Holy Congregation Index

The Index Congregation demanded that not a Catholic should read, keep, or reprint a book that was banned under the threat of excommunication. But since the time of Pius IX (1846–1878), this harsh punishment threatened only those disobedient Indexes who found themselves guilty of reading books written in defense of heresy or forbidden by special orders of the pope . The Catholic, who had a book entered in the Index, was obliged to deliver it to the local bishop or inquisition - the latter was obliged to burn such books.

The permission to read forbidden books in the past centuries was given by the pope with the greatest difficulty and only to scientists who set themselves the task of refuting the false teachings contained in them, even the highest dignitaries of the church, such as the general of the Jesuit order , could read books entered in the Index only with the special permission of the pope . In the 19th century, bishops, as plenipotentiaries of the pope, were allowed to read forbidden books to priests who showed particular concern for saving the souls of their flock ; laity wishing to achieve the same right had to apply for permission to the papal throne . Forbidden books these persons were required to keep locked up. In 1882, the Index congregation consisted of 36 cardinals , 39 consultants, and 5 scammers. In addition, 25 consultants were part of the Inquisition.

The index was of practical importance only in those countries where the Inquisition was . For example, in France, book bans from the Inquisition and from the Congregation of the Index were not recognized as binding.

• Carlo Agostino Fabroni - (November 1716 - September 19, 1727);
• Gianantonio Davia - (September 1727 - January 11, 1740);
• Leandro di Porcha - (January - June 2, 1740);
• Angelo Maria Quirini , OSBCas. - (August 1740 - January 6, 1755);
• Francesco Lundy - (1755 - 1756);
• Antonio Andrea Galli , Can.Reg.Lat. - (February 1, 1757 - March 24, 1767);
• Benedetto Veterani - (1767 - August 12, 1776);
• Hyacinth Sigismund Gerdil , CRSP - (January 1, 1777 - February 27, 1795 - elected prefect of the Holy Congregation for the Propaganda of the Faith) ;
• Stefano Borgia - (1796 - August 18, 1802 - elected prefect of the Holy Congregation for the Propaganda of the Faith);
• Michelangelo Luke - (August 18, 1802 - September 29, 1802);
• Lorenzo Litta - (August 27, 1803 - June 30, 1816);
• Francesco Luigi Fontana - (June 30, 1816 - September 24, 1818);
• Michele Di Pietro - (September 25, 1818 - July 2, 1821);
• Francesco Saverio Castiglioni - (November 10, 1821 - March 31, 1829 - elected by the Pope under the name Pius VIII );
• Pietro Caprano - (April 2, 1829 - February 24, 1834);
• Giuseppe Antonio Sala - (March 18 - November 21, 1834);
• Giacomo Giustiniani - (November 21, 1834 - February 24, 1843);
• Angelo May - (March 5, 1843 - September 21, 1848);
• Giacomo Luigi Brignole - (April 7, 1849 - June 23, 1853);
• Girolamo d'Andrea - (July 4, 1853 - July 31, 1861);
• Lodovico Altieri - (September 5, 1861 - December 28, 1864);
• Antonio Saverio De Luca - (December 28, 1864 - July 15, 1878);
• Tommaso Maria Martinelli , OESA - (July 15, 1878 - March 24, 1884);
• Placido Maria Schiaffino - (April 6, 1888 - February 20, 1889);
• Camillo Mazzella , SJ - (February 20, 1889 - June 22, 1893);
• Serafino Vannutelli - (December 9, 1893 - October 1, 1896);
• Andreas Steinhuber , SJ - (October 1, 1896 - October 15, 1907);
• Francesco Senha (January 13, 1908 - January 4, 1911);
• Francesco Salecio della Volpe - (January 26, 1911 - November 5, 1916).

• Renounced books

• Index // Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary : in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - SPb. , 1890-1907.