SPECIAL REPORT: THE 25 YEARS OF POPE JOHN PAUL II ENCYCLICALS WRITTEN BY POPE JOHN PAUL II

VATICAN CITY, OCT 14, 2003 (VIS) - Encyclical comes from a Greek term used to indicate letters that princes and magistrates sent to the widest possible number of people in order to make known laws, rules, regulations. etc. The corresponding Latin term was "circularis," which referred to a letter or message intended for extensive circulation. Encyclical today has come to be associated solely with the Church.

Encyclical Letters, the most solemn documents of the ordinary and universal pontifical magisterium, are usually addressed to all the bishops and faithful of the Catholic Church, but frequently are also addressed to include "all people of good will." Encyclical Epistles are addressed to a specific group of bishops - for example those of a specific country or region - and touch upon less important matters.

Encyclicals may deal with doctrinal matters, exhort or call the faithful to public prayer for a specific reason, or be commemorative of an important Church anniversary. They are always signed by the pope, usually in Latin, and are published in the "Acta Apostolicae Sedis" and in individual books in diverse languages.

The official Latin text is prepared by the Secretariat of State and normally five copies of the Latin-language document are signed by the Holy Father. The text, in various languages, is sent to episcopal conferences worldwide through the pontifical representatives.

For many centuries, the office which prepared these documents was called the Chancery of Apostolic Letters. Dating back to the 4th century, the chancery was suppressed by Pope Paul VI with the Motu proprio "Quo aptius" of February 27, 1973.

Pope John Paul has written 14 encyclicals, 13 of which are Encyclical Letters and 1 - "Slavorum Apostoli" - is an Encyclical Epistle.

1. "Redemptor Hominis" (Jesus Christ, Redeemer of Man), March 4, 1979.

2 "Dives in Misericordia" (God the Father, Rich in Mercy), November 30, 1980.

3. "Laborem Exercens" (On human work and social problems), September 14, 1981.

4. "Slavorum Apostoli" (Saints Cyril and Methodius, patrons of the Slavs), June 2, 1985.

5. "Dominum et Vivificantem" (Holy Spirit, Lord and Vivifier), May 18, 1986.
6. "Redemptoris Mater" (Mary, Mother of the Redeemer), March 25, 1987.

7. "Sollicitudo Rei Socialis" (True development of man and society), December 30, 1987.

8. "Redemptoris Missio" (The mission), December 7, 1990.

9. "Centesimus Annus" (The social question, one hundred years after "Rerum Novarum"), May 1, 1991.

10. "Veritatis Splendor" (Foundations of Catholic morality), August 6, 1993.

11. "Evangelium Vitae" (The value and inviolability of human life), March 25, 1995.

12. "Ut Unum Sint" (The commitment to ecumenism), May 25, 1995.

13. "Fides et Ratio," (On Reason and Faith), September 14, 1998.

14. "Ecclesia de Eucharistia" (On the Eucharist and Its Relation to the Church), April 17, 2003.

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