Pope boniface viii unam sanctam full

The Bull is universal in character.

Unam sanctam latin

As its content shows, a careful distinction is to be made between the fundamental principles concerning the Roman primacy and the declarations as to the application of these to the secular power and its representatives. In the registers, on the margin of the text of the record, the last sentence is noted as its real definition: “Declaratio quod subesse Romano Pontifici est omni humane creaturae de necessitate salutis” (It is here stated that for salvation it is necessary that every human creature be subject to the authority of the Roman pontiff).

This definition, the meaning and importance of which are clearly evident from the connection with the first part on the necessity of the one Church for salvation, and on the pope as the one supreme head of the Church, expresses the necessity for everyone who wishes to attain salvation of belonging to the Church, and therefore of being subject to the authority of the pope in all r