| Mediator Dei Latin for 'Mediator [between] God' Encyclical of Pope Pius XII | |
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| Signature date | 20 November 1947 |
| Number | 12 of the pontificate |
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Mediator Dei (Mediator [between] God) is a papal encyclical issued by Pope Pius XII on 20 November 1947. It was the first encyclical devoted entirely to liturgy.[1]
The encyclical suggested new directions and active participation instead of a merely passive role for the faithful in the liturgy, in liturgical ceremonies and in the life of their parish. The encyclical also emphasized the importance of the Eucharist. Mediator Dei is one of the more important encyclicals of Pope Pius XII. The encyclical condemned certain excesses of liturgical reform and stressed the importance of the union of sacrifice and altar with communion, which would also be seen in the reforms undertaken during and after Vatican II. It was written in part in response to the liturgical movement under way since early in the 20th century.[2]
- ^ Jackson, Pamela (2004). An Abundance of Graces: Reflections on Sacrosanctum Concilium. Chicago: Hillenbranc Books. p. 3. ISBN 9781595250032. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
- ^ Reid, Alcuin (2005). The Organic Development of the Liturgy: The Principles of Liturgical Reform and Their Relation to the Twentieth-Century Liturgical Movement Prior to the Second Vatican Council. Ignatius Press. p. 138. ISBN 9781586171063. Retrieved 25 August 2017.