has never been attempted to do any injury to the venerable Eastern rite."[1] Examples and proofs of this follow, beginning with the tolerance of Leo IX towards Byzantine churches in Italy, at the very time when Cerularius was shutting up Latin churches at Constantinople. Then comes a long list of Popes who, in various ways, have protected Eastern rites; so that from this Bull alone a good idea of the position may be obtained.[2]
The missionaries are to convert Eastern schismatics to the Catholic faith; to fight against errors; but in no way to try to make their converts Latins. In order to show the respect which the Holy See has for Eastern rites, the Pope quotes a number of cases in which liturgical practices from the East have been introduced into the Roman rite, such as the use of the Nicene Creed at Mass, and so on.[3]
There are sharp laws against mixing rites; priests of Eastern rites may celebrate in Latin churches, but they must, in that case too, follow their own rite exactly.
The Pope sees that there is a greater advantage for the Catholic faith in maintaining Eastern rites than in abolishing them: "As for the arguments that missionaries should use, since Eastern people greatly adhere to their own ancient fathers, the works of the diligent Leo Allatius and of other illustrious theologians should be studied carefully, in which it is shown that the ancient and venerable Greek Fathers and those of the Western Church agree entirely among themselves in all things that affect dogma, and that they confute equally the errors in which the Eastern people, and particularly the Greeks, are now unhappily involved. Hence without doubt the study of their works will be of the greatest use."[4]
So he concludes: "We have explained these things in this our Encyclical letter, not only to make the principles clear by which we have answered the questions of the missionaries, but also that all may see the goodwill with which the Apostolic See embraces Eastern Catholics, since it orders that by all means their ancient rites are to be preserved, as opposed neither to the Catholic faith nor to morals. Nor do we demand that schismatics who return to Catholic unity should forsake their rites; but only that they should renounce and detest their heresies. We desire vehemently that their various nations should be preserved, not destroyed; that, to say all in one word, they should be Catholics, not that they should become Latins."[5]
