Deus Omnipotens, Pope Leo XIII's 1884 apostolic letter on the relics of Santiago de Compostela, is a primary source, the actual papal document formally affirming the authenticity of the relics venerated at the shrine following a rediscovery of remains in the cathedral's crypt some years earlier. As the pope's own words, it is directly authoritative for what the Catholic Church's highest authority formally declared about the relics' status. It is a statement of faith and papal authority rather than an independently verifiable historical or forensic finding, since no modern scientific testing has established the remains' identity with certainty, so the letter is properly cited as the church's own doctrinal affirmation rather than as settled historical or archaeological fact about whose remains the shrine actually holds.
Facts
Assessment
Reliability Tier3
Deus Omnipotens, Pope Leo XIII's 1884 apostolic letter on the relics of Santiago de Compostela, the lower tier reflecting that it is a statement of faith and papal authority formally affirming the relics' authenticity rather than an independently verifiable historical or forensic finding, since no modern scientific testing has established the remains' identity with certainty, notwithstanding that as the pope's own words it is directly authoritative for what the Catholic Church's highest authority formally declared. NotesPope Leo XIII's own apostolic letter Deus Omnipotens confirming the authenticity of the relics of Santiago de Compostela (1884); the papal instrument itself, not independent scholarly analysis.
Custodian
Custodian SourceYes
Custodian BodyPope Leo XIII
Custodian BasisAn apostolic letter pronouncing on relics held by the Church. Authoritative for the Church own judgement about its own relics; it is not an independent authentication.
Citation
AuthorPope Leo XIII
Publication Year1884
Source TypePrimary document
Claims Backed By This Source (14 claims)
This source backs 14 claims across the atlas. As facts: 9 well-attested, 1 scholarly debate. As cited relationships: 1 holds. Plus 3 entities citing it as a general reference with no single fact or relationship attached.
Disposition By Topic
- Sources, 9 claims: 9 well-attested.
- Sacred Objects & Ritual Items, 2 claims: 1 scholarly debate, 1 general references.
- Sacred Sites, 2 claims: 1 holds, 1 general references.
- Pilgrimage Routes, 1 claims: 1 general references.
Scholarly debate
1Sacred Objects & Ritual Items
General References
3Sacred Objects & Ritual Items
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