Imprimatur and Ecclesiastical Censorship
The system of ecclesiastical approval required before printing sacred books, including the role of censors, ordinaries, and religious superiors, as decreed by Trent and enforced by papal bulls. Encompasses the Jesuit internal review process and diocesan approval.
Preliminaries
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DECREES OF THE COUNCIL OF TRENT (SESSION IV).
— Trent decrees that sacred Scripture and books on sacred matters must bear the author's name, be examined and approved by the ordinary before printing, under penalty of anathema and fine.
"it shall not be lawful for anyone to print or cause to be printed any books whatever on sacred matters without the name of the author; nor to sell them in the future or even keep them with himself unless they have first been examined and approved by the ordinary, under penalty of anathema"
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Permissions
— The Superior General Mutius Vitelleschi grants permission to print Lapide's commentaries after review by three theologians of the Society.
"Since three theologians of our Society, to whom this task was entrusted, have reviewed the Commentaries on the Pentateuch... and have approved them as fit to be published: we grant permission for them to be committed to the press"
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Permissions P2
— The Provincial Superior Charles Scribani grants printing permission by delegated authority.
"I, Charles Scribani, Provincial Superior of the Society of Jesus... by authority granted to me for this purpose by the Very Reverend Father General... grant to the heirs of Martin Nutius and to Jan Moretus, printers of Antwerp, permission to commit to the press"
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Permissions P3
— The censor Egbert Spitholdius attests the commentary is learned, pious, and worthy of publication.
"This Commentary of the Very Reverend Father Cornelius Cornelii a Lapide... is learned and pious, and in every respect worthy of publication"
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Permissions P4
— Bishop of Amiens approves Crampon's annotations in 1852.
"Nothing hinders their printing. Given at Amiens, 2 May in the year 1852."
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POPE CLEMENT VIII. FOR A PERPETUAL MEMORIAL OF THE MATTER.
— Clement VIII's bull restricts printing of the Vulgate to the Vatican Press for ten years, then requires conformity to the Vatican exemplar.
"strictly forbid that for ten years... it be printed by anyone anywhere other than in our Vatican Press"
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POPE CLEMENT VIII. FOR A PERPETUAL MEMORIAL OF THE MATTER.
— Penalties for unauthorized printing: loss of books, temporal penalties, and automatic major excommunication absolvable only by the Pope.
"he shall incur, besides the loss of all the books and other temporal penalties to be inflicted at Our discretion, also the sentence of major excommunication ipso facto; from which he cannot be absolved except by the Roman Pontiff"