Inauguration of the supreme Tribunal of Vatican’s Apostolic Signatura

(January 14. 2012) The Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone presided over the Holy Mass for the inauguration of the 80th Judiciary Year of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura in the Vatican City State, Saturday morning at the Chapel of the Palace of the Governatorate,. Cardinal Bertone reminded the members of the Vatican Tribunal that we were all sinners who have been pardoned and justified for no merits of our own. In turn those who administer justice must practise the same in the spirit of mercy, eager to lead our fellow brothers and sisters to Jesus Christ, the healer of our maladies and the redeemer of sinners. After Mass there was a speech by the Promoter of Justice, Prof. Atty. Nicola Picardi, in the Palace of the Tribunals' Audience Hall. There are three Tribunals of the Holy See, namely The Apostolic Penitentiary, the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature and the Tribunal of the Roman Rota The Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura –whose inauguration we are speaking about- is the highest judicial authority in the Catholic Church (apart from the Pope himself, who as the supreme ecclesiastical judge, is the final point of appeal for any ecclesiastical judgment). In addition, it oversees the administration of justice in the Church. In the thirteenth century the Popes made use of "referendarii" to investigate and prepare the signing - hence the name signatura - of petitions and other cases presented to the Holy See. Pope Eugene IV (1431-1447) entrusted these referendaries with authority to sign certain petitions and thereby established a permanent office for this purpose. On 29 June 1909, Pope Pius X re-established a single Apostolic Signatura, consisting of six cardinals, one of whom acted as its prefect. On 28 June 1915, Pope Benedict XV reconstituted the college of the voting referendaries and simple referendaries with consultative functions and the 1917 Code of Canon Law removed the limitation of the number of cardinals members of this Supreme Tribunal. The present competence of the Apostolic Signatura is that laid down in the apostolic constitution Pastor Bonus of 28 June 1988, of Pope John Paul II. Saturday’s inauguration is an annual event, usually taking place in early January