A very fine manuscript Papal Bull on parchment in scrittura bollatica Latin. In the name of Pope Urban VIII, dated at Rome, 1634. (190 x 325mm – 7 1/2 x 12 3/4”)
A Papal Bull, named for the “bulla” or lead seal originally appended to it, is a particular type of important communication issued by a pope. After the 15th century, they were used only for formal or solemn occasions.
Bulls were written at the Vatican in an archaic and very artificial Latin style know as “scrittura bollatica”, full of abbreviations and contractions virtually undecipherable to ordinary readers – a copy in ordinary script sometimes accompanied them.
The documents begin with the pope’s name, followed by “episcopus servus servorum Dei” (… Bishop, Servant of the Servants of God). The date is found in the last line of text, and the signatures of various Papal authorities are added.
Pope Urban VIII (baptized 5 April 1568 – 29 July 1644), born Maffeo Barberini, was pope from 1623 to 1644. He was the last pope to expand the papal territory by force of arms, and was a prominent patron of the arts and reformer of Church missions. He was also involved in controversy with Galileo and his theory on heliocentrism. Galileo was forced to recant in 1632.
Shipped unmatted
