We declare that if ever it should appear that any bishop, even one acting as an Archbishop, Patriarch, or Primate, or a Cardinal of the Roman Church, or a legate, or even the Roman Pontiff, whether prior to his promotion to cardinal, or prior to his election as Roman Pontiff, has beforehand deviated from the Catholic faith or fallen into any heresy, We enact, we decree, we determine, we define: Such promotion or election in and of itself, even with the agreement and unanimous consent of all the Cardinals, shall be null, legally invalid, and void. It shall not be possible for such a promotion or election to be deemed valid or to be valid, neither through reception of office, consecration, subsequent administration, or possession, not even through the putative enthronement of a Roman Pontiff himself, together with the veneration and obedience accorded him by all. Such promotion or election shall not through any lapse of time in the foregoing situation be considered even partially legitimate in any way.... Each and all of the words, as acts, laws, appointments of those so promoted or elected -- and indeed, whatsoever flows there from -- shall be lacking in force, and shall grant no stability and legal power to anyone whatsoever. Those so promoted or elected, by that very fact and without the need to make any further declaration, shall be deprived of any dignity, position, honor, title, authority, office, and power.... Therefore, it is permitted to no one to impair this page of Our approval, renewal, sanction, statute, wills of repeal, of degrees, or to go contrary to it by a rash daring deed. If anyone, moreover, will have presumed to attempt this, he will incur the wrath of Almighty God and of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul. --Pope Paul IV (1559-1566), Bull Cum ex Apostolatus Officio, February 16, 1559, sec. 9
Posted on: Thu, 13 Mar 2014 14:46:48 +0000
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