noun
- official letters written by the Pope to all bishops of the Roman Catholic Church, typically addressing matters of doctrine or morals
Usage: Catholic Church terminology; plural form of encyclical
Examples
- The Pope issued several encyclicals addressing social justice issues.
- Catholic scholars study papal encyclicals to understand Church teachings.
- The encyclicals were distributed to bishops worldwide.
- These encyclicals shaped Catholic doctrine for generations.
- The library contains a collection of historical encyclicals.
- Students of theology must read important encyclicals from the past century.