Papal Documents and Their Hierarchy
In the vast corpus of texts emanating from the Pope, not all possess the same rank, purpose, or authority. The Church carefully distinguishes between documents that express the supreme magisterium, those that belong to the ordinary magisterium, and those that are acts of government or administration. Understanding this hierarchy is essential to assess the doctrinal or legal weight of each papal pronouncement.
The Apostolic Constitution
The most solemn form of papal document is the apostolic constitution. It is used to define truths of faith, promulgate fundamental laws, or reorganize Church structures. Some constitutions are dogmatic, such as Munificentissimus Deus (1950), in which Pius XII defined the dogma of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Others are disciplinary or administrative, such as Pastor Bonus (1988), which regulated the structure of the Roman Curia. In any case, it is the type of document that possesses the greatest legal and doctrinal authority, and requires the highest degree of assent from the faithful.
The Encyclical
At the next level are the encyclicals, solemn letters usually addressed to the bishops of the whole world and, through them, to the faithful. Their purpose is to teach, not to legislate. Through them, the Pope exercises his ordinary magisterium on matters of faith, morals, or social doctrine. Although they are not infallible in themselves, their weight is considerable, especially when they reiterate the constant teaching of the Church. Classic examples are Rerum Novarum by Leo XIII, Humanae Vitae by Paul VI, or Veritatis Splendor by John Paul II. Encyclicals require from the faithful a religious assent of intellect and will, different from the assent of faith due to dogmas, but no less serious.
The Apostolic Exhortation
More pastoral than doctrinal, the apostolic exhortation usually publishes the conclusions of a Synod of Bishops or seeks to promote a particular spiritual or missionary orientation. Evangelii Nuntiandi by Paul VI or Amoris Laetitia by Francis are notable examples. Its authority is less than that of an encyclical, but it is not devoid of magisterial value: it proposes paths for the practical application of doctrine and pastoral orientations that deserve respect and attention.
The Apostolic Letter
The apostolic letter is a flexible instrument that the Pope uses to address specific or commemorative issues. It can deal with theological, pastoral, or disciplinary topics, without the solemnity of an encyclical. At times, it adopts a personal or exhortative tone, such as Novo Millennio Ineunte by John Paul II, with which he invited the Church to begin the new millennium “duc in altum”.
The Motu Proprio
The motu proprio is a legal document promulgated by the Pope “on his own initiative”. Its main purpose is legislative or administrative: it creates or modifies norms, structures, or competencies. It may have indirect doctrinal consequences, but its nature is essentially normative. Examples are Summorum Pontificum (2007), with which Benedict XVI liberalized the traditional Mass, and Traditionis Custodes (2021), which restricted it again. Its authority depends on the scope in which it acts, but in the legal realm, it has the force of universal law.
The Pontifical Holograph
The pontifical holograph (from the Greek cheir, “hand”, and the Latin graphum, “writing”) is a document written entirely by hand or personally signed by the Pope, through which he expresses a particular decision or provision. Unlike apostolic constitutions, encyclicals, or motu proprios, the holograph does not follow a determined legal form nor does it necessarily seek to promulgate universal laws. Its value derives from the personal authority of the Pope, who issues it without intermediaries or formal curial procedures.
Historically, Popes have resorted to the holograph for matters of an internal or confidential nature, such as the creation of commissions, the approval of foundations, the granting of privileges, or the assignment of specific tasks. A recent example is the holograph of Francis in 2013, creating the commission for the economic reorganization of the Holy See, or the holograph of Pius XII in 1942, establishing the Pontificium Opus a Sancto Petro Apostolo.
In summary, the holograph is a personal and direct act of the Pope, without mediation from dicasteries; its force depends on the matter it addresses—administrative, pastoral, or disciplinary—and it usually does not have universal scope. Its solemnity comes from the express will of the Pontiff, not from the form of the document. It does not belong to the magisterial genre in the proper sense, but rather represents an immediate exercise of papal authority, closer to an act of government than to doctrinal teaching.
Decrees, Instructions, and Rescripts
Below the major documents of the magisterium are decrees, instructions, and rescripts, which are acts of government or legal interpretation. They normally come from the dicasteries of the Roman Curia and acquire binding value when they carry papal approval. Their function is to apply or clarify existing norms, not to teach new doctrine.
Speeches and Messages
The Pope’s speeches, messages, or allocutions, although they express his thought and may have great moral authority, do not constitute acts of the magisterium in the strict sense. They are pastoral, occasional, or diplomatic interventions that guide, exhort, or comment on events. They do not require doctrinal adherence, but rather filial respect toward the one who pronounces them as Universal Pastor.
Papal Homilies
It is worth specifying, lastly, the place occupied by papal homilies. Although they are delivered by the Roman Pontiff, they do not constitute acts of the magisterium in themselves. The homily belongs to the liturgical realm and aims to exhort the faithful to live the proclaimed Word, not to define or develop doctrine. However, when the Pope, in the course of a homily, reaffirms a teaching previously defined by the magisterium or explains a point of faith with the intention of confirming it, that specific part participates in the ordinary magisterium by its content, not by its form. Consequently, homilies must be listened to with respect and docility, but they do not require the religious assent corresponding to properly magisterial documents.
Gradation of Authority
In general, it can be affirmed that the apostolic constitution occupies the first place in the hierarchy of papal documents, followed by the encyclical, the apostolic exhortation, the apostolic letter, and the motu proprio. The holographs, decrees, instructions, and messages are situated on a lower plane. This gradation not only expresses different degrees of solemnity, but also different levels of doctrinal commitment: from the infallible teaching of the solemn magisterium to the pastoral orientations of the ordinary magisterium.
In short, not all of the Pope’s documents oblige in the same way, but all deserve attention proportionate to their nature and purpose. Catholic fidelity does not consist in measuring the authority of each text as one would weigh an administrative decree, but in recognizing in the voice of the Successor of Peter the providential guidance that safeguards, teaches, and applies the truth of the Gospel in history.