Editing Council of Trent (section)

== Decrees ==
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The doctrinal acts are as follows:

After reaffirming the [[Nicene Creed|Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed]] (third session), the [[Canon of Trent|decree]] was passed (fourth session) confirming that the [[deuterocanonical books]] were on a par with the other books of the [[biblical canon|canon]] (against Luther's placement of these books in the [[Biblical apocrypha|Apocrypha]] of [[Luther Bible|his edition]]) and coordinating church tradition with the Scriptures as a rule of faith. The [[Vulgate]] translation was affirmed to be authoritative for the text of Scripture.<ref name=Schaff-Herzog/>

[[Justification (theology)|Justification]] (sixth session) was declared to be offered upon the basis of human cooperation with divine grace<ref name=Schaff-Herzog/> ([[synergism]]) as opposed to the typical Protestant doctrine of [[Irresistible grace|passive reception of grace]] ([[monergism]]). Understanding the Protestant "[[Sola fide|faith alone]]" doctrine to be one of simple human confidence in [[Divine Mercy]], the Council rejected the "[[Preservation of the saints|vain confidence]]" of the Protestants, stating that no one can know infallibly who has received the grace of final perseverance apart from receiving a special revelation.  Furthermore, the Council affirmed—against some Protestants—that the grace of God can be forfeited through [[mortal sin]].

The greatest weight in the council's decrees is given to the [[sacrament]]s. The seven sacraments were reaffirmed and the [[Eucharist]] pronounced to be a true propitiatory sacrifice as well as a sacrament, in which the bread and wine were [[consecration|consecrated]] into the Eucharist (thirteenth and twenty-second sessions). The term [[transubstantiation]] was used by the council, but the specific [[Aristotle|Aristotelian]] explanation given by [[Scholasticism]] was not cited as dogmatic. Instead, the decree states that [[Jesus|Christ]] is "really, truly, substantially present" in the consecrated forms. The sacrifice of the [[Mass in the Catholic Church|Mass]] was to be offered for dead and living alike and in giving to the apostles the command "do this in remembrance of me," Christ conferred upon them a [[sacerdotal]] power. The practice of withholding the cup from the laity was confirmed (twenty-first session) as one which the [[Church Fathers]] had commanded for good and sufficient reasons; yet in certain cases the Pope was made the supreme arbiter as to whether the rule should be strictly maintained.<ref name=Schaff-Herzog/>

[[Holy Orders|Ordination]] (twenty-third session) was defined to imprint an [[sacramental character|indelible character]] on the soul. The priesthood of the New Testament takes the place of the Levitical priesthood. To the performance of its functions, the consent of the people is not necessary.<ref name=Schaff-Herzog/>

In the decrees on marriage (twenty-fourth session) the excellence of the [[celibacy|celibate]] state was reaffirmed, concubinage condemned and the validity of marriage made dependent upon the wedding taking place before a priest and two witnesses, although the lack of a requirement for parental consent ended a debate that had proceeded from the 12th century. In the case of a [[divorce]], the right of the innocent party to marry again was denied so long as the other party was alive,<ref name=Schaff-Herzog/> even if the other party had committed adultery. However the council "refused … to assert the necessity or usefulness of [[Clerical celibacy (Catholic Church)|clerical celibacy]]".<ref name="O'Malley, 31"/>{{dubious|date=February 2019}}

In the twenty-fifth and last session,<ref>Council of Trent: Decree ''De invocatione, veneratione et reliquiis sanctorum, et de sacris imaginibus'', 3 December 1563, Sessio 25.</ref> the doctrines of [[purgatory]], the invocation of [[saint]]s and the veneration of [[relic]]s were reaffirmed, as was also the efficacy of indulgences as dispensed by the Church according to the power given her, but with some cautionary recommendations,<ref name=Schaff-Herzog/> and a ban on the sale of indulgences. Short and rather inexplicit passages concerning religious images, were to have [[The Reformation and art#Council of Trent|great impact]] on the development of [[Catholic Church art]]. Much more than the [[Second Council of Nicaea]] (787), the Council fathers of Trent stressed the pedagogical purpose of Christian images.<ref>Bühren 2008, p. 635f.; about the historical context of the decree on sacred images cf. Jedin 1935.</ref>

Baroque Art is in part a consequence of the Council of Trent more specifically its twenty-fifth session where it emphasized that sacred art should educate the faithful, inspire devotion, and accurately represent biblical narratives. All this led to a renewed focus on emotional engagement and clarity in religious paintings. Due to these new directives, the Catholic Church began to promote baroque art characterized by dramatic compositions, chiaroscuro, and theatrical gestures. The churches adoption of the art style would help to increase its spread of influence.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1 {{!}} Music In The Baroque Era {{!}} Social and Cultural Influences |url=https://fraryguitar.com/history_frary73/Baroque01.htm#:~:text=The%20Council%20of%20Trent%20(1545,Catholic%20Church,%20hastening%20it's%20spread |access-date=2025-03-20 |website=fraryguitar.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Biblical Narratives in the Baroque {{!}} Collections Online |url=https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/features/european-american/biblical-narratives-baroque-art.php#:~:text=The%20council%20affirmed%20that%20art,and%20Catholic%20art%20in%20Italy |access-date=2025-03-20 |website=artmuseum.indiana.edu |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Practical ===
On the language of the Mass, "contrary to what is often said", the council condemned the insistence that only vernacular languages must be used, while affirming on the use of Latin for the [[Roman rite]].<ref name="O'Malley, 31">O'Malley, 31</ref> However, elements of the [[Pre-Tridentine Mass#Vernacular and laity in the medieval and Reformation eras|Prône]], the vernacular [[Catholic catechesis|catechetical]] preaching service common in the medieval High Mass (and some extra-liturgical situations)<ref>{{cite web |title=Prône {{!}} Encyclopedia.com |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/prone |website=www.encyclopedia.com}}</ref>  became mandatory for Sundays and feast days (fifth session, chapter 2).<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Lualdi |first1=Katharine J. |title=Persevering in the Faith: Catholic Worship and Communal Identity in the Wake of the Edict of Nantes |journal=The Sixteenth Century Journal |date=2004 |volume=35 |issue=3 |pages=717–734 |doi=10.2307/20477042 |jstor=20477042 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/20477042 |issn=0361-0160}}</ref>{{rp|728}}

The council appointed, in 1562 (eighteenth session), a commission to prepare a list of forbidden books (''[[Index Librorum Prohibitorum]]''), but it later left the matter to the Pope. The preparation of a [[Roman Catechism|catechism]] and the revision of the [[Roman Breviary|Breviary]] and [[Missal]] were also left to the pope.<ref name=Schaff-Herzog/> The catechism embodied the council's far-reaching results, including reforms and definitions of the sacraments, the Scriptures, church dogma, and duties of the clergy.<ref name="World History" />

===Ratification and promulgation===
On adjourning, the Council asked the supreme pontiff to ratify all its decrees and definitions. This petition was complied with by [[Pope Pius IV]], on 26 January 1564, in the [[papal bull]], ''[[Benedictus Deus (Pius IV)|Benedictus Deus]]'', which enjoins strict obedience upon all Catholics and forbids, under pain of [[ex-communication]], all unauthorised interpretation, reserving this to the Pope alone and threatens the disobedient with "the indignation of Almighty God and of his blessed apostles, Peter and Paul." Pope Pius appointed a commission of cardinals to assist him in interpreting and enforcing the decrees.<ref name=Schaff-Herzog/>

The ''[[Index Librorum Prohibitorum]]'' was announced in 1564 and the following books were issued with the papal [[imprimatur]]: the Profession of the Tridentine Faith and the [[Roman Catechism|Tridentine Catechism]] (1566), the Breviary (1568), the Missal (1570) and the [[Vulgate]] (1590 and then 1592).<ref name=Schaff-Herzog/>

The decrees of the council were acknowledged in Italy, Portugal, Poland and by the Catholic princes of Germany at the [[Diet of Augsburg]] in 1566. [[Philip II of Spain]] accepted them for Spain, the Netherlands and Sicily inasmuch as they did not infringe the royal prerogative. In France, they were officially recognised by the king only in their doctrinal parts. Although the disciplinary or moral reformatory decrees were never published by the throne, they received official recognition at provincial synods and were enforced by the bishops. Holy Roman Emperors [[Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor|Ferdinand I]] and [[Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor|Maximilian II]] never recognized the existence of any of the decrees.<ref name="Meyer">{{cite book |last=Meyer |first=Herbert T. |date=1962 |title=The Story of the Council of Trent|location=St. Louis |publisher=Concordia Publishing House |pages=19–20}}</ref> No attempt was made to introduce it into England. Pius IV sent the decrees to [[Mary, Queen of Scots]], with a letter dated 13 June 1564, requesting that she publish them in Scotland, but she dared not do it in the face of [[John Knox]] and the Reformation.<ref name=Schaff-Herzog/>

These decrees were later supplemented by the [[First Vatican Council]] of 1870.