Bullae Cantate Domino (February 4, 1442)

From the Council of Florence, under Pope Eugene IV, comes the decree for union with the Copts of Ethiopia, encapsulated in the bull Cantate Domino. This document includes a systematic profession of faith containing significant magisterial affirmations about angels and demons, building upon and deepening the definition established by the Lateranense IV (1215).

Historical Context

The Council of Florence (relocated from Basel in 1438) was one of the most important councils of the 15th century, with three primary objectives:

• Union with the Greek Orthodox (Bull Laetentur caeli, July 6, 1439)
• Union with the Armenians (Bull Exultate Deo, November 22, 1439)
• Union with the Copts of Ethiopia (Bull Cantate Domino, February 4, 1442)

Cantate Domino presents the most systematic profession of faith of the Council, covering all essential doctrinal points. Its affirmations on angeology and demonology became mandatory references for all subsequent theologians.

Latin Text – Profession on Angels

Firmly believes, professes and preaches one true God, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, one by nature, in three persons… This one true God is the creator of all things, visible and invisible, who, being good, made all things good, but did not make evil; rather He ordered all things made by Him to be good. For the devil and other demons were created by God as good according to their nature, but they themselves became evil through free will.

Portuguese Translation

Believe, profess and preach firmly one true God, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, one by nature, in three persons… That this only true God is creator of all things, visible and invisible, who, being good, made all things good; but the bad things He did not make, but ordered all things that were made as being good. The Devil and the other demons, indeed, were made good by God according to nature, but they themselves made themselves evil through free will.

Central Affirmations

• God created everything that exists, visible and invisible, and all was created good.
• God did not create evil (“mala vero non fecit“).
• Everything God made was ordered for good (“facta a se omnia bona ordinavit“).
• The Devil and other demons are naturally good creatures (“secundum naturam a Deo factos bonos“).
• The Devil and other demons chose evil through free will (“se ipsos per liberum arbitrium fecisse malos“).

Continuity with Lateranense IV (1215)

The formulation of Florence closely mirrors, almost literally, the definition established by the Lateranense IV (1215).

Lateranense IV and Florença 1442

Theological Meaning

The definition from Florence has three doctrinal dimensions:

1. Anti-dualism (against persistent Manichaeism)

The Council reaffirms that there is one sole creative principle, which is good, and that everything that exists is originally good. Evil is not a principle in itself but a corruption of good.

2. Anti-monism (against any determinism)

The Council asserts the reality of free will in spiritual creatures. The fall of angels was not due to necessity of nature nor by destiny, but by free choice.

3. Anti-emanationism (against Plotinus and Neo-Platonism)

The Council affirms that everything that exists was created out of nothing (creatio ex nihilo), not emanated from the divine substance. Angels are not “descendants” of God but free creatures.

Magisterial Heritage

The Florence formula has been cited literally in:

• The Roman Catechism of Pius V (1566)
• Vatican I (1870), Dogmatic Constitution Dei Filius, ch. 1
• The Catholic Catechism (1992) no. 391: “Behind the disobedient choice of our first parents, there is a seductive voice opposed to God”

Further Reading

• Fourth Lateran Council (1215) | Roman Catechism | CCC on Angels and Demons

See our comprehensive guide to Catholic Angelology.

Also see: What is Angeology? Angels in the Bible and in the Magisterium