The Encyclical “Mystici Corporis Christi”

Abstract

The doctrine of the Church expressed in the Second Vatican Council’s Constitution, Lumen gentium, is rooted in previous magisterial teachings and theology. Pope Pius XII’s 1943 encyclical, Mystici Corporis Christi, was the most immediate reference for the Council. Written during wartime, the encyclical aimed to address certain spiritual and doctrinal deviations while also presenting a positive exposition of the Church’s doctrine as the Mystical Body of Christ. It touched on various topics that remain relevant to the faithful today, such as the Church’s salvific mission, the Eucharist, the participation of the laity, sacrifice, and prayer for the building up of the Church.