Corpus Juris Canonici - Timeline

Timeline

• From the apostolic period, the Church used different collections of law but development of a single collection which could be used in all courts did not develop until the Middle Ages.

• The books of the Corpus Juris Canonici were derived from Gratian's work Decretum Gratiani and were integrated with papal decretals written from 1200 to 1500.

• Pope Pius V in 1566 began a project to unify the collection of law. He wanted to ensure the use of authentic and reliable versions of the libri legales so that the administration of justice did not depend on the version of Gratian that particular canonical court used. He assembled a committee of great canon law scholars who became known as the Correctores Romani. The Correctores were guided by Antonio Agustín of Spain. Pope Pius V did not live to see this project to completion. Pope Gregory XIII promulgated the finished version in 1580 which was enforced until 1917.

• Pope Benedict XV promulgated a revision as a complete code Code of Canon Law (1917) (Latin: Codex Iuris Canonici)

• Pope John Paul II promulgated a revision in 1983.