The Death of Pope Leo X & A Very Rare Papal Bulla Complete with Seal
December 1, 1521
This particular bulla is an extremely rare and valuable artifact to have in the Collection, not only because of its age, but also because it was issued by the Medici Pope, Leo X, during an era that presaged the Protestant Reformation. In fact, this document was issued in 1517, the same year that Martin Luther drifted into open rebellion with the Catholic Church and posted his 95 Theses on the door of the Wittenberg Cathedral on October 31st of that year.
The actual bulla on this document, displaying Leo PAPA X, on one side, has the traditional image of Saints Peter & Paul on the other side with a variation on bullae: this one has the addition of the Medici symbol of five balls, which figure heavily in architecture in both Rome and in Florence, seat of the Medici family. Pope Leo X’s coat of arms also has that image and immediately identifies him as a Medici.
According to Father Kunst, it is a design he has never seen on a bulla.
Stories abound on the internet as to the true meaning of the five balls, but no one knows for sure.
The word, bulla comes from the Latin, bubble. It is the lead seal that was appended to the end of a document acting as the signature of the pope. On one side, it contains the pope’s name and on the other, images of Saints Peter and Paul from whom he is given his authority.
The bull is generally an official document of the Holy Father. We know by the choice of threading used, either silk or twine, the importance of any particular bull.
Pope Leo X: A Signature from 1506 as Cardinal
Pope Leo X is a very significant historical figure who was Pope from 1513-1521.
The year is legible (1506) and the signature is complete.
According to Saggiori’s book, the jo.(for john) is preceded by a” v.r.” (I would say the v .stands for vescovus or vice chancellier)
Here the initials before the j.o. stand for something else, but they are indeed present and fully legible.
This piece, the end of a signed letter, is not “glued “to anything. It was submitted to an expensive professional restoration where Japanese paper pulp was reintegrated into the missing parts to return the piece to a more attractive square format.
Given the age and rarity of the document, this is an incredible addition to the Collection.
Pope Leo X was created Cardinal at the age of 13 in 1488 and was formally received into the College of Cardinals in 1492. His signature on this document is from his time as Cardinal.
