Title XXII: On Relics and the Veneration of Saints

The feasts of the twelve Apostles, the four Evangelists, and the four Doctors and Confessors of the Church—namely Gregory, Augustine, Ambrose, and Jerome—ought to be solemnly celebrated with a double office. John Andrew.

Boniface VIII.

God, glorious in his saints and wonderful in majesty, whose ineffable depth of wisdom, enclosed by no bounds and comprehended by no limits, disposes things heavenly and earthly alike by the rule of right judgment, although he magnifies all his ministers, adorns them with high honors, and makes them possessors of heavenly beatitude, nevertheless, so that he may render worthy things to the worthy, exalts with stronger insignia of dignities and pursues with a more abundant recompense of rewards those whom he recognizes as more worthy and whom a greater excellence of merits commends.

So too holy mother Church, pursuing his sacred footprints and led by a praiseworthy example, although she does not cease to honor with solicitous endeavors and extol with resonant praises all those established in the heavenly kingdoms, nevertheless arranges to extol with the highest voices, resound with special praises, and venerate with special honors the most glorious princes of the Christian faith, the chosen athletes of God, the just judges of the age, the true lights of the world—namely the Apostles of Christ the Redeemer, contained in the number twelve, who, living in the flesh, planted the aforesaid Church with their precious blood, sublimely erecting her and directing her by most holy teachings; also the most reverend fathers and most illustrious men, the four Evangelists of the Lord, through whose most diligent and faithful endeavors the sacred Gospels shone upon that Church; and likewise the eminent Doctors of the Church herself, blessed Gregory, illustrious in merits, who bore the care of the Apostolic See, Augustine and Ambrose, venerable prelates, and Jerome, adorned with the title of priesthood, exceptional confessors.

For the luminous and salutary teachings of these Doctors illuminated the aforesaid Church, adorned her with virtues, and formed her in morals. Moreover, through them, as through luminous and burning lamps placed upon a lampstand in the house of the Lord, with the darkness of errors driven away, the whole body of the Church shines like the morning star. Their fertile eloquence also, with the grace of heavenly irrigation flowing in, unlocks the enigmas of the Scriptures, unties knots, elucidates obscure things, and explains doubtful things. By their profound and beautiful discourses, too, the vast fabric of the Church herself shines like blossoming gems, and, raised more gloriously by a singular elegance of words, gleams.

Therefore, the circumspect prudence of the said See, intent upon salutary acts and devoted to works of piety, willingly and skillfully executes the things that are God's. Carefully and worthily considering the foregoing and examining it with due meditation, for the honor and glory of the divine name, the exaltation of the Catholic faith, and the salvation of the faithful, it has deservedly judged and duly provided that the same Apostles, Evangelists, and Confessors be exalted throughout the universal Church by observances of greater honor, so that they may perceive themselves honored by her all the more earnestly, the more excellently they illuminated her above others.

We therefore, led by pious counsels and aroused by worthy endeavors, intending carefully to imitate certain of our predecessors, Roman Pontiffs who, pursuing an affection of special devotion, ordained that the feasts of certain saints be celebrated with a double office, with the counsel and assent of our brothers wish, establish, and command that the principal festivities of the same Apostles, Evangelists, and Confessors be solemnly celebrated with a double office each year in perpetuity throughout all the churches of the world.