Decretum pontificum de pietate in deos (Nova Roma)

The Collegium Pontificum having met this 19th and 20th of July 2010, issues the following:

Decretum pontificum de pietate in deos

I. When an individual magistrate or public sacerdos commits a peccatum (an error) during sacra publica for which they are assigned, violating the religious prescriptions of the res publica, this peccatum may be attached to the individual or to the collective community of Nova Roma.

II. The peccatum must be recognized and reported to the collegium pontificum. The collegium pontificum shall first determined whether the error was committed voluntarily or involuntarily, and whether any fault is attached to the individual alone or to the whole community of Nova Roma. In the latter determination the collegium pontificum shall declare that impietas in deos has been committed that threatens the Pax Deorum of the community of Nova Roma.

III. Where a peccatum committed by a sacerdos publicus during a sacrum publicum or sacrum pro populo is declared by the collegium pontificum to be a case of impietas in deos, that sacerdos must resign from his or her sacerdotal office. If the peccatum is instead determined to have been involuntarily committed, and not impietas in deos, the sacerdos responsible shall perform a piaculum and perform the sacrum once more.

IV. Where a peccatum committed by a magistrate, or by the person performing the ceremony on his or her behalf, during a sacrum publicum or sacrum pro populo is declared by the collegium pontificum to be a case of impietas in deos, that magistrate ought to resign from his or her magisterial office. If the peccatum is instead determined to have been involuntarily committed, and therefore not impietas in deos, the responsible magistrate, or his surrogate, ought to perform a piaculum according to his private religious tradition and ensure that the sacrum is correctly performed.

V. When the collegium pontificum determines that a peccatum constitutes impietas in deos, it shall be the responsibility of the collegium pontificum to restore the Pax Deorum of Nova Roma by any sacra or other ceremonies it deems necessary.