Pope Francis’ first encyclical on July 5

01 July, 2013 - The first encyclical of Pope Francis is scheduled for release on Friday, July 5, at a press conference in the Vatican. The encyclical “Lumen Fidei”, the Latin for “The Light of Faith”, was begun by Pope Benedict XVI as the last of his three encyclicals on the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity. But he resigned on Feb. 28, before he could finish it, leaving it to his successor to complete it. The new Pope, Francis, who was elected on March 13, has been working on it. In a meeting with members of the ordinary council of the Synod of Bishops, June 13, he said he was preparing to publish the encyclical on faith written "with four hands" - his own and those of Pope Benedict XVI. "It's a strong document. I will say in it that I received it and most of the work was done by him and I completed it because Pope Benedict began writing it and he gave it to me," Pope Francis said. An encyclical is the most authoritative teaching a Pope can issue.