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https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/v46/templates/general_wide/img/logo.png UKDFD Recording Software https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/v46/ Papal bullae https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/v46/artefact/medieval/papal-bullae.html Papal Bulla of Urban V https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/v46/artefact/medieval/papal-bullae/papal-bulla-of-urban-v-57140.html Wed, 18 Jan 2023 16:22:11 GMT Papal bullae Papal Bulla of Urban V  
Description: Papal Bulla of Pope Urban V, 1362 - 1370

Obv: Busts of St Paul (left) and St Peter (right); cross between; S PA S PE above.
Rev: URB / ANUS / P P  V.

PP (with omega-shaped contraction mark over) is likely an abbreviation for PAPA, 'Pope' - Latin papa, from Greek pappas, 'father'. Note usage of letters on UKDFD 34885 &  SUR-F847F3.

Pope Urban V, born Guillaume de Grimoard, was the head of the Catholic Church from 28 September 1362 until his death in December 1370 and was also a member of the Order of Saint Benedict. He was the only Avignon pope to be beatified.  Further details of the life of Pope Urban V can be found here in the Catholic Encyclopedia.

Papal bullae were intended to authenticate official documents sent from Rome and were attached by cords of red and yellow silk or by hemp through the centre. In later times they were attached to ’indulgences’ - a remission of temporal sins granted by the Church. Papal bullae are known from graves (eg The Hospital and Priory of St Mary Spitals, Spitalfields) and these may have been buried with the owners in the belief that they would spend less time in purgatory. There is also some further evidence of secondary use in these papal bullae as some have been pierced for suspension, see UKDFD 10514.
Category: Medieval, Papal bullae
Category: Papal bullae
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Papal Bulla of Boniface VIII https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/v46/artefact/medieval/papal-bullae/papal-bulla-of-boniface-viii-54609.html Wed, 11 Sep 2019 18:43:35 GMT Papal bullae Papal Bulla of Boniface VIII  
Description: A Papal Bulla of Pope Boniface VIII, 1294-1303.

Obv: Busts of St Paul (left) and St Peter (right); cross between; S PA S PE above.
Rev: BONI / FATIVS / P P VIII

Details of the life of Pope Boniface VIII can be found in the Catholic Encyclopedia.
Category: Medieval, Papal bullae
Category: Papal bullae
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Papal Bulla of Gregory IX https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/v46/artefact/medieval/papal-bullae/papal-bulla-of-gregory-ix-85.html Tue, 19 Jul 2005 00:00:00 GMT Papal bullae Papal Bulla of Gregory IX  
Description: Papal Bulla of Pope Gregory IX pontiff 1227-1241.

Obverse - heads of St Paul and St Peter on either side of cross within beaded border. SPA for ’Sanctus Petrus (or Paulus) Apostolus’ and SPE for ’Sanctus Paulus (or Petrus) Episcopus’ above.
Reverse GRE/GORIVS/PP(contraction over) VIIII all within beaded border. PP may be for PAPAE ’father’ which appears fully on earlier bullae or for PASTOR PASTORUM ’shepherd of the shepherds’.

A bulla of Blessed Eugene III (1145-1153 AD) was also found on this site - reverse pictured here.
Reverse - [EV]/GENIVS/PP (contraction over) III

Papal bullae were intended to authenticate official documents sent from Rome and were attached by cords of red and yellow silk or by hemp through the centre. In later times they were attached to ’indulgences’ - a remission of temporal sins granted by the Church. Papal bullae are known from graves (eg The Hospital and Priory of St Mary Spitals, Spitalfields) and these may have been buried with the owners in the belief that they would spend less time in purgatory. There is also some further evidence of secondary use in these papal bullae as some have been pierced for suspension and quite a few have been found cut in half - reason presently unknown.

Also in later medieval times there was some effort made to ensure that bulls and briefs (the documents to which bullae were attached) could be proven to be genuine by the number of ’puncta’ or dots on the bulla itself:

"In the course of time a fixed number of dots were required to surround the circumference, to mark off the heads from the space occupied by the Cross, and to fill in the head and beard of St Peter; and as these dots were increased or diminished in different pontificates, to count them furnished a test of genuineness."

For the full range of religious finds from Ketsby search on ’ketsby religious.’
Category: Medieval, Papal bullae
Category: Papal bullae
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Papal Bulla of Alexander III https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/v46/artefact/medieval/papal-bullae/papal-bulla-of-alexander-iii-933.html Sat, 22 Oct 2005 00:00:00 GMT Papal bullae Papal Bulla of Alexander III  
Description: One half of a papal bulla of Alexander III (Pope: 1159 - 1181). The bulla has broken along the line where the cord (to attach it to the document) passed through its centre. Details of obverse and reverse are shown below with parentheses to indicate the missing part of the design on the lost half.

Obv: S PA over bust of St Paul in beaded border (S PE over bust of St Peter in beaded border); cross between.
Rev: (AL)EX / (AN)DER / (P P) III.

Details of the life of Pope Alexander III can be found here in the Catholic Encyclopedia.
Category: Medieval, Papal bullae
Category: Papal bullae
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Papal Bulla of Innocent III https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/v46/artefact/medieval/papal-bullae/papal-bulla-of-innocent-iii-1821.html Wed, 11 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT Papal bullae Papal Bulla of Innocent III  
Description: Papal Bulla of Pope Innocent III, 1198-1216.

Details of the life of Pope Innocent III can be found here tn the Catholic Encyclopedia.
Category: Medieval, Papal bullae
Category: Papal bullae
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Papal Bulla of Innocent IV https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/v46/artefact/medieval/papal-bullae/papal-bulla-of-innocent-iv-2929.html Fri, 07 Apr 2006 00:00:00 GMT Papal bullae Papal Bulla of Innocent IV  
Description: Papal Bulla of Pope Innocent IV, 1243-1254.

Obv: Busts of St Paul (left) and St Peter (right); cross between; S PA S PE above.
Rev: INNO / CENTIVS / P P IIII.

Details of the life of Pope Innocent IV can be found here tn the Catholic Encyclopedia..

Note Regarding Attribution
The numeral on the reverse appears to read III rather than IIII, but the spacing suggests that the first I was either imperfectly struck (blocked die) or has been lost to corrosion or abrasion. The attribution to Innocent IV, rather than Innocent III, has been made on this basis.
Category: Medieval, Papal bullae
Category: Papal bullae
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Papal Bulla of Innocent IV https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/v46/artefact/medieval/papal-bullae/papal-bulla-of-innocent-iv-3792.html Tue, 11 Jul 2006 00:00:00 GMT Papal bullae Papal Bulla of Innocent IV  
Description: Papal Bulla of Pope Innocent IV, 1243-1254. The obverse design - facing busts of St Paul and St Peter - has been completely obliterated. The reverse has the inscription INNO / CENTIVS / P P IIII.

Details of the life of Pope Innocent IV can be found here in the Catholic Encyclopedia.
Category: Medieval, Papal bullae
Category: Papal bullae
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Papal Bulla of 'Clement' https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/v46/artefact/medieval/papal-bullae/papal-bulla-of-clement-3793.html Tue, 11 Jul 2006 00:00:00 GMT Papal bullae Papal Bulla of 'Clement'  
Description: An incomplete Papal Bulla of one of the Popes named Clement. The Pope's numeral is on the missing part of the flan.

Obv: Busts of St Paul (left) and St Peter (right) ; cross between; S PA S PE above.
Rev: CLE / MEN[S] / P [--].
Category: Medieval, Papal bullae
Category: Papal bullae
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Papal Bulla of Boniface VIII https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/v46/artefact/medieval/papal-bullae/papal-bulla-of-boniface-viii-4309.html Mon, 04 Sep 2006 00:00:00 GMT Papal bullae Papal Bulla of Boniface VIII  
Description: A Papal Bulla of Pope Boniface VIII, 1294-1303.

Obv: Busts of St Paul (left) and St Peter (right); cross between; S PA S PE above.
Rev: BONI / FATIVS / P P VIII

Details of the life of Pope Boniface VIII can be found here in the Catholic Encyclopedia.
Category: Medieval, Papal bullae
Category: Papal bullae
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Papal Bulla of Benedict XI https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/v46/artefact/medieval/papal-bullae/papal-bulla-of-benedict-xi-4310.html Mon, 04 Sep 2006 00:00:00 GMT Papal bullae Papal Bulla of Benedict XI  
Description: A Papal Bulla of Pope Benedict XI, 1303-1304. The pontificate of Benedict XI lasted just eight months.

Obv: Busts of St Paul (left) and St Peter (right) ; cross between; S PA S PE above.
Rev: BENE / DICTUS / P P XI

Details of the life of Pope Benedict XI can be found here in the Catholic Encyclopedia.
Category: Medieval, Papal bullae
Category: Papal bullae
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