Project "Papal Ceremony in Early Modern Times (1563-1789)" in SFB 496

In the Collaborative Research Centre (SFB) 496, Prof Hubert Wolf and the Department of Medieval and Modern Church History were represented with the project "Papal Ceremony in Early Modern Times (1563-1789). Courtly Representation, Theological Contention and Liturgical Symbolism" (B6). This collaborative research centre, which was financed by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and whose funding phase ended on 31 December 2011, investigated "Symbolic Communication and Social Value Systems from the Middle Ages to the French Revolution".

The reciprocal shaping of theological concepts and symbolic practices at the papal court and its environment in the Early Modern Period were central to the research pursued by project B6. Symbolic acts expressed theological conceptions of values and ecclesiastical order and thus also served the constitution of the hierarchical structure of the Church. Its dual character (spiritual leadership of the Church and secular court) makes the “corte di Roma” particularly interesting. In its final phase, leading up to 2011, the project concentrated on the relationship of collegial and monarchical structures governing the body of the Church and their respective symbolic forms of expression.

The SFB 496 has its own website, which also offers a more detailed description of the project "Papal Ceremony" and an overview of the publications.