Terminology Tuesday: Sabbatine Privilege

Sabbatine Privilege. An indulgence granted to the *Carmelite Order. On the basis of a bull, ‘Sacratissimo uti culmine’, ascribed to *John XXII (1322), which was held to rest on an apparition of the BVM, certain privileges were granted to the Carmelite Order and its confraternities. They include unfailing salvation and early release from Purgatory through the intervention of the BVM (esp. release on *Saturdays, Our Lady’s day), provided certain conditions such as wearing the brown *scapular, keeping certain fasts, and reciting the *Little Office of Our Lady, are observed. The Sabbatine Privilege has been confirmed by several Popes, e.g. by *Pius XI in 1922. The authenticity of the original bull was widely contested in the 16th and 17th cents., esp. by the Jesuit D. *Papebroch, and some violent controversies ensued. Its spuriousness is now admitted even by Carmelites themselves, such as B. Zimmerman. It prob. dates from the latter half of the 15th cent.

A note of the bull of John XXII occurs in G. Mollat (ed.), Jean XXII (1316–1334): Lettres communes analysées d’après les registres dits d’Avignon et du Vatican, 4 (1910), p. 169 (no. 16193). B. Zimmerman, ODC, Monumenta Historica Carmelitana (Lérins, 1907), pp. 356–63. See also bibl. to SIMON STOCK, ST.

Cross, F. L., & Livingstone, E. A. (Eds.). (2005). In The Oxford dictionary of the Christian Church (3rd ed. rev., p. 1444). Oxford;  New York: Oxford University Press.