Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith

Historical Details

• Congregation for Universal Inquisition
  • Latin Name: Romanae et Universalis Inquisitionis
  • Established: 21 July 1542
  • Curial Office
  • Roman Curia

• Congregation of the Holy Office
  • Latin Name: Sancti Officii
  • Name Changed: 1908
  • Curial Office
  • Roman Curia

• Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
  • Latin Name: pro Doctrina Fidei
  • Name Changed: 7 December 1965
  • Curial Office
  • Roman Curia
  • Description: promote and safeguard the doctrine on faith and morals in the whole Catholic world; so it has competence in things that touch this matter in any way. (Pastor Bonus, 48)
  • Mailing Address: Piazza della stessa Congregaziione, 00120 Citta del Vaticano, Italy
  • Telephone: 06.69.89.59.11
  • Fax: 06.69.88.34.09

Past and Present Ordinaries

• Alfredo Ottaviani † (9 Feb 1966 Appointed - 8 Jan 1968 Retired)
• Franjo Šeper † (8 Jan 1968 Appointed - 25 Nov 1981 Retired)
• Joseph Ratzinger † (25 Nov 1981 Appointed - 2 Apr 2005 Ceased, President of the International Theological Commission)
• William Joseph Levada † (13 May 2005 Appointed - 2 Jul 2012 Retired)
• Gerhard Ludwig Müller (2 Jul 2012 Appointed - 1 Jul 2017 Ceased)
• Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer, S.J. (1 Jul 2017 Appointed - 1 Jul 2023 Retired)
• Victor Manuel Fernández (1 Jul 2023 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Affiliated Bishops, Living

• Angelo Amato, S.D.B. (Secretary: 19 Dec 2002 to 9 Jul 2008)
• Tarcisio Pietro Evasio Bertone, S.D.B. (Secretary: 13 Jun 1995 to 10 Dec 2002)
• Philippe Curbelié (Under Secretary: 6 Jul 2022)
• Joseph Augustine Di Noia, O.P. (Adjunct Secretary: 21 Sep 2013 to 10 Jul 2023)
• Victor Manuel Fernández (Prefect: 1 Jul 2023 - )
• John Joseph Kennedy (Official: 2003; Secretary: 23 Apr 2022 - )
• Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer, S.J. (Secretary: 9 Jul 2008; Prefect: 1 Jul 2017 to 1 Jul 2023)
• Armando Matteo (Official: 12 Apr 2021; Secretary: 23 Apr 2022 - )
• Giacomo Morandi (Under Secretary: 27 Oct 2015; Secretary: 18 Jul 2017 to 10 Jan 2022)
• Gerhard Ludwig Müller (Prefect: 2 Jul 2012 to 1 Jul 2017)
• Charles Jude Scicluna (Adjunct Secretary: 13 Nov 2018 - )
• Matteo Visioli (Under Secretary: 14 Sep 2017 to 5 Jun 2022)

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Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

• Leonardo Antonelli † (Secretary: 8 Nov 1800 to 23 Jan 1811)
• Antonio (Marcello) Barberini (Sr.), O.F.M. Cap. † (Secretary: 1629 to 1633)
• Luigi Maria (Tommaso Francesco) Bilio, B. † (Secretary: 25 Jan 1883 to 30 Jan 1884)
• Camillo Borghese † (Secretary: 1602 to 1605)
• Alberto Bovone † (Secretary: 8 Apr 1984 to 13 Jun 1995)
• Nicola Canali † (Official: 27 Jun 1926 to 20 Mar 1939)
• Prospero Caterini † (Secretary: 21 Dec 1876 to 28 Oct 1881)
• Giulio Maria della Somaglia † (Secretary: 20 May 1814 to 2 Apr 1830)
• Cesare Facchinetti † (Secretary: 1679 to 30 Jan 1683)
• Domenico Ferrata † (Secretary: 2 Jan 1914 to 10 Oct 1914)
• Jean Jérôme Hamer, O.P. † (Secretary: 14 Jun 1973 to 8 Apr 1984)
• William Joseph Levada † (Prefect: 13 May 2005 to 2 Jul 2012)
• Vincenzo Macchi † (Secretary: 25 Apr 1844 to 30 Sep 1860)
• Alessandro Macioti † (Official: 11 Apr 1856 to 18 Jan 1859)
• Francesco Marchetti Selvaggiani † (Secretary: 30 Apr 1939 to 13 Jan 1951)
• Rafael Merry del Val y Zulueta † (Secretary: 14 Oct 1914 to 26 Feb 1930)
• Raffaele Monaco La Valletta † (Secretary: 15 Feb 1884 to 14 Jul 1896)
• Alfredo Ottaviani † (Pro-Secretary: 15 Jan 1953; Secretary: 7 Nov 1959; Pro-Prefect: 9 Feb 1966 to 8 Jan 1968)
• Pietro Ottoboni † (Secretary: 14 Jun 1726 to 29 Feb 1740)
• Bartolomeo Pacca † (Secretary: 5 Apr 1830 to 19 Apr 1844)
• Antonio Maria (Niccolò) Panebianco, O.F.M. Conv. † (Secretary: 30 Mar 1882 to 25 Jan 1883)
• Fabrizio Paolucci † (Secretary: 1725 to 12 Jun 1726)
• Pietro Parente † (Official: 23 Oct 1959; Secretary: 7 Dec 1965 to 1967)
• Lucido Maria Parocchi † (Secretary: 5 Aug 1896 to 15 Jan 1903)
• Costantino Patrizi Naro † (Secretary: 10 Oct 1860 to 17 Dec 1876)
• Pierre Charles (Paul) Philippe, O.P. † (Secretary: 29 Jun 1967 to 6 Mar 1973)
• Giuseppe Pizzardo † (Secretary: 16 Feb 1951 to 12 Oct 1959)
• Mariano Rampolla del Tindaro † (Secretary: 30 Dec 1908 to 16 Dec 1913)
• Joseph Ratzinger † (Prefect: 25 Nov 1981 to 2 Apr 2005)
• Donato Raffaele Sbarretti (Tazza) † (Secretary: 4 Jul 1930 to 1 Apr 1939)
• Franjo Šeper † (Pro-Prefect: 8 Jan 1968; Prefect: 1 Mar 1968 to 25 Nov 1981)
• Fabrizio Spada † (Secretary: 1716 to 15 Jun 1717)
• Serafino Vannutelli † (Secretary: 16 Jan 1903 to 31 Dec 1908)