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Our Archiv contains aprox. 1000 pope bullae, with several subjects: Statutory decrees (Epistolae decretales), episcopal appointments, dispensations, apostolic convocations, canonizations, etc. It consists of solemn bulls in  several big sizes and little bulls. The little bulls have no rota, no Bene Valete monogram and no subscription of pope and cardinals. The contents of the little bulls are, from an historical point of view, more important and interesting than those solemn bulls.

They are named after the seal (Bullae), and appended at the end, in order to authenticate them. Papal bulls were originally issued by popes for public communications and for solemn occasions.

Contemporary scholars have used the term „bull” to describe a simple or solemn papal document issued in the form of a decree or privilege. At first, Papal bulls always bore a metal or ceramic seal.

Distinctive characteristics of a bull was the lead seal which on very solemn occasions  was made of gold. On the front side – recto -, the bullae depicted the name of the pope, with an uppercase character followed by the function (pope).

On the reverse side, the founders of the Church of Rome are depicted – apostles Peter and Paul, identified by the vertical letters Sanctus PAulus and Sanctus PEtrus (with the cross in the middle):

                            S      S

                              P  +  P

                            A     E

The seal (BULLAE) – a bubble floating on water (Latin bullire, to boil) was then attached to the document either by cords or with hemp (in case of executory letters or documents of justice) or by red and yellow silk (in the case of letters of grace), and was looped through slits in the vellum.

A papal bull traditionally begins with a Latin sentence containing three elements:

1. Pope’s name;
2. The papal title – Episcopus servus servorum Dei (Bishop servant of the servants of God;
3. Some Latin words that constitute the incipit from which the bull would also take its name for record keeping purposes.

The closing section consists of the date, the place it was of issue, the day of the month and the year of the pope’s pontificate, and the signature with the seal attached nearby. The signature would be an elaborate monogram, the signature of any witnesses and then the seal.