L'Église catholique / Papes Pie V et Clément VIII (textes liturgiques officiels). - [XVIIe SIÈCLE - ÉDITION ORIGINALE] Missale Romanum (Missel Romain) - 1631

[17th CENTURY - ORIGINAL EDITION] Missale Romanum (Roman Missal) - 1631 - Paris (Typographic Society, Rue Saint-Jacques) – Decree of the Council of Trent and Pope Clement VIII

Magnificent and rare edition of the Missale Romanum (Missale Romanum), printed in Paris in 1631 by the Societas Typographica Librorum Officii Ecclesiastici, established on Rue Saint-Jacques.

This major liturgical work of the Counter-Reformation adheres to the strict application of the decrees of the Council of Trent, originally published by the order of Pope Paul V and revised under the authority of Pope Clement VIII (Clemens Papa VIII).

Key points of the work: The exemplar opens with the official preliminary texts, superb religious engravings in the frontispiece, musical scores on red staff lines, as well as the papal bull of Clement VIII (Ad perpetuam rei memoriam), which details the rigorous revision of liturgical texts.

Author / Publisher: The Catholic Church / Popes Paul V and Clement VIII.

Publisher: Société Typographique des livres de l’Office ecclésiastique, Paris.

Era: 1631.

Binding: Full leather / dark calf of the period with raised bands, presenting a fine antique patina.

Technical specifications

Format: Large-format in-quarto / ancient folio.
Language: Latin.
Original language (yes/no): Yes.
Number of pages: Substantial work of over 300 pages (including the liturgical calendar, the Proper of the Time and of Saints, and the Canon Missae), enriched with rubrics printed in red and black, with initials and wood engravings.

Extras: Gregorian chant music on red staves, full-page engravings, period fabric bookmarks preserved.

Condition report

Binding: Solid and intact full-leather from the period. Usual signs of wear and natural rubbing are observed, notably leather losses at the headbands (top and bottom) and rounded corners, giving the book its authentic historic character. The boards retain a rich dark texture.

Interior: Old marbled endpapers with superb purples and yellows. Complete copy with all engravings and gatherings firmly bound. The paper shows foxing and normal browning for a liturgical work heavily handled in the 17th century, without impairing the readability of the red and black text nor the beauty of the musical scores.