LAW OF SUCCESSION OF THE
BISHOP OF ROME-RUTHENIA
SUPREME PONTIFF OF THE UNITED ROMAN-RUTHENIAN CHURCH
BVLLA
Aulae Pontificalis Novae
OF the
new Pontifical Household there are many ancient offices comprising
its Patrimony. Some of the said offices are held by grant, some
hereditary and ceded to the pontifical and papal office, and some held
by Our hereditary right. The episcopal Sees conferred upon have become
inextricably linked with the temporal patrimony. Their histories
intertwined, they form together the modern Stato Pontificio Romano di
Roma-Ruthenia and United Roman-Ruthenian Church, whose principal See is
the Diocese of Rome-Ruthenia, and whose principle jurisdiction is the
Catholicate of Rome-Ruthenia. As part of the terms of the
conferral of
part of the patrimony of the Etrurian household to the Catholicate,
successors as Bishop of Rome-Ruthenia are entitled to the arms
and name of Our house, effectively becoming adopted members of the
house. In addition, We shall inherit the titular throne of Etruria,
which same is already hereditary and, through Florence, inextricably
linked with the Catholicate. Furthermore, as the third Cardinal Prince
of Florence, the precedent for an hereditary nature of Our See has
already been set in antiquity.
The present electoral system
permits the naming of an Archbishop or Cardinal Co-Adjutor of St.
Stephen, making it possible that a present member of the household be
named the successor of the Pontifical office as Bishop of
Rome-Ruthenia or else such a successor be, by the very process of being
named the successor, an adopted heir to the Catholicate. It is,
therefore, logical and consistent with historical usage for the
Pontifical office to be confirmed here by these presents as hereditary
in perpetuity according to the terms of succession set herein.
1. The Pontifical office,
namely Bishop of Rome-Ruthenia, and all the patrimony thereof
shall normally be inherited by the senior male heir of the
Supreme Pontiff following the principal of primogeniture.
2. The Supreme-Pontiff may,
however, declare a specific male heir to succeed to the Pontifical
office. Typically said heir shall not be adopted unless there are no
natural children of the Supreme Pontiff. However, the Bishop of Rome-Ruthenia may
choose to prefer an adopted male heir over a natural child at his
discretion, such as if the natural children are uninterested in the
office or if said natural children are canonically unsuitable for
office.
3. The eldest child, should
one exist, whether natural or adopted, is, as declared already in law,
the Prince or Princess of Galicia-Volhynia. If the eldest child is a
male, then he is the Duke of Monte Titano and the heir to the
Pontifical throne and the thrones of Ruthenia and Etruria. If the
eldest is a female and hence holds the style of Princess of
Galicia-Volhynia, then the heir to the Pontifical throne and the
thrones of Ruthenia and Etruria shall be styled as the Duke of Monte
Titano.
4. Although jurisdiction is
heritable, Holy Orders are not. It is, therefore, the duty of the
Bishops of the United Roman-Ruthenian Church and all good Catholic and
Orthodox
Bishops to ordain and consecrate the hereditary Supreme Pontiff and see
to his proper education in theology and canon law. Should the Supreme
Pontiff, upon succeeding to the office, be less than 14 years
of age, he shall not be tonsured a cleric until the age of 14. He shall
likewise not be ordained to the Minor Orders until he reach the age of
18. Should it be deemed necessary for the possibility of potential
marriage, ordination to the Order of Sub Deacon and higher Holy Orders
may be delayed as necessary until after marriage. Marriage after
ordination to the Sub-Diaconate or higher orders may be permitted only
by judicial act of the Supreme Pontiff himself.
In the case that the Supreme Pontiff is not
bishop, the sacramental episcopal office of the
Pontifical throne is exercised by the senior-most Cardinal Bishop, or
the other Bishops of the Catholicate and Patriarchate so appointed as
needed. It is also noted that it is not obligatory for the Supreme
Pontiff to be ordained to the Minor Orders or the Major Orders,
but only tonsured a cleric. It is nevertheless preferred that he be
properly consecrated Bishop. If not a bishop, he still holds the
jurdisdiction of the bishoprics appointed to him, but the episcopal
authority therein must be exercised by a bishop so appointed as Vicar.
5. The Pontifical Electors, in
the case of a legitimate and canonically suitable heir, shall vote
simply to confirm the succession, and it is their duty to do so. It is
further not necessary that the heir be named Coadjutor, and indeed the
heir should not be so appointed unless already consecrated a Bishop. In
the event that there is no heir specified or else clear in succession,
i.e., the absolute extinction of the line, then the Electors shall
elect a successor as Bishop of Rome-Ruthenia, which same act
shall constitute an act of adoption into the household.
6. The vesture of the Supreme Pontiff is precisely as defined in the Ceremonial and the Code
of Canon Law. Sacramental vesture of the Sacred Ministers,
i.e., Celebrant, Deacon, and Sub-Deacon, are only used when ordained to
those Orders.
7. Likewise, regardless of
ordination, the Supreme Pontiff is entitled to all the titles, styles,
and use thereof.
8. In the event that there is
a female heir older than the male heir of the Supreme Pontiff, or in
the event that an adopted heir or other relative shall inherit the
Pontifical throne, but there are nevertheless natural children, or some
other similar case, it is permissble to confer the succession to the
Kingdom of Etruria on a child other than the heir to the Supreme Pontiff, with or without permanent remainder, which same should
be specified in succession documentation.
9. All that applies to the Supreme Pontiff likewise applies to the succession of the Duke of
Westphalia and Elector of Trier, Governor-General of the Apostolic See.
However, there are no electors for that office, and therefore in the
case of a lack of heir, a new Governor-General is named by the Supreme Pontiff.
10. The style of Imperial and
Royal Highness, as well as the rank and style of Grand Duke or Grand
Duchess respectively is held by the male and female members of the
Pontifical Household. The rank and title of Grand Duke of Rome is held
by right by the members of the Pontifical Household of the Supreme
Pontiff, following customs from the Middle Ages. It represents
the highest rank of noble title within the Pontifical States and ranks
immediately below the dignity of Cardinal.
The Household is defined as
the immediate family of the Supreme Pontiff, the Grand Duchess of
Rome-Ruthenia (Princess of the Romans) and the immediate family
thereof, i.e., any children, parents, and siblings; and the Electors of
Trier, Mainz, Cologne, and Würzburg and their consorts, but not their
immediate families and heirs. Likewise, the dignity held by the parents
of the Princess of the Romans does not extend to other members of the
family except as stated, though they may, at the discretion of the Supreme Pontiff be granted other titles is appropriate.
The crown entitled is of
imperial style as used by the Prince & Prince of Rome, but with
silver mitres.
DATVM
ROMAE-RUTHENIAE
APVD SS. PETRVM, MARCVM, ET STEFANVM
XXVII MAII A.D. MMXXIII ANNO XIII
Резерфорд Пп. I
