Article — 1917 Code of Canon Law
Article III: Of the Judgment concerning the Heroicity of Virtues in Species or concerning Martyrdom and Its Cause
Superseded as law in 1983 — read why this Code still matters. Each canon links to its 1983 counterpart.
The discussion of virtues is not to be begun before fifty years from the death of the Servant of God.
Disceptatio virtutum non ante quinquaginta annos a morte Servi Dei inchoanda est.
In three congregations there is discussion concerning the heroicness of the virtues of the Servant of God or concerning his martyrdom and its cause; namely in the antepreparatory, preparatory, and general congregations.
Tribus congregationibus disceptatur de Servi Dei virtutum heroicitate vel de eius martyrio eiusque causa; scilicet in antepraeparatoria, praeparatoria et generali.
§ 1. The official prelates and consultors bring forth their votes in writing in any congregation.
§ 2. After all the prelates and consultors have brought forth their vote both in the antepreparatory congregation and in the preparatory congregation, individuals will be able again to declare, before the congregation is dismissed, that they recede from the vote already cast.
§ 3. The conclusions of the votes of individuals are to be committed to writing by the Secretary and kept secret; but the written votes themselves are to be handed to the Promoter General of the Faith.
§ 1. Praelati officiales et consultores in qualibet congregatione suffragia scripto proferunt.
§ 2. Postquam omnes praelati et consultores suffragium suum protulerint tum in congregatione antepraeparatoria tum in praeparatoria, singuli poterunt iterum declarare, antequam dimittatur congregatio, se a suffragio iam lato recedere.
§ 3. Conclusiones singulorum suffragiorum scripto mandentur a Secretario et secretae serventur; ipsa vero scripta suffragia Promotori generali fidei tradantur.
In causes of confessors the doubt must be discussed: whether it is established concerning the theological virtues, Faith, Hope, Charity both toward God and toward neighbor, and also concerning the cardinal virtues, Prudence, Justice, Temperance, Fortitude, and their annexed virtues in heroic degree in the case and for the effect of which there is question; but in causes of martyrs: whether it is established concerning martyrdom and its cause and concerning signs or miracles in the case and for the effect of which there is question.
In causis confessorum discuti debet dubium: an constet de virtutibus theologalibus Fide, Spe, Caritate tum in Deum tum in proximum, nec non de cardinalibus Prudentia, Iustitia, Temperantia, Fortitudine, earumque adnexis in gradu heroico in casu et ad effectum de quo agitur; in causis vero martyrum: an constet de martyrio eiusque causa et de signis seu miraculis in casu et ad effectum de quo agitur.
The antepreparatory congregation is held before the Cardinal Ponens together with the official prelates and consultors.
Congregatio antepraeparatoria habetur coram Cardinali Ponente una cum praelatis officialibus et consultoribus.
For the antepreparatory congregation a position is to be prepared which consists of:
1° A summary drawn from the original process, which is to be prepared in such a way that testimonies and documents are produced entire.
2° A writing of the advocate, by which from the things said in the summary the life and heroicness of the virtues of the Servant of God, or martyrdom and its cause, are briefly illustrated, with those things wholly and most diligently distinguished which are brought forward as arguments for proof and those which are brought forward rather as a support and aid of proof.
3° The synopsis of the Promoter General of the Faith of which in can. 2079.
4° Observations of the Promoter General of the Faith and responses of the advocate.
5° Votes which were written by the revisers concerning the writings of the Servant of God.
Pro congregatione antepraeparatoria paretur positio quae constet:
1° Summario ex processu originali desumpto, quod ita conficiatur ut testimonia et documenta integra producantur;
2° Advocati scriptura, qua ex dictis in summario vita et heroicitas virtutum Servi Dei, vel martyrium eiusque causa paucis illustrentur, omnino et diligentissime distinctis iis, quae tanquam argumenta ad probationem afferuntur et iis quae adducuntur potius tanquam adminiculum et auxilium probationis;
3° Synopsi Promotoris generalis fidei de qua in can. 2079;
4° Animadversionibus Promotoris generalis fidei et responsionibus advocati;
5° Votis quae a revisoribus super scriptis Servi Dei conscripta sunt.
Let no step be made from the antepreparatory congregation to the preparatory when two of the three parts of those present have brought forth a negative vote, unless, the matter having been brought by the Cardinal Prefect to the Roman Pontiff, he has judged that another thing should be done.
Ne fiat gradus a congregatione antepraeparatoria ad praeparatoriam quando duae ex tribus adstantium partibus negativum protulerint suffragium, nisi, re a Cardinali Praefecto ad Romanum Pontificem delata, is aliter faciendum duxerit.
The preparatory congregation is held by all the Cardinal Fathers of the Sacred Congregation, with the official prelates and consultors assisting.
Congregatio praeparatoria habetur ab omnibus Patribus Cardinalibus Sacrae Congregationis, assistentibus praelatis officialibus et consultoribus.
The position for the preparatory congregation is to be put together from:
1° Difficulties of the Promoter General of the Faith.
2° Difficulties which were proposed by the consultors in their votes, if they seem not to be despised to the Promoter General.
3° Responses of the advocate.
4° Recently discovered documents, whether for the cause or against the cause, with additional summaries, whether for impugnation or for defense.
Positio pro congregatione praeparatoria confletur:
1° Difficultatibus Promotoris generalis fidei;
2° Difficultatibus quae a consultoribus in suis suffragiis propositae fuerint, si Promotori generali non spernendae videantur;
3° Responsionibus advocati;
4° Documentis nuper repertis sive pro causa sive contra causam, cum summariis additionalibus sive ad impugnationem sive ad defensionem.
§ 1. In the preparatory congregation the Cardinal Fathers, after the consultors have been heard, decree whether one can proceed to further matters.
§ 2. To the Secretary and to the Promoter General of the Faith, even if they have not been asked, it is always permitted to interject so that both the question may become clearer and the facts may be illustrated.
§ 1. In congregatione praeparatoria Patres Cardinales, auditis consultoribus, decernunt num ad ulteriora procedi possit.
§ 2. Secretario et Promotori generali fidei, etiam si rogati non fuerint, licet semper interloqui quo magis et quaestio fiat perspicua et facta illustrentur.
After the discussion, the matter is to be referred to the Supreme Pontiff by the Cardinal Prefect, who is to make the Most Holy One more certain not only concerning the outcome of the discussion, but also concerning the chief reasons which have been brought forward on this side and that.
Post discussionem res Summo Pontifici deferatur a Cardinali Praefecto qui Sanctissimum certiorem faciat non solum de exitu discussionis, sed etiam de praecipuis rationibus quae hinc inde allatae sunt.
The general congregation is held before the Most Holy One, with the Cardinal Fathers of the Sacred Congregation, the official prelates, and the consultors assisting.
Congregatio generalis habetur coram Sanctissimo, assistentibus Patribus Cardinalibus Sacrae Congregationis, praelatis officialibus et consultoribus.
For the general congregation a newest position is prepared according to the norm of can. 2109, to which is to be added a brief relation prepared from office of all those things which have been done thus far in the cause, namely the agreed fact.
Pro congregatione generali paratur novissima positio ad normam can. 2109, cui adiicienda est brevis relatio ex officio confecta eorum omnium quae in causa eousque acta sunt, nempe factum concordatum.
In the general congregation the judgment whether it is established concerning the heroicness of the virtues of the Servant of God or concerning martyrdom and its cause is reserved to the Supreme Pontiff himself; but the consultors, official prelates, and Cardinal Fathers cast only a consultative vote.
In congregatione generali iudicium an constet de heroicitate virtutum Servi Dei vel de martyrio eiusque causa, ipsi Summo Pontifici reservatur; consultores vero, praelati officiales et Patres Cardinales votum tantum consultivum ferunt.
§ 1. At the command of the Most Holy One, a decree is to be drawn up by the Secretary of the Sacred Congregation, by which, in the name of the Supreme Pontiff, it is authentically declared that all the virtues of the Servant of God in heroic degree, or martyrdom, have been well proved; which decree is to be published at the time and in the manner to be prescribed by the Most Holy One.
§ 2. Once this decree has been published, the Servant of God can be called venerable; yet this title imports no permission of public cult.
§ 1. Mandante Sanctissimo, exaretur a Secretario Sacrae Congregationis decretum, quo, nomine Summi Pontificis, authentice declaretur Servi Dei virtutes omnes in gradu heroico vel martyrium bene esse probata: quod decretum publicetur tempore et modo a Sanctissimo praescribendis.
§ 2. Publicato hoc decreto, Servus Dei nuncupari potest venerabilis; qui tamen titulus nullam publici cultus permissionem importat.