ANNUM SACRUM
ENCYCLICAL OF POPE LEO XIII ON CONSECRATION TO THE SACRED HEART
To the Patriarchs, Primates, Archbishops, and Bishops of the Catholic World in Graceand Communion with the Apostolic See.
Venerable Brethren, Health and Apostolic Benediction
But a short time ago, as you well know, We, by letters apostolic, and following the custom and ordinances of Our predecessors, commanded the celebration in this city,at no distant date, of a Holy Year. And now to-day,in the hope and with the object that this religious celebration shall be more devoutly performed, We have traced and recommended a striking design from which, if all shall follow it out with hearty good will, We not unreasonably expect extraordinary and lasting benefits for Christendom in the first place and also for the whole human race.
Already more than once We have endeavored, after the example of Our predecessors Innocent XII, Benedict XIII, Clement XIII, Pius VI, and Pius IX., devoutly to foster and bring out into fuller light that most excellent form of devotion which has for its object the veneration of the SacredHeart of Jesus;this We did especially by the Decreegiven on June 28,1889, by which We raisedthe Feast under that name to the dignity of the firstclass. But now We have in mind a more signal form of devotion which shall be in a manner the crowning perfection of all the honors that people have been accustomed to pay to the Sacred Heart, and which We confidently trust will be most pleasing to Jesus Christ, our Redeemer. This is not the first time, however, that the design of which We speak has been mooted.
Twenty-five years ago, on the approach of the solemnities of the secondcentenary of the Blessed MargaretMary Alacoque’s reception of the Divine command to propagate the worship of the Sacred Heart, many letters from all parts, not merely from private persons but from Bishopsalso were sent to Pius IX. beggingthat he would consent to consecrate the whole human race to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.It was thought best at the time to postponethe matter in order that a well-considered decision might be arrived at. Meanwhile permission was granted to individual cities which desired it thus to consecrate themselves, and a form of consecration was drawn up. Now, for certain new and additional reasons, We considerthat the plan is ripe for fulfilment.
3. This world-wide and solemn testimony of allegiance and piety is especially appropriate to Jesus Christ, who is the Head and SupremeLord of the race. His empire extendsnot only over Catholic nationsand those who, having been duly washed in the waters of holy baptism, belong of right to the Church, although erroneous opinions keep them astray, or dissent from her teachingcuts them off from her care; it comprises also all those who are deprived of the Christianfaith, so that the whole humanrace is most truly under the power of JesusChrist. For He who is the Only-begotten Son of God the Father, having the same substance with Him and being the brightness of His glory and the figure of His substance (Hebrews i., 3) necessarily has everything in common with the Father,and therefore sovereignpower over all things. This is why the Son of God thus speaks of Himself through the Prophet: “But I am appointed king by him over Sion, his holy mountain. . . The Lord said to me, Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me and I will give thee the Gentiles for thy inheritance and the utmostparts of the earth for thy possession” (Psalm, ii.). By these words He declares that He has powerfrom God over the whole Church, whichis signified by Mount Sion, and also over the rest of the world toits uttermost ends.On what foundation this sovereignpower rests is made sufficiently plain by the words, “Thou art My Son.” For by the very fact that He is the Son of the King of all, He is also the heir of all His Father’s power: hence the words-“I will give thee the Gentiles for thy inheritance,” which are similar to those used by Paul the Apostle, “whom he bath appointed heir of all things” (Hebrews i., 2).
4. But we should now give most special consideration to the declarations made by Jesus Christ, not through the Apostles or the Prophets but by His own words. To the Roman Governor who asked Him, “Art thou a king then?” He answered unhesitatingly, “Thou sayest that I am a king” (John xviii. 37). And the greatness of this power and the boundlessness of His kingdom is still more clearly declared in these words to the Apostles: “All power is given to me in heaven and on earth” (Matthew xxviii., 18). If then all power has been given to Christ it follows of necessity that His empire must be supreme, absolute and independent of the will of any other, so that none is either equal or like unto it: and since it has been given in heaven and on earth it ought to have heaven and earth obedient to it. And verily he has acted on this extraordinary and peculiar right when He commanded His Apostles to preach His doctrine over the earth, to gather all men together into the one body of the Churchby the baptism of salvation, and to bind them by laws, whichno one could reject without risking his eternal salvation.
5. But this is not all. Christ reigns nor only by naturalright as the Son of God, but also by a right that He has acquired.For He it was who snatchedus “from the power of darkness” (Colossians i., 13), and “gave Himselffor the redemption of all” (I Timothy ii., 6). Therefore not only Catholics, and those who have duly received Christian baptism, but also all men, individually and collectively, have become to Him “apurchased people” (I Peter ii., 9). St. Augustine’s words are therefore to the point when he says:“You ask what price He paid? See what He gave and you will understand how much He paid. The price was the blood of Christ.What could cost so much but the whole world, and all its people?The great price He paid was paid for all” (T. 120 on St.John).
6. How it comes about that infidelsthemselves are subjectto the power and dominionof Jesus Christ is clearlyshown by St. Thomas,who gives us the reasonand its explanation. For havingput the question whether His judicial power extends to all men, and havingstated that judicialauthority flows naturallyfrom royal authority, he concludes decisively as follows: “All things are subject to Christ as far as His power is concerned, although they are not all subject to Him in the exercise of that power” (3a., p., q. 59, a. 4). This sovereign power of Christ over men is exercisedby truth, justice,and above all, bycharity.
7. To this twofold ground of His power and domination He graciously allows us, if we think fit, to add voluntary consecration. Jesus Christ,our God and our Redeemer, is rich in the fullestand perfect possession of all things:we, on the other hand, are so poor and needy that we have nothing of our own to offer Him as a gift. But yet, in His infinite goodness and love,He in no way objectsto our giving and consecrating to Him what is alreadyHis, as if it were really our own;nay, far from refusing such an offering, He positively desiresit and asks for it: “My son, give me thy heart.” We are, therefore, able to be pleasing to Him by the good will and the affectionof our soul. For by consecrating ourselves to Him we not only declareour open and free acknowledgment and acceptance of His authority over us, but we also testify that if what we offer as a gift were really our own, we would stilloffer it with our wholeheart. We also beg of Him that He would vouchsafe to receive it from us, though clearly His own. Such is the efficacy of the act of which We speak, such is the meaning underlying Our words.
8. And sincethere is in the SacredHeart a symboland a sensible image of the infinitelove of JesusChrist which moves usto love one another, therefore is it fit and properthat we should consecrate ourselves to His most Sacred Heart-anact which is nothingelse than an offering and a bindingof oneself to Jesus Christ,seeing that whateverhonor, veneration and love is given to this divine Heart is really and truly given to Christ Himself.
9. For these reasons We urge and exhort all who know and love this divineHeart willingly to undertake this act of piety; and it is Our earnest desire that all should make it on the same day, that so the aspirations of so many thousands who areperforming this act of consecration may be borneto the temple of heavenon the same day. But shall We allow to slip from Our remembrance those innumerable others upon whom the light of Christiantruth has not yet shined?We hold the placeof Him who came to save that which was lost, and who shed His blood for the salvation of the whole human race. And so We greatly desire to bring to the true life those who sit in the shadow of death. As we have already sent messengers of Christ over the earth to instruct them, so now, in pity for their lot with all Our soul we commend them, and as far as in us lies We consecrate them to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In this way this act of devotion, which We recommend,will be a blessing to all. For having performed it, those in whose heartsare the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ will feel that faith and love increased. Those who knowing Christ, yet neglect His law and its precepts, may still gain from His Sacred Heart the flame of charity. And lastly, for those still more unfortunate, who are struggling in the darkness of superstition, we shall all with one mind implorethe assistance of heaven that Jesus Christ,to whose power they are subject, may also one day render them submissive to its exercise;and that not only in the life to come when He will fulfil His will upon all men, by saving some and punishing others, (St. Thomas, ibid), but also in this mortal life by giving them faith and holiness. May they by these virtues strive to honor God as they ought, and to win everlasting happiness in heaven.
10. Such an act of consecration, since it can establish or draw tighter the bonds which naturally connect public affairs with God, gives to States a hope of betterthings. In these latter times especially, a policy has been followedwhich has resulted in a sort of wall being raised between the Church and civil society. In the constitution and administration of States the authorityof sacred and divine law is utterlydisregarded, with a view to the exclusionof religion from having any constant part in public life. This policy almost tends to the removalof the Christian faith from our midst, and, if that were possible, of the banishment of God Himself from the earth. When men’s minds are raised to such a height of insolentpride, what wonder is it that the greater part of the human race should have fallen into such disquietof mind and be buffeted by waves so rough that no one is sufferedto be free from anxietyand peril? When religion is once discardedit follows of necessity that the surestfoundations of the public welfaremust give way, whilst God, to inflicton His enemies the punishment they so richly deserve, has left them the prey of their own evil desires, so that they give themselves up to their passions and finally wear themselves out by excess ofliberty.
11. Hence that abundance of evils whichhave now for a long time settledupon the world,and which pressingly call upon us to seek for help from Him by whose strength alone they can be driven away. Who can He be but Jesus Christ the Only-begotten Son of God? “Forthere is no other name under heavengiven to men whereby we must be saved” (Acts iv., 12). We must have recourseto Him who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. We have gone astrayand we must return to the right path:darkness has overshadowed our minds, and the gloom must be dispelled by the light of truth:death has seized upon us, and we must lay hold of life. It will at length be possiblethat our many wounds be healed and all justice spring forth again with the hope of restored authority; that the splendors of peace be renewed, and swords and arms drop from the hand when all men shall acknowledge the empire of Christ and willingly obey His word,and “Every tongue shall confess that our Lord JesusChrist is in the glory of God the Father” (Philippians ii, II).
12. When the Church, in the days immediately succeeding her institution, wasoppressed beneath the yoke of the Caesars, a youngEmperor saw in the heavensacross, which becameat once the happy omen and causeof the glorious victorythat soon followed. And now, to-day, behold another blessed and heavenly tokenis offered to our sight-the most Sacred Heart of Jesus, with a cross rising fromit and shining forth with dazzling splendor amidst flames of love. In thatSacred Heart all our hopesshould be placed,and from it the salvationof men isto be confidently besought.
13. Finally, there is one motive which We are unwilling to pass over in silence, personal to Ourselves it is true, but still good and weighty,which moves Us to undertake this celebration. God, the authorof every good, not long ago preserved Our life by curingUs of a dangerous disease.We now wish, by this increase of the honor paid to the Sacred Heart, that thememory of this great mercy should be brought prominently forward, and Our gratitude be publicly acknowledged.
14. For these reasons, We ordain that on the ninth, tenth and eleventh of thecoming monthof June, in the principal church of every town and village, certainprayers besaid, and on each of these days there be added to the other prayers the Litanyof the SacredHeart approved by Our authority. On the last day the form ofconsecration shall be recitedwhich, Venerable Brethren, We sent to you withthese letters.
15. As a pledge of divine benefits, and in token of Our paternal benevolence, toyou, and to the clergyand people committed to your care We lovinglygrant inthe Lord the ApostolicBenediction.
Given in Rome at St. Peter’s on the 25th day of May, 1899, the twenty-second year of Our Pontificate.
LEO XIII