Detailed Description

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Title: Concordato celebrado entre la Santa Sede Apostolica y el Gobierno de la República de Colombia, y otros documentos eclesiasticos y civiles
Creator: República de Colombia
Catholic Church
Publication Info: Bogotá : Imprenta de Antonio María Silvestre, 1895.
Physical Details: 1-81 p. ; 17 x 11.5 cm
Physical Condition: Title page and rear cover dirtied, worn ink-stained (front), inside pages loose, but fair and legible copy.

Summary: The Colombian President, Rafaél Núñez, and Pope León XIII reached an agreement in which the state recognized the Catholic faith as the official religion of Colombia and reiterated its commitment to protect the Catholic Church’s rights in the country. This Concordato stated that Church property was subject to levies as with any other private property except for buildings used for worship services; Catholic orders could freely establish their houses in Colombia. According to the Concordato the roles of the church were three: missions, charity, and education (public education was to follow Catholic precepts). Catholic marriage would be tied to civil laws concerning property under which legitimate children of Catholic unions would inherit. This Concordato also addresses the right of perpetuity of property of the Catholic Church; this was intended to prevent potential state expropriation of land and properties.
Historical Notes: The 1887 Concordato with the Vatican did not change the previous liberal decrees that allowed religious tolerance. However, most of the previous anti-clerical laws were repealed by the government. The state returned part of the expropriated assets to the church and paid compensation for those that could not be returned. The church also regained its control over public education which included a veto power over texts, curricula and teachers’ appointments. The Concordato recognized Catholic marriage as the natural form of marital union in a Catholic society, even though civil marriage and divorce were still legal. Bushnell, David 1993 The Making of Modern Colombia: A Nation in Spite of Itself. Pp. 143-4. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Donor Notes: The complete bi-lingual text of the Colombian Concordat of 1888 with the Holy See and other documents germane to it. - J.L.H.

Subject(s): Catholic Church -- Colombia -- 19th century
Church and state -- Colombia -- 19th century
Ecclesiastical law -- Colombia
Added Entries: Catholic Church. Treaties, etc. Colombia, 1888 July 5
Colombia. Decreto 816 de 1888 (septiembre 21)
Colombia. Decreto 1455 de 1893 (octubre 18)

Type: Pamphlet
Language: Spanish, Latin
Format: JPG
PDF - Color
Donor: Helguera, J. León
Collection: Helguera, J. León Collection
Institution: Vanderbilt University
Accession Number: P01839
Record Number: 151
Islandora ID: islandora:7229