Encyclical
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An encyclical is an authoritative letter sent to a group, such as a papal encyclical occasionally send by a pope to the bishops of the Catholic Church.
A papal encyclical ranks as follows in authority:[1]
- apostolic constitution
- encyclical letter (written for the entire church)
- encyclical epistle (written for only part of the church)
- apostolic exhortation
- apostolic letter
- letter