}</ref> | |||
{{quote|I saw all "would not receive the mark of the Beast and of his Image, in their foreheads or in their hands," could not buy or sell. I saw that the number (666) of the Image Beast was made up and that it was the beast that changed the Sabbath, and the Image Beast had followed on after and kept the Pope's, and not God's, Sabbath. And all we were required to do was to give up God's Sabbath and keep the Pope's, and then we should have the mark of the Beast and of his Image.|A Word To The Little Flock, p. 19, Ellen White|}} | |||
===Catholic response=== | |||
⚫ | Catholic ] Patrick Madrid answers the Protestant claims by claiming that "Vicarius Filii Dei" has never been an official Papal title. He also argues that even if it were a Papal title, that would not be sufficient to associate the Pope with the number of the Beast, as, for example, the name of ] can also be similarly manipulated to get the same number (E'''LL'''en Go'''VLD''' '''VV'''h'''I'''te 50+50+5+50+500+5+5+1=666). He answers the claims that "Vicarius Filii Dei" is not written on ] by stating that merely looking at any of the more than 20 papal tiaras still in existence—including those in use in 1866 during the reign of ] when Uriah Smith made his claim—plainly shows that not even one of them has any such inscription, nor is there any evidence that any of the earlier papal tiaras destroyed by invading French troops in 1798 had any such inscription either.<ref name="Madrid_1998_MarApr" /> | ||
Adventist Samuele Bacchiocchi responded to those claims, by pointing out that "interpreting 666 on the basis of the numerical values of the letters of names can give absurd results". He also notes the Donation of Constantine was considered as true to the point "this forged document was used by 10 popes over a period of six centuries to assert, not only their ], but also their political sovereignty over what became known the ], which included most of ]." He also states the title "Vicarius Filii Dei" was considered as an official title of the pope.<ref>"", ], Ph. D., ENDTIME ISSUES NEWSLETTER No. 139 | |||
</ref> | |||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
Line 44: | Line 79: | ||
* ] | * ] | ||
== |
==References== | ||
{{Reflist|2}} | {{Reflist|2}} | ||
{{catholic|title=Donation of Constantine}} | {{catholic|title=Donation of Constantine}} | ||
==References== | |||
==Further reading== | |||
* Bruinsma, Reinder. (1994). Seventh-day Adventist Attitudes Toward Roman Catholicism 1844–1965, Berrien Springs, Michigan. {{ISBN|1-883925-04-5}}. | * Bruinsma, Reinder. (1994). Seventh-day Adventist Attitudes Toward Roman Catholicism 1844–1965, Berrien Springs, Michigan. {{ISBN|1-883925-04-5}}. | ||
* Heim, Bruno (1978). Heraldry in the Catholic Church: Its Origins, Customs and Laws, Gerrards Cross, Eng.: Van Duren. {{ISBN|0-905715-05-5}}. | * Heim, Bruno (1978). Heraldry in the Catholic Church: Its Origins, Customs and Laws, Gerrards Cross, Eng.: Van Duren. {{ISBN|0-905715-05-5}}. | ||
* Noonan, James-Charles. (1996). The Church Visible: The Ceremonial Life and Protocol of the Roman Catholic Church, New York: Viking. {{ISBN|0-670-86745-4}}. | * Noonan, James-Charles. (1996). The Church Visible: The Ceremonial Life and Protocol of the Roman Catholic Church, New York: Viking. {{ISBN|0-670-86745-4}}. | ||
* Smith, Uriah (1881). Thoughts, Critical and Practical on the Book of Revelation, Battle Creek, Mich |
* Smith, Uriah (1881). Thoughts, Critical and Practical on the Book of Revelation, Battle Creek, Mich. | ||
* Froom, Le Roy (1948). "Dubious Pictures of the Tiara." The Ministry, vol.10, no.21. November, 1948 |
* Froom, Le Roy (1948). "Dubious Pictures of the Tiara." The Ministry, vol.10, no.21. November, 1948. | ||
* Smithe, Jefferson (1902). Roman Catholic Ritual, London. | * Smithe, Jefferson (1902). Roman Catholic Ritual, London. | ||
{{Papal symbols and rituals}} | {{Papal symbols and rituals}} | ||
] | ] | ||
] | ] | ||
] | ] |
Latest revision as of 06:02, 29 December 2024
Phrase referring to Saint PeterVicarius Filii Dei (Latin: Vicar or Representative of the Son of God) is a phrase first used in the forged medieval Donation of Constantine to refer to Saint Peter, who is regarded as the first Pope by the Catholic Church.
Origins and uses of the phrase
The earliest known instance of the phrase Vicarius Filii Dei is in the Donation of Constantine, now dated between the eighth and the ninth centuries AD.
It et cuncto populo Romanae gloriae imperij subiacenti, ut sicut in terris vicarius filii Dei esse videtur constitutus etiam et pontifices
Johann Peter Kirsch states that "many of the recent critical students of the document locate its composition at Rome and attribute the forgery to an ecclesiastic, their chief argument being an intrinsic one: this false document was composed in favour of the popes and of the Holy Catholic Roman Church, therefore the Christ Church itself must have had the chief interest in a forgery executed for a purpose so clearly expressed".
However, it goes on to state, "Grauert, for whom the forger is a Frankish subject, shares the view of Hergenröther, i.e. the forger had in mind a defence of the new Western Empire from the attacks of the Eastern Romans. Therefore it was highly important for him to establish the legitimacy of the newly founded empire, and this purpose was especially aided by all that the document alleges concerning the elevation of the pope."
Despite the Donation later being recognized as a forgery, initially the whistleblower Laurentius Valla who discovered the forgery had his work suppressed by the Index Librorum Prohibitorum
Gratian included the phrase in his "Decretum" in Distinctio 96 chapter 14. The title was also included in some collections of Greek canons. Though it was derived from a forgery (The Donation of Constantine) and some have said it carried no dogmatic or canonical authority, Protestants pointed to the weight and authority proscribed within Gratian's Decretal Distinctio 19 Chapter 6 which stated that the decretal epistles were reckoned part of the canonical scriptures. It was previously also used as such for hundreds of years in the past.
Documented Usage
Several popes used the phrase and quoted it throughout their documents including the following:
- Pope Leo IX in his In Terra Pax Hominibus, 1054
- Pope Nicholaus IV in his letter to Caydonius the Tartar, 1289
- Pope John XXII in his Licet juxta doctrinam, 1327
- Pope John XXII in his Bulla Sabbatina, 1322
- Pope Paul VI in his Rivi Muniensis, 1965 and in his Bafianae, 1968
Lawyers
Catholic documents used the phrase as well including those from Canon Lawyer Augustinus Triumphus in his Summa de potestate ecclesiastica. Others such as Venetian lawyer Alphonsus Alvarez Guerrero, a Spanish civil and canon lawyer (1559) used the phrase in his Thesaurus Christianae Religiones. Venetian jureconsult and author (16th century) Giovanni Battista Ziletti (1577) also used the phrase in his work Consiliorum Seu Responsorum, Ad Causas Criminales, Recens Editorum
Cardinals and Bishops
In 1561 Dominican and Spanish theologian Juan de Torquemada used the phrase in his monumental Summa de Ecclesia. In 1581, Antonino (Archbishop of Florence) in Volume 3 of his Summa Theologicae quotes the phrase and applies it to the pope. The acclaimed Cardinal Henry Edward Manning used an English equivalent "Vicar of the Son of God" to refer to the pope. In his "Vindication of the Popes against opponents of all kinds" Vindiciae Summorum Pontificum adversus omnis generis adversarios, Wilibald Heiss (1755) also used the title. Jesuit Vincent Houdry also used the title in his work Bibliotheca Concionatoria Complectens Panegyricas Orationes Sanctorum where he described the win of Innocent II over antipope Anaclectus II
Ecclesiastical Anthology
In his Polyanthea Sacrorum, Giovanni Paolo Paravicini and also Laurentius Brancati in his Epitome Canonum Omnium, enumerated papal names or claims to authority and stated that the "Papa Est Vicarius Filii Dei Sicut Petris" "The Pope is Vicarius Filii Dei like Peter". Wolfgang Frölich in his 1790 work (Who is Peter) Quis est Petrus seu qualis Petri Primatus?: Liber theologico-canonico catholicus described Peter's successor with the phrase "Christi Filii Dei Vicarius". The French catechism Catéchisme de persévérance, also used the French version of the title "vicaire du Fils de Dieu". Italian Franciscan canonist Lucius Ferraris also used the title in his Prompta Bibliotheca Canonica, Juridica, Moralis. Theologian D'Utrecht in his work Défense de L'Eglise Romaine et des Souverains Pontifes also used the title.
Papal title?
The Protestant writer Andreas Helwig suggested that Vicarius Filii Dei was an expansion of the historical title Vicarius Christi, rather than an official title used by the Popes themselves. His interpretation did not become common until about the time of the French Revolution. Some later Protestant figures asserted that Vicarius Filii Dei was an official title of the Pope, with some saying that this title appeared on the papal tiara and/or a mitre. Some Catholic converts to Protestantism such as Balthasar Hoffman also testified to witnessing the title engraved with 100 diamonds on the 1845 tiara of Gregory XVI
Catholic apologist Patrick Madrid answers the Protestant assertions by claiming that Vicarius Filii Dei has never been an official Papal title. Catholics answer the claims that "Vicarius Filii Dei" is written on the Papal Tiara by stating that a simple inspection of the more than 20 papal tiaras still in existence—including those in use in 1866 during the reign of Pope Pius IX when Uriah Smith made his claim—shows that none have this inscription, nor is there any evidence that any of the earlier papal tiaras destroyed by invading French troops in 1798 had it. However, a Catholic publication, Our Sunday Visitor, did admit to the title being inscribed on a tiara. Catholic scholar, professor emeritus at the Catholic University of America, Dr Johannes Quasten (1900–1987), stated that "The title Vicarius Filii Dei as well as the title vicarius christi is very common as the title of the pope".
Protestant view
Some fundamentalist Protestants have the view that Vicarius Filii Dei can be applied to the Bishop of Rome.
Origins of a controversy
The earliest extant record of a Protestant writer on this subject is that of Professor Andreas Helwig in 1612. In his work Antichristus Romanus he took fifteen titles in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin and computed their numerical equivalents using the principle of Isopsephy in those languages, arriving at the number 666 mentioned in the Book of Revelation. Out of all these titles, he preferred to single out Vicarius Filii Dei, for the reason that it met "all the conditions which Bellarmine had thus far demanded."
Helwig's criteria were as follows:
- must yield the required number
- must agree with the papal order
- must not be a vile name applied by enemies, but acceptable to Antichrist himself
- must be one of which he can boast.
Helwig suggested that the supposed title was an expansion of the historical title Vicarius Christi, rather than an official title used by the Popes themselves. Additionally, he said nothing about the title appearing on tiaras or mitres. Helwig's interpretation did not become a common one until about the time of the French Revolution. Some later Protestant figures directly claimed that Vicarius Filii Dei was an official title of the Roman Catholic Pope, some claimed that this title appeared on the papal tiara and/or a mitre.
Some Protestants view the Pope as the Antichrist. This view was common at the time of Helwig and is still part of the confession of faith of some Protestant churches, such as those within Confessional Lutheranism and the London Baptist confession of 1689.
Historical Seventh-day Adventist views
In 1866, Uriah Smith was the first to propose the interpretation to the Seventh-day Adventist Church. In The United States in the Light of Prophecy, he wrote: "The pope wears upon his pontifical crown in jeweled letters, this title: 'Vicarius Filii Dei', 'Viceregent of the Son of God'; the numerical value of which title is just six hundred and sixty-six. The most plausible supposition we have ever seen on this point is that here we find the number in question. It is the number of the beast, the papacy; it is the number of his name, for he adopts it as his distinctive title; it is the number of a man, for he who bears it is the 'man of sin'."
Uriah Smith maintained his interpretation in the various editions of Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation, which was influential in the church.
In November 1948, Le Roy Froom, a Seventh-day Adventist ministerial leader, editor of the church's Ministry, and a church historian, wrote an article to correct the mistaken use of some of the denomination's evangelists who continued to claim that the Latin words "Vicarius Filii Dei" were written on a papal tiara.
Each pope, like any other sovereign, has his own tiara, which is the papal crown. There is, therefore, no one tiara that is worn by the full succession of papal pontiffs. Moreover, personal examination of these various tiaras, by different men back through the years, and a scrutiny of the pictures of many more, have failed to disclose one engraved with the inscription Vicarius Filii Dei ... As heralds of truth, we are to proclaim the truth truthfully. No fabrication should ever becloud our presentation of truth. The present truth of the threefold message is so overwhelming in its logical appeal, and so inescapable in its claims, that it needs no dubious evidence or illustration to support it.
Froom also stated in the 1948 article that at one point a prominent Adventist went to Rome to take some pictures of the papal tiaras, but "the photographs were without any wording of any sort on any one of the three crown, front or back." Later, an Adventist artist who wanted to illustrate a standard Adventist text on prophecies added the words "Vicarius", "Filii", and "Dei", one word on each of the three tiaras in the photograph taken. He submitted his image for publishing in a standard church text on Bible prophecy; the image was to serve as an illustration in the book, not as a visual proof. However, when an Adventist publishing house and the Adventist General Conference received it, they "emphatically rejected it as misleading and deceptive, and refused to allow its use. (All honor to them!)." Froom concluded his 1948 article with the following words: "Truth does not need fabrication to aid or support it. Its very nature precludes any manipulation or duplicity. We cannot afford to be party to any fraud. The reflex action upon our own souls should be a sufficient deterrent. We must never use a quotation or a picture merely because it sounds or looks impressive. We must honor the truth, and meticulously observe the principle of honesty in the handling of evidence under all circumstances."
It is worth noting however that the equivalent title "Vicarius Christi" is indeed known to be inscribed upon the Belgium Tiara given to Pope Pius IX on 18 June 1871 by the Ladies of the Royal Court of the King of the Belgians and designed by Jean Baptist Bethune of Ghent. Adventists have proposed that the alternate "Vicarius Christi" is no better than Vicarius Filii Dei, because of the correlation in Leviticus 24:18 between the substitute Vicarium in the Vulgate and the substitute ἀντί "life for life" in the Greek text. They have proposed Vicarius Christi therefore means "Antichrist".
Catholic response
Catholic apologist Patrick Madrid answers the Protestant claims by claiming that "Vicarius Filii Dei" has never been an official Papal title. He also argues that even if it were a Papal title, that would not be sufficient to associate the Pope with the number of the Beast, as, for example, the name of Ellen Gould White can also be similarly manipulated to get the same number (ELLen GoVLD VVhIte 50+50+5+50+500+5+5+1=666). He answers the claims that "Vicarius Filii Dei" is not written on Papal Tiara by stating that merely looking at any of the more than 20 papal tiaras still in existence—including those in use in 1866 during the reign of Pope Pius IX when Uriah Smith made his claim—plainly shows that not even one of them has any such inscription, nor is there any evidence that any of the earlier papal tiaras destroyed by invading French troops in 1798 had any such inscription either.
Adventist Samuele Bacchiocchi responded to those claims, by pointing out that "interpreting 666 on the basis of the numerical values of the letters of names can give absurd results". He also notes the Donation of Constantine was considered as true to the point "this forged document was used by 10 popes over a period of six centuries to assert, not only their ecclesiastical supremacy over all the churches, but also their political sovereignty over what became known the Papal States, which included most of Italy." He also states the title "Vicarius Filii Dei" was considered as an official title of the pope.
See also
References
- "St. Peter". Saints and Angels. Catholic Online. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
- "Donation of Constantine". www.thelatinlibrary.com.
- "A COPY OF THE DONATION OF THE EMPEROR COSTANTINE I (306-337) TO POPE SYLVESTER I (314-335)". May 7, 2011. Archived from the original on 2011-05-07.
- ^ Kirsch, Johann Peter. "Donation of Constantine". The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 5. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1909. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
- Index librorum prohibitorum. The Newberry Library. Romae : Ex Typographia Reuerendae Camerae Apostolicae. 1664. p. 195.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: others (link) - Gratien (1582). Decretum Gratiani emendatum et notationibus illustratum, unà cum glossis , Gregorii XIII, pont. max. jussu editum (in Latin). in aedibus populi romani. p. 623.
- Gratien (1582). Decretum Gratiani emendatum et notationibus illustratum, unà cum glossis , Gregorii XIII, pont. max. jussu editum (in Latin). in aedibus populi romani. p. 107.
- Whitaker, William (1849). A Disputation on Holy Scripture: Against the Papists, Especially Bellarmine and Stapleton. Printed at the University Press. p. 109.
- Contractus, Hermannus (1853). Patrologiae cursus completus, seu bibliotheca universalis, integra, uniformis, commoda, oeconomica, omnium SS. Patrum, doctorum scriptorumque ecclesiasticorum, sive latinorum, qui ab aevo apostolico ad tempora Innocentii 3. (anno 1216) pro Latinis et Concilii Florentini (ann. 1439) pro Graecis floruerunt: Recusio chronologica ...: Hermanni Contracti monachi Augià Divitis, Humberti S. R. E. cardinalis Silvà Candidà episcopi opera omnia ... accedunt S. Leonis 9., Victoris 2., Stephani 9., Nicolai 2., summorum pontificum opuscula, epistolà et privilegia (in Latin). Migne. p. 753.
- Pontificiarum constitutionum in Bullariis Magno, et Romano contentarum, et aliunde desumptarum epitome, et secundum materias dispositio cum indicibus locupletissimis opera et studio Aloysii Guerra S.T.D. Tomus primus [-quartus] (in Latin). 1772. p. 456.
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- Magnum Bullarium Romanum: A Beato Leone Magno Usque Ad S.D.N. Benedictum XIII.. Constitutiones Variorum Pontificum in praecedentibus Editionibus desideratas, summoque studio hinc inde conquistas complectens. 9 (in Latin). 1730. p. 168.
- Josepho.), Raphael (a Sancto (1718). Signum Salutis, Salus in Periculis: hoc est, beneficia & admiranda Sac. Ordini Fratrum Gloriosissimae Dei Genitricis semperque Virginis Mariae de Monte Carmelo, nec non antiquissimae & celeberrimae archi-fraternitati sacri ac thaumaturgi Scapularis ... (in Latin). Leidenmayr. p. 34.
- Josepho.), Raphael (a Sancto (1718). Signum Salutis, Salus in Periculis: hoc est, beneficia & admiranda Sac. Ordini Fratrum Gloriosissimae Dei Genitricis semperque Virginis Mariae de Monte Carmelo, nec non antiquissimae & celeberrimae archi-fraternitati sacri ac thaumaturgi Scapularis ... (in Latin). Leidenmayr.
- "De Fernando Poo (Rivi Muniensis), Constitutio Apostolica, Nonnullis territoriis a vicariatu apostolico de Fernando Póo detractis, novus vicariatus apostolicus conditur, «Rivi Muniensis» nomine, d. 9 m. Augusti a. 1965, Paulus PP. VI | Paulus PP. VI". www.vatican.va. Retrieved 2022-12-04.
- "Bafianae, Constitutio Apostolica, Quae erat praefectura apostolica Bafiensis in dioecesium ordinem redigitur, «Bafiana» nomine, d. 11 m. Ianuarii a. 1968, Paulus PP. VI | Paulus PP. VI". www.vatican.va. Retrieved 2022-12-04.
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- texte, Augustin d'Ancône (127-1328) Auteur du (1476). Summa de potestate ecclesiastica ([Reprod.]) / Augustinus de Ancona. p. 245.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - Trionfo, Agostino (1584). Augustini Triumphi Anconitani catholici doctoris Summa de potestate ecclesiastica edita anno Dni 1320 (in Latin). ex typographia Georgij Ferrarij. pp. 218, 239.
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- Santo), Antonino (Arzobispo de Florencia (1581). Eximij doctoris B. Antonini Archiepiscopi Florentini ... Summae Sacrae Theologiae, iuris Pontificij [et] Caesarei prima [-quarta] pars ...: accedunt ... Indices copiosissimi (in Latin). apud Iuntas. p. 401.
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- Brancati, Lorenzo (1684). ... D. Laurentii Brancati ... epitome canonum omnium, qui in conciliis generalibus ac provincialibus, in Decreto Gratiani, in Decretalibus, in epistolis et constitutionibus Rom. pontificum, usque ad nostra tempora, continentur (in Latin). Metternich. p. 447.
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- Le Roy Edwin Froom (1948). Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 2 (PDF), pp. 605–608. Review and Herald. Compare Ibid., p. 649; vol. 3 (PDF), pp. 228, 242.
- Robinson, Edgar Sutton (1898). The Ministerial Directory: Of the Ministers in the Presbyterian Church in the United States (Southern), and in the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (Northern), Together with a Statement of the Work of the Executive Committees and Boards of the Two Churches... Ministerial Directory Company. p. 312.
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- ^ Patrick Madrid. "Pope Fiction". Envoy magazine, March/April 1998
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- Bellarmino, Roberto Francesco Romolo (1615). Dispvtationvm Roberti Bellarmini Politiani ... de controversiis Christianæ fidei, adversvs hvivs temporis hæreticos, qvatvor tomis comprehensarvm, tomvs ... Accessere opuscula recenter nonnulla ... (in Latin). sumptibus Ioannis Gymnici & Antonij Hierat. p. 284.
- ^ Helwig, Andreas (1512). Antichristus Romanus. VVttenbergae, Typis Laurentij Seuberlichs. pp. c2 (20).
- See Leroy Edwin Froom, Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 2, pp. 605-608. Compare Ibid., p. 649; vol. 3, pp. 228, 242.
- A Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope, a Lutheran Confession in the Book of Concord
- A Confession of Faith: Put Forth by the Elders and Brethren of Many Congregations of Christians, (baptized Upon Profession of Their Faith), in London and the Country ... : First Printed in 1689. sold. 1809. p. 48.
- ^ Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, 223
- Smith, Uriah (1866). "The Two-Horned Beast - A Review of H. E. Carver" (PDF). Review and Herald.
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- ^ "The Query Column: Dubious Pictures of the Tiara". Ministry, vol. 10, no. 21. p.35. November, 1948
- "Belgium Tiara". Archived from the original on December 6, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
- Collins, Michael (2014). The Vatican. Internet Archive. London : Dorling Kindersley. p. 266. ISBN 978-1-4093-4975-4.
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- "THE MARK AND NUMBER OF THE BEAST", Samuele Bacchiocchi, Ph. D., ENDTIME ISSUES NEWSLETTER No. 139
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Donation of Constantine". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
Further reading
- Bruinsma, Reinder. (1994). Seventh-day Adventist Attitudes Toward Roman Catholicism 1844–1965, Berrien Springs, Michigan. ISBN 1-883925-04-5.
- Heim, Bruno (1978). Heraldry in the Catholic Church: Its Origins, Customs and Laws, Gerrards Cross, Eng.: Van Duren. ISBN 0-905715-05-5.
- Noonan, James-Charles. (1996). The Church Visible: The Ceremonial Life and Protocol of the Roman Catholic Church, New York: Viking. ISBN 0-670-86745-4.
- Smith, Uriah (1881). Thoughts, Critical and Practical on the Book of Revelation, Battle Creek, Mich.
- Froom, Le Roy (1948). "Dubious Pictures of the Tiara." The Ministry, vol.10, no.21. November, 1948.
- Smithe, Jefferson (1902). Roman Catholic Ritual, London.
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