{{Short description|Catholic legislation}} {{for|the 4th-century text|Apostolic Constitutions}} {{update|date=May 2026}}
{{Canon Law}} An '''apostolic constitution''' ({{langx|la|'''constitutio apostolica'''}}) is the most solemn form of legislation issued by the Pope.<ref name="NewCommentary57">New Commentary on the Code of Canon Law, pg. 57, footnote 36.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.osv.com/Magazines/TheCatholicAnswer/Article/TabId/652/ArtMID/13618/ArticleID/20552/What-Is-a-Papal-Bull.aspx |title=Mann, Stephanie A., "What Is a Papal Bull?", ''Our Sunday Visitor'', September 1, 2016 |access-date=August 23, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200112112234/https://www.osv.com/Magazines/TheCatholicAnswer/Article/TabId/652/ArtMID/13618/ArticleID/20552/What-Is-a-Papal-Bull.aspx |archive-date=January 12, 2020 |url-status=dead }}</ref> It is one of several types of papal bull that can be issued from the Vatican.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://churchlifejournal.nd.edu/articles/a-very-short-guide-to-understanding-the-scope-purpose-and-doctrinal-weight-of-papal-documents/ |title= A Very Short Guide to Understanding the Scope, Purpose, and Doctrinal Weight of Papal Documents |last= Huddleston |first= Elizabeth |date= 25 March 2024 |website= Church Life Journal |publisher= |access-date= 22 April 2026 |quote=}}</ref>
This high-level document normally deals with matters related to the governance and structure of the Church such as confirming laws, regulations, or institutions within the Church.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://fatima.org/news-views/catholic-apologetics-229/ |title= The Types of Papal Documents and Weight of Each |last= Plese |first= Matthew |date= 24 August 2023 |website= Fatima Center |publisher= |access-date= 22 April 2026 |quote=}}</ref>
Apostolic constitutions are issued as papal bulls because of their solemn, public form. Among types of papal legislation, apostolic letters issued ''motu proprio'' are next in solemnity.<ref name=NewCommentary57/> Examples include the "Constitution on the Liturgy" (Sacrosanctum Concilium) and the "Constitution on the Catechism of the Catholic Church."<ref name=ONLB>{{cite web |url= https://library.athenaeum.edu/c.php?g=30820&p=193150 |title= Types of Papal documents |author=<!--Not stated--> |date= |website= Mount St. Mary's Seminary & School of Theology |publisher= |access-date= 22 April 2026 |quote=}}</ref> Another example is Pope Pius XII’s Munificentissimus Deus, the dogma of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s Assumption.<ref name=CE1>{{cite web |url= https://catholicecho.org/2024/04/01/understanding-papal-documents/ |title= Understanding Papal Documents |last= Vogt |first= Collin |date= 1 April 2024 |website= The Catholic Echo |publisher= |access-date= 22 April 2026 |quote=}}</ref>
By their nature, apostolic constitutions are addressed to the public. Generic constitutions use the title ''apostolic constitution'' and treat solemn matters of the church, such as the promulgation of laws or definitive teachings. The forms '''dogmatic constitution''' and '''pastoral constitution''' are titles sometimes used to be more descriptive as to the document's purpose.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Smith|first=Randall|date=July 19, 2014|title=A Pastoral and Dogmatic Council|url=https://www.thecatholicthing.org/2014/07/19/a-pastoral-and-dogmatic-council/|website=The Catholic Thing|access-date=April 19, 2023}}</ref>
Pope Francis issued 20 apostolic constitutions during his time as pontiff.<ref name=CE1 />
== References == {{Reflist}}
== Sources == * Huels, John M. "A theory of juridical documents based on canons 29-34", ''Studia Canonica'', 1998, vol. 32, no. 2, pp. 337–370. * Beal, John P., James A. Coriden, Thomas J. Green. ''New Commentary on the Code of Canon Law: Commissioned by the Canon Law Society of America'' (New York: Paulist Press, 2000).
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Category:Apostolic constitutions Category:Catholic canonical documents Category:Christian genres Category:Christian terminology Category:Sources of law