Roman Pontifical

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The Roman Pontifical or Pontifical, also referred to in Latin as the Pontificale or Pontificale Romanum, is the Roman Catholic liturgical book that contains the rites performed by bishops.

The Pontifical is practically an episcopal ritual, containing formularies and rubrics for the sacraments of confirmation and Holy orders; however, it does not include the rites for the Mass or the Divine Office, which can be found in the Roman Missal and Roman Breviary, respectively.

The Pontifical includes the texts and rubrics which existed in the old sacramentaries and Ordines Romani, and were gradually collected together to form one volume for the greater convenience of the officiating bishop. In medieval times, collections were known under the names of Liber Sacramentorum, Liber Officialis, Liber Pontificalis, Ordinarium Episcopale or Benedictionale.

Under Innocent VIII, a standard version was published for the use of the entire Roman Rite, under the title Pontificale Romanum. An edited traditional version published by Pope Leo XIII is available online at Liturgia Latina.^[1]

The service book should not be confused with the papal annals, also called Liber Pontificalis, which is used by historians of the early Roman Church.