Bull of Pope Leo XIII granting the provostship of the Metropolitan Chapter in Lviv to Feliks Zabłocki

Leo, Bishop, Servant of the Servants of God, to Our beloved son Feliks Zabłocki, provost of the Metropolitan Church of Lviv, Doctor of Canon Law, Our domestic prelate, apostolic protonotary ad instar participantium, greetings and apostolic blessing. The pleasant proofs of intimacy and pious devotion which you have hitherto shown to Us and the Apostolic See and which you do not cease to show with zealous care, as well as the knowledge of sciences, the nobility of life and customs, and other praiseworthy merits of integrity and virtues, which recommend your person to Us [...], incline Us to show ourselves generous to you in graces. For already in the past, the late Pope Pius IX, Our predecessor, in accordance with the concordat concluded between the Apostolic See and Our dearest son in Christ (then his) Franz Joseph, Emperor of Austria and Apostolic King of Bohemia and Hungary, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, reserved for his own bestowal and disposition and that of the Apostolic See all major dignities after the pontifical dignity in the metropolitan and cathedral churches located in the possessions of the same emperor and king, then vacant and to be vacant in the future, declaring from then on as invalid and void if any contrary attempts were made in these matters by anyone, of any authority, knowingly or out of ignorance. Since, therefore, the provostship of the Metropolitan Church of Lviv, which constitutes the higher dignity there after the episcopal one, and which was once held during his lifetime by Ludwik Czechowski, provost of the said metropolitan church, became vacant upon the death of the said Ludwik, who ended his life outside the Roman Curia, and is currently vacant, and no one other than the then-serving Bishop of Rome could or can dispose of it due to the aforementioned reservation and decree; We, who today have decided that the deanery of the said metropolitan church, held – as you claimed – by you, becomes vacant by the very granting of this grace, wishing to bestow a special grace upon you due to your mentioned merits, a priest of Lviv or another city or diocese, who has been recommended by the testimony of Our Venerable Brother the Archbishop of Lviv regarding the mentioned life and customs, as well as suitability, after observing the testimonies of the synodal examiners and certifying that you have performed other ecclesiastical functions, and releasing you by virtue of this letter and considering you released from all sentences, censures, and ecclesiastical penalties of excommunication, suspension, and interdict, insofar as you are in any way bound by them – solely, however, for the purpose of achieving the effects of this letter – we grant you by apostolic authority the mentioned provostship, whose fruits, incomes, and profits according to common estimation do not exceed the annual value of twenty-four gold ducats of the Camera, as you also claim – regardless of whether it is vacant in the aforementioned or any other way, or after the person of anyone else, or through voluntary resignation from it by the said Ludwik or anyone else submitted in the said Curia or outside it, also before a public notary and witnesses, or through the acquisition of another ecclesiastical benefice granted by any authority, and even if the mentioned provostship was otherwise generally reserved for apostolic disposition, and it was customary to enter it by way of election, and it bore only jurisdictional care, and a petitory or possessory dispute was ongoing over it between anyone, the state of which dispute we wish to acknowledge in this letter as expressed, unresolved, [...] – together with all its rights and appurtenances, and we invest you with it, declaring, as it is so, as invalid and void if anything has hitherto been attempted or in the future happens to be undertaken in these matters by anyone, of any authority, knowingly or out of ignorance. Notwithstanding the [constitutions] of the late Pope Boniface VIII, also Our predecessor, and other apostolic constitutions and ordinances, as well as the statutes and customs of the said metropolitan church to the contrary, even if strengthened by oath, apostolic approval, or any other stability. Nor if anyone has obtained general letters of the Apostolic See or its legates regarding the provision for themselves to dignities of the said metropolitan church, or otherwise to any ecclesiastical benefices in those parts, even if by their power a prohibition, reservation, and decree have occurred or in any other way, over all of which we wish to give you priority in obtaining the said provostship, without, however, bringing them any prejudice in obtaining other dignities or benefices. Nor if the mentioned Archbishop of Lviv and the beloved sons of the Chapter of the said metropolitan church, whether regarding the filling of ecclesiastical benefices belonging jointly or separately to their collation, provision, or presentation, or any other disposition, [have been granted an indult that they cannot be compelled] otherwise than by apostolic letters not mentioning fully and explicitly, word for word, such an indult. If you are not present for the taking of the usual oath to observe the statutes and customs of the said metropolitan church, you may take it in your absence through a suitable proxy, and personally when you arrive there. We wish, however, that before you enter into possession of the said provostship, you make an explicit profession of the Catholic faith according to the articles once submitted by the Apostolic See into the hands of the mentioned Archbishop of Lviv or his [vicar] or official, and so submitted, without delay, with your signature and that of the mentioned Archbishop or official, you send as soon as possible to the said See; otherwise, the said provostship becomes vacant by the law itself. Therefore, it is not permitted for any human being to violate this charter of Our release, grant, provision, decree, and will, or to oppose it with a daring attempt. If anyone should dare to attempt this, let him know that he will incur the wrath of Almighty God and His blessed apostles Peter and Paul. Given in Rome at Saint Peter's, in the year of the Lord's Incarnation one thousand eight hundred and ninety-four, on the Kalends of September [September 1st], in the seventeenth year of Our pontificate. A. B[...] [Chancery formula and signatures:] L. C. Z. Alojzy Pericoli, Regent A. Nila, Abbot [...] Substitute N. Donini, Scribe Piotr Custos, Deputy [Fee table:] Issued: 253.16 lire Expedition – 20 Register – 20 Total: two hundred and ninety-three [...] [Seal: red ink seal with the papal coat of arms and inscription in the border: LEO PAPA XIII] [Verso:] [Chancery notes, including:] F. Nardi, Apostolic Scribe Aloisius Baldassarri [...] H. Testa [...]

Leo Episcopus Servus Servorum Dei dilecto filio Felici Zablocki Praeposito Metropolitanae Ecclesiae Leopolien[sis] in Iure Canonico Doctori, Praelato Nostro Domestico Protonotario Ap[ostoli]co ad instar Participantium salutem et Ap[ostoli]cam benedictionem. Grata familiaritatis et devotionis obsequia quae Nobis et Sedi Ap[ostoli]cae hactenus impendisti, et adhuc sollicitis studiis impendere non desistis, nec non litterarum scientia, vitae ac morum honestas, aliaeque laudabilia probitatis et virtutum merita quibus personam tuam tam Nobis [...] commendant, inducunt ut tibi reddamur ad gratiam liberales. Dudum siquidem fel[icis] rec[ordationis] Pius Papa Nonus Praedecessor Noster juxta concordata inter Sedem Ap[ostoli]cam, et Carissimum in Christo filium Nostrum (tunc suum) Franciscum Josephum Austriae Imperatorem ac Bohemiae et Hungariae Regem Ap[ostoli]cum de anno Domini millesimo octingentesimo quinquagesimo quinto inita, omnes Dignitates post Pontificalem Majores in Metropolitanis et Cathedralibus Ecclesiis in ditionibus ejusdem Imperatoris et Regis existentibus tum vacantes et in posterum vacaturas Suae et Sedis Apostolicae collationi et dispositioni reservavit, decernens ex tunc irritum et inane, si secus super his a quoquam quavis auctoritate, scienter, aut ignoranter contingeret attentari. Cum itaque postmodum Praepositura Metropolitanae Ecclesiae Leopolien[sis] quae ibi Dignitas post Pontificalem Major existit, et quam quondam Ludovicus Czehowsky dictae Metropolitanae Ecclesiae Praepositus dum viveret obtinebat, per obitum dicti Ludovici, qui extra Romanam Curiam diem clausit extremum, vacaverit et vacet ad praesens, nullusque de illa praeter Romanum Pontificem pro tempore existentem disponere potuerit, sive possit reservatione et decreto obstantibus supradictis; Nos qui hodie Decanatum dictae Metropolitanae Ecclesiae per te ut asserebas, obtentum, per solam praepositae gratiae concessionem vacare eo ipso voluimus, tibi Presbytero Leopolien[si], seu alterius civitatis, vel dioecesis, qui testimonio Venerabilis Fratris Nostri Archiepiscopi Leopolien[sis] de vita moribusque praefatis ac etiam idoneitate commendatus, asservatis de examinatorum Eccl[esiasticorum] Synodalium et in aliis ecclesiasticis muneribus versatum te extitisse, praemissorum meritorum tuorum intuitu specialem gratiam facere volentes, teque a quibusvis excommunicationis, suspensionis et interdicti aliisque ecclesiasticis sententiis, censuris et poenis, si quibus quomodolibet innodatus existis, ad effectum praesentium tantum consequendum harum serie absolventes et absolutum fore censentes, Praeposituram praefatam cujus fructus, reditus et proventus Vigintiquatuor Ducatorum auri de Camera secundum communem aestimationem valorem annuum, ut etiam asseris, non excedunt, sive praemisso, sive alio quovis modo, aut ex alterius cujuscumque persona, seu per liberam dicti Ludovici, vel cujusvis alterius resignationem de illa in dicta Curia, vel extra eam etiam coram Notario publico et testibus sponte factam, aut assecutionem alterius Beneficii ecclesiastici quavis auctoritate collati vacet, etiamsi Praepositura praefata dispositioni Apostolicae alias generaliter reservata existat, et ad illam consueverit quis per electionem assumi, eique cura jurisdictionalis tantum immineat, et super ea inter aliquos lis in petitorio vel possessorio cujus litis statum praesentibus haberi volumus pro expresso, pendeat indecisa, [...] cum omnibus juribus et pertinentiis suis Apostolica tibi auctoritate conferimus, teque illi etiam providemus, decernentes, prout est, irritum et inane, si secus super his a quoquam quavis auctoritate, scienter, aut ignoranter attentatum forsan est hactenus, vel in posterum contigerit attentari. Non obstantibus fel[icis] rec[ordationis] Bonifacii Papae Octavi Praedecessoris quoque Nostri, et aliis constitutionibus et ordinationibus Ap[ostoli]cis dictaeque Metropolitanae Ecclesiae, etiam juramento, confirmatione Ap[ostoli]ca vel quavis firmitate alia roboratis statutis, et consuetudinibus contrariis quibuscumque. Aut si aliqui super provisionibus sibi faciendis de Dignitatibus dictae Metropolitanae Ecclesiae, vel alias de quibusvis Beneficiis ecclesiasticis in illis partibus, generales Apostolicae Sedis, aut Legatorum ejus litteras impetraverint, etiamsi per eas ad inhibitionem, reservationem et decretum, vel alias quomodolibet sit processum, quibus omnibus te in assecutione dictae Praepositurae volumus anteferri, sed nullum per hoc eis quoad assecutionem Dignitatum vel Beneficiorum aliorum praejudicium generari. Seu si praefato Archiepiscopo Leopolien[si] ac dilectis pariter filiis Capitulo memoratae Metropolitanae Ecclesiae, vel alias de mittendis beneficiis ecclesiasticis ad eorum collationem, provisionem vel praesentationem, seu quamvis aliam dispositionem conjunctim, vel separatim spectantibus nulli valere nisi per litteras Ap[ostoli]cas, non facientes plenam et expressam ac de verbo ad verbum de indulto hujusmodi mentionem. Sed si praesens non fueris ad praestandum de observandis Statutis et consuetudinibus dictae Metropolitanae Ecclesiae solitum juramentum, dummodo in absentia tua per procuratorem idoneum et cum ad illam accesseris personaliter illud praestes. Volumus autem quod tu antequam dictae Praepositurae possessionem adipiscaris, fidei catholicae professionem juxta articulos jampridem a Sede Apostolica propositos in manibus praefati Archiepiscopi Leopolien[sis] seu illius aut Officialis expresse emittere, illamque sic emissam, sine moris, cum tui, et Archiepiscopi, vel Officialis praefati subscriptione ad dictam Sedem quantocius transmittere omnino tenearis, alioquin dicta Praepositura vacet eo ipso. Nulli ergo omnino hominum liceat hanc paginam Nostrae absolutionis, collationis, provisionis, decreti et voluntatis infringere, vel ei ausu temerario contraire; Si quis autem hoc attentare praesumpserit, indignationem Omnipotentis Dei ac beatorum Petri et Pauli Apostolorum Ejus se noverit incursurum. Datum Romae apud Sanctum Petrum anno Incarnationis Dominicae millesimo octingentesimo nonagesimo quarto, Kalendis Septembris, Pontificatus Nostri anno decimo septimo. A. B[...] [Formuła kancelaryjna i podpisy:] L. C. Z. Aloisius Pericoli Regens A. Nila Abb[as] [...] Substitutus N. Donini Scriptor Petrus Custos Supplens [Tabela opłat:] Exped[ita] L[ibras] 253 16 Expeditio - 20 Regestum - 20 Totalis, Ducenti Nonagintatres [...] [Pieczęć: czerwona pieczęć tuszowa z herbem papieskim i napisem w otoku: LEO PAPA XIII] [Verso:] [Noty kancelaryjne, m.in.:] F. Nardi Script. Ap. Aloisius Baldassarri [...] H. Testa [...]