QUOD PROVINCIALE (On Christians
Using Mohammedan Names)
Pope
Benedict XIV
Encyclical of
Pope Benedict XIV promulgated on 1 August 1754.
To Our Venerable Brothers the Archbishops and
Bishops as well as Our Beloved Sons, the Parish Priests and Missionaries of the
Venerable Brothers and Beloved Sons, We give
you Greeting and Our Apostolic Blessing.
Forbidding Use of Mohammedan Names
The Provincial Council of your
In Our letter mentioned above, We designated
that abuse as a cowardly concealment of the Christian profession, approaching
infidelity. Since then, We have learned with great mental anguish that many
people in that province continue to take Turkish or Mohammedan names despite
the consideration of their eternal salvation. They do so not only in order to
be immune and free from those taxes and burdens which have often been and
continue to be imposed on the faithful of Christ, but also in order that
neither they themselves nor their parents may be thought to have abandoned the
Mohammedan sect, thereby avoiding the requisite penalties. For all this cannot
take place without a pretense of the errors of Mohammed, even if the faith of
Christ is adhered to in the heart, and this is at variance with Christian
sincerity. It involves a lie in a most serious matter and includes a virtual
denial of the Faith, most insulting to God and scandalous to their neighbors.
It even gives the Turks themselves a suitable opportunity to rate all Christ's
faithful as hypocrites and deceivers, and accordingly to persecute them justly
and deservedly.
2. Our sorrow and anguish is further increased
by the fact that some of you yourselves, venerable brothers, and of you also,
beloved sons, parish priests and missionaries, take no measures against so vile
and hateful a pretense. In fact, some of you even connive at it; by being
impressed by empty motives to find excuses for sins, you do not hesitate to
allow those who take common Turkish or Mohammedan names and desire to be
addressed by them, to partake of the Sacraments with no pang of conscience at
all, to the public offense of the obedient faithful.
3. We who are entrusted with the care of all
the churches and the supreme administration of the sacred Apostolate; in this
capacity, We are obliged to lead all Christians back to the way of salvation
and to present them to God pure and sincere, walking in the spirit and in truth
without stain. We have heard Our Venerable Brothers, the Cardinals of the Holy
Roman Church, who are general Inquisitors for evil heresy on this subject. In
accordance with their advice, We first renew and confirm by Our Apostolic
authority in this letter the praiseworthy canon of the council of your
4. Furthermore, venerable brothers and beloved
sons, We ask and urge you in the Lord to think seriously about your ministry
and the strict account you will have to give to the Eternal Judge Jesus Christ,
the Supreme Prince of Pastors, for the sheep entrusted to each one of you; to
this end, We urge you to take personal care by your good works that your
election will be assured. Since it would be very careless and negligent on your
part not to, do not fail to patiently convince, implore, and exhort the faithful
of Christ in your Province to lead a good life among the nations. Urge them in
all affairs to conduct themselves so as to be an example of good works in order
that those who oppose them may be chagrined since they have nothing evil to say
of them, and they cannot accuse them of being evildoers who for the sake of
base gain profess one thing with their lips while believing differently in
their hearts. But if they do not accept your warnings and Our commands, they
must be compelled by the rod to follow the norm of Apostolic discipline. The
sanctions and penalties provided for by your Albanian council and by Our letter
mentioned above must be fully applied in their case: that is, they must be
declared unfit to receive the Sacraments in their lifetime, and if they die
unrepentant, to benefit from prayers after death. Insofar as it is necessary,
We renew and reapply these penalties; We enjoin you to ensure their due
execution. This should not be hard for any one of you, venerable brothers and
beloved sons, for none of the schismatics and
heretics has been rash enough to take a Mohammedan name, and unless your
justice abounds more than theirs, you shall not enter the
5. Finally, gravely advise those who have
converted from Mohammedanism or the children of such converts, if they lack
confidence in their constancy in the Faith, fearing punishment by their rulers
if they abandon their Turkish names, to emigrate secretly from those
territories and come for refuge to Christian lands. There they shall in no way
lack the help of God who gives food to all flesh, or the charity of the
faithful, especially if their Bishops provide them with letters of
recommendation. In the meantime, We lovingly grant you Our Apostolic Blessing,
venerable brothers and beloved sons, and We desire each Venerable Brother
Bishop to extend it in Our name to all the orthodox faithful of Christ in his
own diocese.
Given at