Catholic Dictionary

Find accurate definitions of over 5,000 Catholic terms and phrases (including abbreviations). Based on Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

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CHIROGRAPHUS

A personal letter of the Pope, usually treating of an immediate event of grave concern. Several such letters were addressed to Cardinal Gasparri (1852-1934) by Pope Pius XI, e.g., on Holy Saturday, 1926, about Mexico; and on Corpus Christi, 1929, about Mussolini (1883-1945). (Etym. Greek cheirographein, to write with the hand.)