Sample Entry

Sample entry from Vatican Archives, An Inventory and Guide to Historical Documents of the Holy See (Supplement #1) for Archives of the Congregation for the Index of Forbidden Books.

3.1.20 Congregatio pro Indice Librorum Prohibitorum

The origin of this congregation can be found in a special commission of conciliar fathers appointed by the Council of Trent in its eighteenth session (Feb. 26, 1562). The specific task of the commission was to provide for the compilation of a new index of forbidden books and to revise the list published by Paul IV in 1559. In fulfilling this task the commission also drew up guidelines for readers. Pius IV approved and published the rules and so-called Tridentine Index in 1564 (constitution Dominici gregis, Mar. 24, 1564).

With the constitution In apostolicae (Apr. 4, 1571), Pius V created the Congregation of the Index, whose chief duty it was to attend to the prohibition of books dangerous to Catholic doctrine. This was a turning point for the Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition, which had difficulty in exercising vigilance over the many new works that were being published.

Gregory XIII confirmed the work of Pius V and gave the newly established congregation a more definite form (constitution Ut pestiferarum opinionum, Sept. 13, 1572). The constitution Immensa aeterni Dei (Jan. 22, 1588) of Sixtus V stabilized the congregation and extended its jurisdiction even to the person of the authors, but only as related to their works. The new index with which the congregation had been charged was printed in 1590 but did not receive adequate distribution because of the death of the pope.

By order of Clement VIII (1592-1605), the congregation set to work on a new catalog, to which Robert Bellarmine and Caesar Baronius contributed. The work was ready in 1596. Instructions for the procedures for the preparation of this catalog had been provided by Clement himself.

Benedict XIV (constitution Sollicita ac provida, Jul. 9, 1753) stabilized the work of the congregation and determined more clearly the procedures to be followed in condemning books. Leo XIII, in order to adapt the procedures and regulations to the times, published the constitution Officiorum ac munerum and some Decreta generalia (Jan. 25, 1897). All preceding decrees relative to the prohibition of books were abolished; the Decreta generalia were to be substituted for them. The Congregation of the Index was to be guided by these new decrees except that in the censorship of books the constitution Sollicita ac provida of Benedict XIV would continue in force.

The last innovations relative to this congregation were introduced by Pius X with his constitution Sapienti consilio (Jun. 29, 1908). This document indicated a further right as well as duty assigned to the congregation: (1) to investigate whether writings deserving of condemnation were being circulated; and (2) to remind bishops of their obligation to call to the attention of the Holy See such writings.

Benedict XV with his motu proprio Alloquentes (Mar. 25, 1917) suppressed the Congregation of the Index and transferred its functions back to a simple section under the Congregation of the Holy Office.

Note on the archives:

For the archives of this Congregation there exists a single inventory prepared circa 1917 by Fr. Tommaso Esser. By then the Congregation had been suppressed and its records were transferred to the Holy Office as a historical archive. This inventory is titled “Inventario della Segreteria della S. Congregazione dell’Indice.” In the entries below it is referred to simply as the “Inventario.”

The CDF also maintains the Fondo librario dell’Indice. This is a collection of an undetermined number of book and pamphlets that were submitted to or obtained by the Congregazione dell’Indice in the process of its work reviewing the content of specific published texts. These volumes in some cases contain interesting marginal notations. Note also at the time of the preparation of this supplement, the Vatican Apostolic Library had begun a project to identify all books in its holdings that were transferred to it by the Congregation. Other books of the Congregation were sent to the Biblioteca Casanatense in Rome.

RECORDS of the congregation consist of the following series:

Series listed in the original Guide:

3.1.20.1 Index alphabetic: Generalis
Inclusive Dates: ca. 1690-1727.
Extent: .5 linear m. (6 volumes).
Organization: Alphabetical by personal or corporate name, or primarily by type of case (e.g., ad notationes, apologia, etc.).
Location: Archivio Segreto Vaticano.

Series identified in this supplement to the Guide:

3.1.20.2 Acta S. C. Indice
Inclusive Dates: 1571-1917.
Extent: . 5 linear m. (21 vols.).
Organization: Volumes are chronological.
Scope: These are registers of official acts and decrees of the congregation.
Note: The First Volume is titled “ Registrum….”
Finding Aids: Inventario section I pp. 17-22 provides interesting background on the origin of the series that it calls “Diarii.”
Location: Archivio della Congregazione per la Dottrina della Fede

3.1.20.3 Atti e documenti
Inclusive Dates: 1802-1897.
Extent: 1 linear m. (8 vols.).
Organization: Volumes are chronological.
Scope: This is a series of documents that actually belong with the Protocolli (3.1.20.12) but when they were found the Protocolli for those years were already organized and bound. This series is in essence more Protocolli.
Finding Aids: See Inventario p. 31 (Section II).
Location: Archivio della Congregazione per la Dottrina della Fede

3.1.20.4 Cataloghi delle biblioteche dei monasteri e conventi
Inclusive Dates: 1599-1600
Extent: 61 vols.
Organization: Organized by religious order and monastery.
Scope: These are inventories of the contents of libraries.
Note: These were transferred to the Vatican Library in 1927.
Finding Aids: See Codices Vaticani Latini 11266-11326 “Inventari de biblioteche religiose Italiane alla fine del cinquecento” prepared by Maria Magdalena Lebreton and Aloisius Fiorani [Vatican City: Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, 1985]. This volume consists of transcriptions from the lists of volumes arranged by specific monastery. There is an extensive index to the lists by name and location.
Location: Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana

3.1.20.5 Causes celebres
Inclusive Dates: Mostly [18--].
Extent: 1 linear m. (10 vols. and one envelope).
Organization: Organized by specific case: 1. Lamennais, 2. Lovanio, 3-4. Gunther, 5. Rosmini (plus one envelope), 6. Catechismi, 7. Bibbia, 8. Atti (material prepared for the first Vatican Council) 9. Muller, 10. Olier.
Scope: These are files relating to particularly complex cases. The files are duplicated in the series Duplicati delle posizioni (3.1.20.8).
Finding Aids: Inventario pp. 31-32 (Section II) lists volumes 1-8. The Muller and Olier volumes were likely added later.
Location: Archivio della Congregazione per la Dottrina della Fede

3.1.20.6 Copie delle diverse edizioni dell’indice
Inclusive Dates: 1590-1948.
Extent: 1 linear m. (73 vols.).
Organization: This is a chronological set that includes some duplicates.
Scope: These are a collection of printed editions of the Index. In general the books were listed alphabetically by author.
Finding Aids: Inventario pp. 51-72 (Sections XXXV-XXXVI) gives a detailed description of volumes issued prior to 1900.
Location: Archivio della Congregazione per la Dottrina della Fede

3.1.20.7 Duplicati dei decreti
Inclusive Dates: 1841-1916.
Extent: 2 vols.
Organization: Chronological
Scope: These are printed decrees that announce the placement of books on the index.
Finding Aids: See Inventario p, 50 (Section XXXII) for a description.
Location: Archivio della Congregazione per la Dottrina della Fede

3.1.20.8 Duplicati delle posizioni
Inclusive Dates: 1817-1916.
Extent: 6 linear m. (34 vols. ).
Organization: 22 of the volumes are chronological and duplicate the posizioni from the protocolli volumes (3.1.20.12). In addition there are 12 volumes that are case specific. They contain duplicate material from the “causes celebres” series (3.1.20.5).
Scope: These copies were made to facilitate consultation on cases among the members of the congregation. After 1828 all duplicati are printed.
Finding Aids: See Inventario pp. 48-49 (Section XXXI).
Location: Archivio della Congregazione per la Dottrina della Fede

3.1.20.9 [Index Librorum Prohibitorum Miscellanea.]
Inclusive Dates: ca. 1582-1664.
Extent: 2 linear m. (45 vols.).
Organization: In many cases the volumes in this series are incomplete parts of series or small separate series that were created for a short period of time. Included are the following: 1. Epistolae Archiepiscorum, Episcorum, Inquisitorum, 1596-1606 (7 vols.); 2. Registrum Litterarum, 1582-1664 (4 misc. vols.); 3. Licentiae, 1596-1664 (3 vols.); 4. Misc. Acta, 1681-17-- (7 vols.); 5. Index Authorum, 1576 (1 vol.); 6. Indice dei Libri Prohibiti, 1615-1627 (1 vol.); 7. Index Librorum Prohibitorum, 1595 (1 vol.); 8. Index Librum, 16-- (1 vol., incomplete); 9. Censure (4 vols.).
Scope: The index volumes list authors and works. The Censure volumes contain interesting evaluations of works and performances. Licentiae are applications for dispensations to read or to own forbidden material. See 3.1.20.13 for a later series of licentiae. Misc. Acta are abstracts of acta from the early years of the congregation done principally by secretary Bianchi between 1684 and 1707. The “Epistolae Archiepiscorum” are letters from archbishops and bishops to the secretary of the congregation.
Finding Aids: The Inventario pp. 33-40 (Sections III-XXIX) lists each volume and provides an explanation and description.
Location: Archivio della Congregazione per la Dottrina della Fede

3.1.20.10 Minutario
Inclusive Dates: 1894-1900.
Extent: 1 vol.
Organization: Chronological.
Scope: Register of outgoing letters.
Location: Archivio della Congregazione per la Dottrina della Fede

3.1.20.11 [Miscellanea]
Inclusive Dates: [17--] and [18--].
Extent: .5 linear m. (4 buste).
Scope: This is a miscellaneous collection of documents not bound in the protocolli (3.1.20.12) to which they belong; neither in the atti (3.1.20.3); apparently they had been overlooked previously; partly duplicates of documents in the protocolli.
Location: Archivio della Congregazione per la Dottrina della Fede

3.1.20.12 Protocolli
Inclusive Dates: 1571-1917.
Extent: 16 linear m. (143 vols.).
Organization: Chronological by secretariat of the congregation.
Scope: This is an important set of documents that includes letters and decrees referring to the evaluation and condemnation of books. This is a parallel series to the Acta S. C. Indice (3.1.20.2).
Finding Aids: The Inventario, pp. 25-31 (Section II) lists the name and term of each secretary. It also explains in more detail the nature of the protocolli. There is an alphabetical index at the start of each volume.
Location: Archivio della Congregazione per la Dottrina della Fede

3.1.20.13 Registri moderni delle licenze concesse
Inclusive Dates: 1833-1927.
Extent: .5 linear m. (20 vols.).
Organization: The registers are not consistent in format over time.
Scope: These are registers of licenses to keep or read forbidden books granted by year. See 3.1.20.9 for earlier licentia. After the abolition of the Congregation of the Index, this series was continued by the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith.
Finding Aids: The Inventario, p. 51 (Section XXXIII) notes 16 volumes, 1833-1920’s. Four volumes later added to the series are not listed.
Location: Archivio della Congregazione per la Dottrina della Fede

3.1.20.14 Voti
Inclusive Dates: [18--] and[19--].
Extent: .6 linear m. (3 vols., 9 buste).
Organization: This series consists of a variety of items: Voti Vari, 1850-1860 (2 vols. Chronological, printed); Voti Stampati (3 buste alphabetical); Voti Scritti (2 buste); Voti, 1918-1934 (1 busta); Notizie (1 busta of misc. newspaper clippings); Loisy, 1900-1902 (1 busta); Trullet, 1860-1867 (1 busta); “Adventus Messiae,” ca. 1816 (1 vol.).
Scope: These are collections of printed and manuscript reports by consultores to the congregation. The consultores were appointed to read material and provide an evaluation. The buste “Loisy” and “Trullet” refer to specific cases.
Location: Archivio della Congregazione per la Dottrina della Fede