In hac tanta
In hac tanta there is an encyclical of Pope Benedict XV. which was published on May 14, 1919. It is addressed to the Cologne Archbishop Felix Cardinal Hartmann , the chairman of the Fulda Bishops' Conference , and the German archbishops, bears the subtitle "About Saint Boniface " and appears on the occasion of the "1200th anniversary of the evangelization of Germany".
The occasion
The world is currently - shortly after the end of the First World War - in great difficulty, and in addition to great suffering there is also daily concern for the churches. The Pope had followed the past events, the disorder and anarchy that only recently prevailed in this (i.e. in Germany) and other countries. Tensions still lingered, so it was appropriate in these dark times to mark the twelve hundredth anniversary of evangelism.
It was St. Boniface who, at the behest of the Holy See, brought the first beginnings of faith and evangelism to Germany. His extraordinary fame, which eventually ended with martyrdom , earned him the reputation of being an apostle of the Germans.
In memory of the saint
Now, twelve centuries later, it is appropriate to celebrate the beginning of this new era with festivities. Boniface brought Christian civilization to Germany with his mission and sermons and appeared as the successor of the apostles. Another reason to celebrate this anniversary is the desire to restore religious unity and peace for the future. Here it was Boniface who was the perfect messenger of peace and the one who improved relations between the Holy See and the nation .
About St. Boniface
Pope Benedict XV pays tribute to the life of the saint and writes: It was Bishop Willibald of Mainz who wrote the life of Boniface, and this describes Boniface as a contemporary whose virtues and deeds drove the beginnings of the mission in the German lands. Boniface had also recognized that the fruits of his labor could only be based on the consent and cooperation with the Apostolic See . Pope Gregory II sent him out to preach the gospel, and eventually Boniface preached to the German people, asking the people to obey the rites and rules of the Holy Sacraments . In the zeal of his mission he constantly pushed for new actions, so he came to other countries and regions and spoke to those in power there. Pope Gregory II consecrated Boniface bishop and made him mission bishop for all provinces of Germany. The subsequent Pope Gregory III. recognized the high value of this "messenger" and handed him the pallium of an archbishop .
The Pope continues to remind of the founding of new dioceses , the building of monasteries and churches , the establishment of hospitals and the beginning of evangelism in other countries. On his third visit to Rome, the Pope received him with great respect and provided him with holy gifts and important letters. The two successors to the Pope, Zacharias and Stephan II, also praised Boniface's work and confirmed him as "Apostle of Germany".
Wishes to the German bishops
The principle of Benedict XV. read: "The well-being of the Church depends on the dignity of the papacy, therefore the Pope must be entitled to a sovereign and independent power". The past history of disagreements must now be overcome, the last massacres and catastrophes would burden the present time and therefore one should regret them. The restoration of the old unity - as it existed with Boniface, who preached "unity in love" - must now be strived for. This new unity in love would then also contribute to the negotiations for a peace treaty and would spread over the world.
literature
- Harry Corcoran Koenig (Ed.): Principles for Peace: Selections from Papal Documents, Leo XIII to Pius XII . National Catholic Welfare Conference, 1943. (p. 270)
- Franciscus Antonius J. Nimwegen (C.ss.R.): In hac tanta: encycliek van ZH Benedictus XV of 14 mei 1919 over the H. Bonifacius, with een aantal other documents uit de jaren 1917-1919 . Gooi & Sticht, 1947
- Stan M. Landry: Ecumenism, Memory, and German Nationalism, 1817-1917 . Syracuse University Press, 2014. ISBN 978-0-815-65250-2 (pp. 141 f.)
