Pope Innocent XII Bull on Parchment with Lead Seal Dated 1698

Item: Papal Bull Pope Innocent XII

Content: Parchment document of Pope Innocent XII (1691-1700) with attached lead bulla, untranslated. It was written by a scribe in the papal chancery, and is authenticated by the leaden bulla (seal) of the Pope.

A Papal Bull, named for the “bulla” or lead seal originally appended to it, is a particular type of important communication issued by a pope. After the 15^th century, they were used only for formal or solemn occasions.

Bulls were written at the Vatican in an archaic and very artificial Latin style know as “scrittura bollatica”, full of abbreviations and contractions virtually undecipherable to ordinary readers – a copy in ordinary script sometimes accompanied them.

Age: 17^th century

Origin: Vatican

Dimensions: 400 x 220 cm. Diameter of the Lead Seal: 3.6 cm

Language: Latin

Script: scrittura bollatica

Material: parchment, lead

Design: Papal bull on parchment with a folded lower margin and original lead seal. Lead seal attached at the lower margin with a thin rope strand. The lead seal measures 34 x 36 mm, with the heads of the apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul depicted on one side, and the Pope’s name in Latin, "INNO CENTIUS PAPA XII", on the other side. Handwritten by the Papal Chancery. With signatures of the administration and chancery.

Condition: Minor staining on document, seal VF. Bold and clear text and signatures. This is an original, not a reproduction, and its condition is shown in the photos.