List of ecclesiastical abbreviations

In the Roman Catholic Church, the ecclesiastical words most commonly abbreviated at all times are proper names, titles, of persons or corporations, and words of frequent occurrence.

History

Between the seventh and ninth centuries, the ancient Roman system of abbreviations used in the Catholic Church gave way to a more difficult one that gradually grew up in the monastic houses and in the chanceries of the new Teutonic kingdoms.
Merovingian, Lombard, and Anglo-Saxon scripts each offer their own abbreviations, as well as the unique scotica manus or libri scottice scripti. Eventually, the main productive centres of technical manuscripts, such as the Papal Chancery, the theological schools of Paris and Oxford, and the civil-law school of Bologna, set the standards of abbreviations for all Europe.

Manuscripts

Medieval manuscripts make frequent use of abbreviations, owing in part to the abandonment of uncial and quasi-uncial script, and the almost universal use of cursive writing.
Medieval authors inherited a few abbreviations from Christian antiquity; others were invented or adapted, in order to save time and parchment.
Abbreviations are found especially in manuscripts of scholastic theology and canon law, annals and chronicles, the Roman law, and in administrative documents, civil and privileges, bulls, rescripts. The number of abbreviations multiplied with time, and were especially numerous during the beginning of the use of the printing press in Europe. Many early printed books display liberal use of abbreviations carried over from handwritten manuscripts, together with other characteristics of the manuscript page.

Printing

The development of printing brought about the abandonment of many abbreviations, whilst also suggesting and introducing new ones. New abbreviations were also introduced following church developments such as the growth of ecclesiastical legislation and the creation of new offices.
Fewer medieval abbreviations were found in the text of books used on public occasions, such as missals, antiphonaries and Bibles, as the needs of theological students seem to have been the chief cause of the majority of medieval abbreviations.
The means of abbreviation were usually full points or dots, the semicolon, and lines. Vowel sounds were frequently written not after, but over, consonants. Certain letters, such as p and q, which occurred with extreme frequency in prepositions and terminations, became the source of many peculiar abbreviations, as did the frequency of words such as et and est. Habit and convenience are today the principal motives for using these abbreviations.
Most of those in actual use fall under one or other of the following heads: administrative, liturgical, scholastic, and chronological.

Administrative

The first class of abbreviations, administrative ones, includes those used in the composition of Pontifical documents. They were once very numerous, and lists of them may be seen in the works of Quantin and Prou, amongst others.
Since 29 December 1878, by order of Pope Leo XIII, the great papal documents are no longer written in the old Gothic hand known as bollatico; all abbreviations, with the exception of a few obvious ones, such as S.R.E., were abolished by the same authority. However, in everyday business, the Roman Congregations still frequently use certain brief formulas, such as negative and negative et amplius. These are not technically abbreviations. This class includes also the abbreviations for the names of most sees.
Under the general heading of administrative abbreviations can be included abbreviated forms of address in ordinary conversation, whether referring to individuals or members of religious orders, congregations, and institutes. The forms of address used for members of Catholic lay societies and the Papal orders of merit also fall under this heading. The abbreviations of the titles of Roman Congregations, and of the individual canonical ecclesiastical authorities, belong also to this class.

Liturgical

A second class of abbreviations includes those used in the description of liturgical acts or the directions for their performance, e.g. the Holy Mass, the Divine Office, the ecclesiastical devotions, etc. The abbreviated forms for the name of God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost, the names of the Blessed Virgin and the saints can also be classed as liturgical abbreviations, as can abbreviations used in the administration of the Sacraments, mortuary epitaphs, and so on. Finally, some miscellaneous abbreviations, such as those used in the publication of documents concerning beatification and canonization, are also classed as liturgical.

Scholastic

Scholastic abbreviations include those used to designate honorific titles acquired in the schools, to avoid the repetition of lengthy titles of books and reviews, or to facilitate reference to ecclesiastical and civil legislation.

Chronological

Chronological abbreviations are used to describe elements of the year in a civil or ecclesiastical sense.

Abbreviations used in apostolic rescripts

Absoluo. – Absolutio
Alr. – Aliter
Applica. – Apostolica
Appatis. – Approbatis
Archiepus. – Archiepiscopus
Aucte. – Auctoritate
Canice. – Canonice
Card. – Cardinalis
Cens. – Censuris
Circumpeone. – Circumspectione
Coione. – Communione
Confeone. – Confessione
Consciae. – Conscientiae
Constbus – Constitutionibus
Discreoni. – Discretioni
Dispensao. – Dispensatio
Dnus – Dominus
Ecclae. – Ecclesiae
Ecclis. – Ecclesiasticis
Effum. – Effectum
Epus. – Episcopus
Excoe. – Excommunicatione
Exit. – Existit
Fr. – Frater
Frum. – Fratrum
Gnalis – Generalis
Humil. – Humiliter
Humoi. – Hujusmodi
Igr. – Igitur
Infraptum. – Infrascriptum
Intropta. – Introscripta
Irregulte. – Irregularitate
Lia. – Licentia
Litma. – Legitima
Lre. – Litterae
Lte. – Licite
Magro. – Magistro
mph. – Metaphysics
Mir. – Misericorditer
Miraone. – Miseratione
Mrimonium. – Matrimonium
Nultus. – Nullatenus
Ordinaoni. – Ordinationi
Ordio. – Ordinario
Pbr. – Presbyter
Penia. – Poenitentia
Peniaria. – Poenitentiaria
Pntium. – Praesentium
Poe. – Posse
Pontus. – Pontificatus
PP. – Papa
Pr. – Pater
Pror. – Procurator
Ptur. – Praefertur
Ptus. – Praefatus
Qd. – Quod
Qmlbt. – Quomodolibet
Qtnus. – Quatenus
Relione. – Religione
Rlari. – Regulari
Roma. – Romana
Salri. – Salutari
Snia. – Sententia
Sntae., Stae. – Sanctae
Spealer. – Specialiter
Spualibus – Spiritualibus
Supplioni. – Supplicationibus
Thia, Theolia. – Theologia
Tli. Tituli –
Tm. – Tantum
Tn. – Tamen
Venebli – Venerabili
Vrae. – Vestrae
Abbreviations in general use, chiefly ecclesiastical
A.B. – Artium Baccalaureus
Ab. – Abbas
Abp. – Archbishop
Abs. – Absens
A.C. – Auditor Camerae
AC – Ante Christum ; anno Christi
ACN – Ante Christum Natum
A.D. – Anno Domini
a.d. – ante diem
Adm. Rev. – Admodum Reverendus
Adv. – Adventus
Alb. – Albus
al. – alii, alibi, alias
A.M. – Anno Mundi
A.M. – Artium Magister
A.M.D.G. – Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam
An. – Annus
Ann. – Anni
Ana, Ant. – Antiphon
Apost. – Apostolus
Ap. Sed. – Apostolica Sedes
Ap. Sed. Leg. – Apostolicae Sedis Legatus
Archiep. – Archiepiscopus
Archid. – Archidiaconus
Archiprb. – Archipresbyter
A.R.S. – Anno Reparatae Salutis
A.U. – Alma Urbs
Authen. – Authentica
Aux. – Auxilium, Auxilio
B.A. – Baccalaureus Artium
B. BB. – Beatus, Beati
B.C. – Before Christ
B.C.L. – Baccalaureus Civilis Legis
B.D. – Bachelor of Divinity
B.F. – Bona Fide
Ben. – Benedictio
Benevol. – Benevolentia
Bon. Mem. – Bonae Memoriae
B.P. – Beatissime Pater
Bro. – Brother
B. Se. – Baccalaureus Scientiarum
B.U.J. – Baccalaureus Utriusque Juris
B.T. – Baccalaureus Theologiae
B.V. – Beatitudo Vestra
B.V. – Beata Virgo
B.V.M. – Beata Virgo Maria
Cam. – Camera
Cam. Ap. – Camera Apostolica
Can. – Canonicus
Canc. – Cancellarius
Cap. – Capitulum
Cap. de seq. – Capitulum de Sequenti
Capel. – Capella
Caus. – Causa
C.C. – Curatus
CC. VV. – Clarissimi Viri
Cen. Eccl. – Censura Ecclesiastica
Cla. – Clausula
Cl., Clico. – Clericus, Clerico
Clun. – Cluniacenses
C.M. – Causa Mortis
Cod. – Codex
Cog. Leg. – Cognatio Legalis
Cog. Spir. – Cognatio Spiritualis
Coll. Cone. – Collectio Conciliorum
Comm. Prec. – Commemoratio Praecedentis
Comm. Seq. – Commemoratio Sequentis
Compl. – Completorium
Con. – Contra
Cone. – Concilium
Conf. – Confessor
Conf. Doct. – Confessor et Doctor
Conf. Pont. – Confessor Pontifex
Cons. – Consecratio
Consecr. – Consecratus
Const. Ap. – Constitutio Apostolica
Cr. – Credo
D. – Dominus
d. – dies
D.C.L. – Doctor Civilis Legis
D.D. – Doctores
D.D. – Donum dedit; Dedicavit
D.D. – Doctor Divinitatis
Dec. – Decanus
Def. – Defunctus
D.G. – Dei Gratia
D.N. – Dominus Noster
D.N.J.C. – Dominus Noster Jesus Christus
DN, DNS, DNUS – Dominus
Doct. – Doctor
Dom. – Dominica
D.O.M. – Deo Optimo Maximo
Doxol. – Doxologia
D.R. – Decanus Ruralis
DS – Deus
D.Se. – Doctor Scientiarum
D.V. – Deo Volente
Dupl. – Duplex
Dupl. Maj. – Duplex Major
Dupl. I. Cl. – Duplex Primae Classis
Dupl. II. Cl. – Duplex Secundae Classis
Eccl. – Ecclesiasticus
E., Eccl. – Ecclesia
El. – Electio, Electus
Emus – Eminentissimus
EPS, EP., Episc. – Episcopus
Et. – Etiam
Evang. – Evangelium
Ex. – Extra
Exe. – Excommunicatus, Excommunicatio
Fel. Mem. – Felicis Memoriae
Fel. Rec. – Felicis Recordationis
Fer. – Feria
Fr., F. – Frater, Frere
Fund. – Fundatio
Gen. – Generalis
Gl. – Gloria
Gr. – Gratia
Grad. – Gradus
Grat. – Gratias ; or Gratis
hebd. – Hebdomada
Hom. – Homilia
hor. – hora
IC – Jesus
Id. – Idus
Igr. – Igitur
IHS – Jesus ; sometimes misinterpreted as Iesus Hominum Salvator "Jesus Saviour of Men"
Ind. – Indictio
Ind. – Index
Inq. – Inquisitio
i.p.i. – in partibus infidelium
Is. – Idus
J.C. – Jesus Christus
J.C.D. – Juris Canonici Doctor, Juris Civilis Doctor
J.D. – Juris Doctor
J.M.J. – Jesus, Maria, Joseph
Jo., Joann. – Joannes
J.U.D. – Juris Utriusque Doctor
Jud. – Judicium
J.U.L. – Juris Utriusque Licentiatus
Jur. – Juris
Kal. – Kalendae
Laic. – Laicus
Laud. – Laudes
L.C.D. – Legis Civilis Doctor
l.c.; loc. cit. – Loco citato
Lect. – Lectio
Legit. – Legitime, Legitimus
L.H.D. – Litterarum Humaniorum Doctor
Lib., Lo. – Liber, Libro
Lic. – Licentia, Licentiatus
Litt. – Littera
LL.B. – Legum Baccalaureus
LL.D. – Legum Doctor
LL.M. – Legum Magister
Loc. – Locus
Lov. – Lovanium
Lovan. – Lovanienses
L.S. – Loco Sigilli
Lud. – Ludovicus
M. – Maria
M.A. – Magister Artium
Mag. – Magister
Mand. – Mandamus
Mand. Ap. – Mandatum Apostolicum
Mart., M., MM. – Martyr, Martyres
Mat. – Matutinum
Matr. – Matrimonum
Mgr., Msgr., or Mons. – Monsignor
Miss. – Missa ; Missionarius
Miss. Apost., M.A. – Missionarius Apostolicus
mph., mp. – Metaphysics
M.R. – Missionarius Rector
m.t.v. – mutatur terminatio versiculi
Mr. – Mother
Nativ. D.N.J.C. – Nativitas Domini Nostri Jesu Christi
N. D. – Nostra Domina, Notre Dame
Nigr. – Niger
No. – Nobis
Nob. – Nobilis, Nobiles
Noct. – Nocturnum
Non. – Nonae
Nostr. – Noster, nostri
Not. – Notitia
N.S. – Notre Seigneur, Nostro Signore
N.S. – New Style
N.T. – Novum Testamentum
Ntri. – Nostri
Nup. – Nuptiae
Ob. – Obiit
Oct. – Octava
Omn. – Omnes, Omnibus
Op. Cit. – Opere Citato
Or. – Oratio
Ord. – Ordo, Ordinatio, Ordinarius
Or. Orat. – Orator, Oratorium
O.S. – Old Style
O.T. – Old Testament
Oxon. – Oxonium, Oxonienses
P. – Pater, Pere
Pa. – Papa ; Pater
Pact. – Pactum
Pasch. – Pascha
Patr. – Patriarcha
Pent. – Pentecostes
Ph. B. – Philosophiae Baccalaureus
Ph.D. – Philosophiae Doctor
Phil. – Philosophia
Ph. M. – Philosophiae Magister
P.K. – Pridie Kalendas
Poenit. – Poenitentia
Poenit. Ap. – Poenitentiaria Apostolica
Pont. – Pontifex
Pont. – Pontificatus
Pont. Max. – Pontifex Maximus
Poss. – Possessor, Possessio
PP. – Papa ; Pontificum
P.P. – Parochus
PP. AA. – Patres Amplissimi
P.P.P. – Propria Pecunia Posuit
P.R. – Permanens Rector
Pr. – Pastor
Praef. – Praefatio
Presbit. – Presbyter, Priest
Prof. – Professus, Professio, Professor
Prop. Fid. – Propaganda Fide
Propr. – Proprium
Prov. – Provisio, Provisum
Ps. – Psalmus
Pub., Publ. – Publicus, Publice
Purg. Can. – Purgatio Canonica
Quadrag. – Quadragesima
Quinquag. – Quinquagesima
R. – Responsorium
R. – Roma
Rescr. – Rescriptum
R.D. – Rural Dean
Req. – Requiescat
Resp. – Responsum
R.I.P. – Requiescat In Pace
Rit. – Ritus
Rom. – Romanus, Romana
R.P. – Reverendus Pater, Reverend Pere
RR. – Rerum ; Regesta
Rt. Rev. – Right Reverend
Rub. – Ruber
Rubr. – Rubrica
S., Sacr. – Sacrum
Sab., Sabb. – Sabbatum
Saec. – Saeculum
Sal. – Salus, Salutis
Salmant. – Salmanticenses
S.C. – Sacra Congregatio
S.C.C. – Sacra Congregatio Concilii
S.C.EE.RR. – Sacra Congregatio Episcoporum et Regularium
S.C.I. – Sacra Congregatio Indicis
S.C.P.F. – Sacra Congregatio de Propaganda Fide
SCS – Sanctus
s.d. – sine data
S.D. – Servus Dei
Semid. – Semiduplex
Septuag – Septuagesima
Sexag. – Sexagesima
Sig. – Sigillum
Simpl. – Simplex
Sine Com. – Sine Commemoratione
s.l. – sine loco
s.l.n.d. – sine loco nec data
S.M. – Sanctae Memoriae
Soc. – Socius, Socii
S. Off. – Sanctum Officium
S.P. – Sanctissime Pater
S.P., S. Petr. – Sanctus Petrus
S.P. – Summus Pontifex
S.P.A. – Sacrum Palatium Apostolicum
Sr. – Sister
S.R.C. – Sacra Rituum Congregatio
S.R.E. – Sancta Romana Ecclesia, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae
SS. – Scriptores
SS.D.N. – Sanctissimus Dominus Noster
SS., S. – Sanctus, Sancti
S.T.B. – Sacrae Theologiae Baccalaureus
S.T.D. – Sacrae Theologiae Doctor
S.T.L. – Sacrae Theologiae Licentiatus
S.T.P. – Sanctae Theologiae Professor
Suffr. – Suffragia
S.V. – Sanctitas Vestra
Syn. – Synodus
Temp. – Tempus, Tempore
Test. – Testes, Testimonium
Theol. – Theologia
Tit. – Titulus, Tituli
T.R.P. – Très Révérend Père
Ult. – Ultimo
Usq. – Usque
Ux. – Uxor
V., Ven., VV. – Venerabilis, Venerabiles
V., Vest. – Vester
Vac. – Vacat, Vacans
Val. – Valor
Vat. – Vaticanus
Vba. – Verba
Vers. – Versiculus
Vesp. – Vesperae
V.F., Vic. For. – Vicarius Foraneus
V.G. – Vicarius Generalis
Vic. – Vicar
Vid. – Vidua
Vid., Videl. – Videlicet
Vig. – Vigilia
Viol. – Violaceus
Virg. – Virgo
Virid. – Viridis
V.M. – Vir Magnificus
V. Rev. – Very Reverend
V.T. – Vetus Testamentum
XC., XCS. – Christus