Urbi et Orbi

[THE CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA]

Urbi et Orbi

The term Urbi et Orbi (which means "for the city and for the world") signifies that a papal document is addressed not only to the City of Rome but to the entire Catholic world. This phrase is applied especially to the solemn blessing with plenary indulgence which, before the occupation of Rome, the pope was accustomed to impart on certain occasions from the balcony of the chief basilicas of the city. This blessing was given annually at St. Peter's on Holy Thursday, Easter, and the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul; at St. John Lateran on the Ascension; at St. Mary Major on the Assumption. It was imparted also on extraordinary occas ions, as at St. Peter's when the pope was crowned, at St. John's when he was enthroned, at various times during the holy year, or jubilee, for the benefit of pilgrims. The blessing Urbi et Orbi of Ascension Day was sometimes postponed till Pentecost on account of the inclemency of the weather, illness of the pope, etc. Innocent X in the jubilee of 1650 on the Ephiphany, Pentecost, and All Saints, as well as later popes, including Pope Pius IX, for special reasons, gave this solemn blessing from the balcony of the Quirinal Palace.

ANDREW B. MEEHAN Transcribed by Carol Kerstner

Taken from the New Advent Web Page (www.knight.org/advent).

This article is part of the Catholic Encyclopedia Project, an effort aimed at placing the entire Catholic Encyclopedia 1913 edition on the World Wide Web. The coordinator is Kevin Knight, editor of the New Advent Catholic Website. If you would like to contribute to this worthwhile project, you can contact him by e-mail at (knight@knight.org). For more information please download the file cathen.txt/.zip.

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