And since, by the divine right of apostolic primacy, one Roman Pontiff is placed over the universal Church, We further teach and declare that he is the supreme judge of the faithful,[1] and that in all causes the decision of which belongs to the Church recourse may be had to his tribunal,[2] but that none may reopen the judgement of the Apostolic See, than whose authority there is no greater, nor can any lawfully review its judgement.[3] Wherefore they err from the right path of truth who assert that it is lawful to appeal from the judgements of the Roman Pontiffs to an Œcumenical Council, as to an authority higher than that of the Roman Pontiff.
If then any shall say that the Roman Pontiff has the office merely of inspection or direction, and not full and supreme power of jurisdiction over the universal Church, not only in things which belong to faith and morals, but also in those things which relate to the discipline and government of the Church spread throughout the world; or assert that he possesses merely the principal part, and not all the fullness of this supreme power; or that this power which he enjoys is not ordinary and immediate, both over each and all the Churches and over each and all the pastors of the faithful; let him be anathema.
- ↑ From a Brief of Pius VI, Super soliditate, of November 28, 1786.
- ↑ From the Acts of the Fourteenth General Council (Second of Lyons), A.D. 1274. Labbe's Councils, vol. iv, p. 512.
- ↑ From Letter viii of Pope Nicholas I, A.D. 858, to the Emperor Michael, in Labbe's Councils, vol. ix, pp. 1339 and 1570.
