recourse to their prayers, aid, and assistance; but that they who deny that the saints enjoying eternal happiness in heaven are to be invoked, or who assert either that they do not pray for men, or that the invoking them that they may pray for each of us, is idolatry; or that it is contrary to the Word of God, and opposed to the honour of the one Mediator between God and man; or that it is folly either by word or thought, to supplicate them who are reigning in heaven; are impious in their opinions.

Also that the holy bodies of the holy martyrs and others living with Christ, which were living members of Christ, and the temple of the Holy Ghost, and are by Him to be raised to eternal life, and glorified, ought to be venerated by the faithful; by means of which the faithful receive many benefits. So that they who declare that veneration and honour

trum, qui solus noster Redemptor, et Salvator est, ad eorum orationes, opem, auxiliumque confugere: illos vero, qui negant, sanctos, æterna felicitate in cœlo fruentes, invocandos esse; aut qui asserunt, vel illos pro hominibus non orare; vel eorum, ut pro nobis etiam singulis orent, invocationem esse idololatriam ; vel pugnare cum verbo Dei, adversarique honori unius mediatoris Dei, et hominum Jesu Christi; vel stultum esse, in cœlo regnantibus voce vel mente supplicare; impie sentire.

Sanctorum quoque Martyrum, et aliorum cum Christo viventium sancta corpora, quæ viva membra fuerunt Christi, et templum Spiritus Sancti, ab ipso ad æternam vitam suscitanda, et glorificanda, a fidelibus veneranda esse; per quæ multa beneficia a Deo hominibus præstantur: ita ut affirmantes, sanctorum reliquiis venerationem, atque honorem non deberi; vel eas, aliaque

are not due to the relics of the saints, or that the honour which the faithful pay to them and other sacred monuments is useless, and that it is in vain. to celebrate the memory of the saints for the sake of obtaining their assistance, are utterly to be condemned, as the Church already has condemned them, and does so at the present time.

Moreover, that the images of Christ, of the Virgin Mother of God, and other saints, are to be especially had and retained in the churches; and due honour and veneration to be given to them, not because it is supposed that there is any divinity or virtue in them on account of which they are to be worshipped, nor because any thing is to be asked of them, nor that confidence is to be placed in images, as of old was done by the Heathens, who placed their hope in idols, but because the honour which is shewn to them is referred to the prototypes which they represent; so that by the images which we kiss, and sacra monumenta a fidelibus inutiliter honorari; atque eorum opis impetrandæ causa sanctorum memorias frustra frequentari; omnino damnandos esse, prout jampridem eos damnavit, et nunc etiam damnat Ecclesia.

Imagines porro Christi, Deiparæ Virginis, et aliorum sanctorum, in templis præsertim habendas, et retinendas; eisque debitum honorem, et venerationem impertiendam; non quod credatur inesse aliqua in iis divinitas, vel virtus, propter quam sint colenda; vel quod ab eis sit aliquid petendum, vel quod fiducia in imaginibus sit figenda, veluti olim fiebat a gentibus, quæ in idolis spem suam collocabant; sed quoniam honos, qui eis exhibetur, refertur ad prototypa, quæ illæ repræsentant; ita ut per imagines, quas osculamur, et coram quibus

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before which we uncover our heads and fall down, we worship Christ, and venerate the saints, whose likeness they bear. That is what has been sanctioned by the decrees of the councils against the opposers of images, especially those of the second Nicene Synod.

But let the bishops diligently teach that by stories of the mysteries of our redemption expressed in pictures or other representations, the people are taught and confirmed in commemorating and carefully bearing in mind the articles of faith, as also that great advantage is derived from all the sacred images, not only because the people are thereby reminded of the benefits and gifts which Christ has conferred upon them, but also because the miracles of God by the saints, and their wholesome examples, are submitted to the eyes of the faithful, that they may give thanks to God for them, and dispose their

caput aperimus, et procumbimus, Christum adoremus ; et sanctos, quorum illæ similitudinem gerunt, veneremur. Id quod conciliorum, præsertim vero secundæ Nicænæ Synodi, decretis contra imaginum oppugnatores est sancitum.

Illud vero diligenter doceant Episcopi, per historias mysteriorum nostræ redemptionis, picturis, vel aliis similitudinibus expressas, erudiri, et confirmari populum in articulis fidei commemorandis, et assidue recolendis; tum vero ex omnibus sacris imaginibus magnum fructum percipi, non solum quia admonetur populus beneficiorum, et munerum, quæ a Christo sibi collata sunt; sed etiam quia Dei per sanctos miracula, et salutaria exempla oculis fidelium subjiciuntur; ut pro iis Deo gratias agant, ad sanctorumque imitationem vitam moresque suos com

lives and manners in imitation of the saints; and may be excited to adore and love God, and to cultivate religion.

Canon.-If any shall teach or think contrary to these decrees; let him be accursed.

ponant; excitenturque ad adorandum, ac diligendum Deum, et ad pietatem colendam. Si quis autem his decretis contraria docuerit, aut senserit; anathema sit.-Conc. xiv. 895.

DECREE CONCERNING INDULGENCES.

As Christ has given to the Church the power of granting indulgences, and the Church, from the earliest times, has exercised this power divinely bestowed upon it, the holy Synod teaches and enjoins that the use of indulgences, being extremely wholesome for Christian people, and approved by the authority of the sacred councils, be retained in the Church, and condemns with anathema those who either assert that they are useless, or deny that the Church has the power of granting them, &c.

Decretum de Indulgentiis.

Cum potestas conferendi indulgentias a Christo Ecclesiæ concessa sit; atque hujusmodi potestate, divinitus sibi tradita, antiquissimis etiam temporibus illa usa fuerit; sacrosancta Synodus indulgentiarum usum, Christiano populo maxime salutarem, et sacrorum conciliorum auctoritate probatum, in Ecclesia retinendum esse docet, et præcipit; eosque anathemate damnat, qui aut inutiles esse asserunt, vel eas concedendi in Ecclesia potestatem esse negant, &c.-Conc. xiv. 917.

ON THE INDEX OF BOOKS, THE CATECHISM, BRE

VIARY, AND MISSAL.

The holy Synod in the second session celebrated under our most holy Lord Pius IV., commissioned certain chosen Fathers to consider what was necessary to be done concerning various censures, and books, either suspected or pernicious, and to relate the same to the holy Synod itself. Hearing now that they have put the finishing stroke to this work, and that, nevertheless, on account of the variety and multitude of books, the matter cannot be clearly and conveniently determined by the Synod; it enjoins that whatever is set forth by them may be presented to the most holy Roman pontiff, and be determined and published by his judgment and authority. It charges that the same be done concerning the catechism by the Fathers to whom that work was enjoined, and concerning the Missal and Breviary.

De Indice Librorum, Catechismo, Breviario, et Missali. Sacrosancta Synodus in secunda sessione, sub sanctissimo Domino nostro Pio IV. celebrata, delectis quibusdam Patribus commisit, ut de variis censuris, ac libris, vel suspectis, vel perniciosis, quid facto opus esset, considerarent; atque ad ipsam sanctam Synodum referrent: audiens nunc, huic operi ab eis extremam manum impositam esse; nec tamen ob librorum varietatem, et multitudinem, distincte, et commode possit a sancta Synodo dijudicari; præcipit, ut quidquid ab illis præstitum est, Sanctissimo Romano Pontifici exhibeatur ; ut ejus judicio, atque auctoritate terminetur, et evulgetur. Idemque de Catechismo a Patribus, quibus illud mandatum fuerat, et de Missali, et Breviario fieri mandat.-Conc. xiv. 918.