an official papal letter sealed with a bulla, a round seal made of lead
a pronouncement that is more solemn than a papal brief or an encyclical
a written communication from the Vatican , bearing the papal seal
a written communication from the Vatican Chancery, bearing a formal papal seal
a written communication from the Vatican Chancery , originally sealed with lead (sometimes with precious metal, now more commonly with red ink)
legal document issued under the authority of the pope
An official document, edict, or decree from the Pope.
A Papal bull is a special kind of patent or charter issued by a pope and named for the seal (bulla) that was appended to the end to authenticate it. Papal bulls were originally issued by the pope for many kinds of communication of a public nature, but after the fifteenth century, only for the most formal or solemn of occasions. Modern scholars have retroactively used the term "bull" to describe any elaborate papal document issued in the form of a decree or privilege (solemn or simple), and to some less elaborate ones issued in the form of a letter.