Secretariate of Briefs to Princes and of Latin Letters

This article is part of a series on the
Roman Curia
Secretariats Secretariat of State Section for Relations with States Latin Letters Office Secretariat for the Economy Secretariat for Communications Holy See Press Office Vatican Publishing House
Congregations Doctrine of the Faith Oriental Churches Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments Causes of Saints Bishops Evangelization of Peoples Clergy Religious Catholic Education
Tribunals Apostolic Signatura Roman Rota Apostolic Penitentiary
Pontifical Councils Laity Promoting Christian Unity Family Justice and Peace Cor Unum Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People Pastoral Assistance to Health Care Workers Legislative Texts Interreligious Dialogue Culture Social Communications Promoting the New Evangelisation
Offices Apostolic Camera Camerlengo of the H.R.C. Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See
Institutes Prefecture of the Papal Household Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff
Former Dicasteries Congregation for Borders Congregation of Ceremonies Sacred Congregation of Rites Apostolic Chancery Apostolic Dataria Secretariate of Briefs to Princes and of Latin Letters Special Administration of the Holy See
History Reform by Paul VI Reform by John Paul II (Pastor Bonus)
Related topics Dicastery Acta Apostoliæ Sedis Advocates of Roman Congregations

The Secretariate of Briefs to Princes and of Latin Letters, or in short Secretariate of Briefs, was one of the so-called offices of the Roman Curia which were abolished in the 20th century. It had two small sections.

The Secretariate of Briefs to Princes consisted of the secretary and two office assistants. The secretary was a prelate whose duty it is to write the pontifical Briefs addressed to emperors, kings, civil princes or other exalted personages. He also prepared the allocutions which the pope pronounced at Consistories, and the Encyclicals or Apostolic Letters addressed to the bishops and to the faithful. All this he did according to the instructions of the pope. He had to be a proficient Latinist, since these documents are written in Latin.

The secretary for Latin letters was also a prelate or private chamberlain (cameriere segreto in Italian), whose duties were to write the letters of less solemnity which the sovereign pontiff addresses to different personages. He had an office assistant.

Sources

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). Catholic Encyclopedia. Robert Appleton Company.  Roman Curia