June 14, 1966 – Pope Paul VI Formally Abolishes the List of Prohibited Books

Until 1966, canon law prescribed two main forms of control over literature: the censorship of books by Roman Catholics in advance of publication, in regard to matters of faith and morals (a practice still followed); and the condemnation of published books that were judged to be harmful. The Index Librorum Prohibitorum (English: List of Prohibited Books) was a list of books, newspapers and other illegal publications deemed heretical, anti-clerical or lascivious, and therefore banned by the Catholic Church.

The decree of Pope Gelasius I about 496, containing lists of recommended as well as banned books, has been described as the first Roman Index. The first catalog of forbidden books to include in its title the word index, however, was published in 1559 by the Sacred Congregation of the Roman Inquisition (a precursor to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith). It was replaced by what was called the Tridentine Index (because authorized at the Council of Trent).

The 20th and final edition appeared in 1948, and the Index was formally abolished on this day in history by Pope Paul VI.

Authors whose works appeared on the list included both those who were burned at the stake for their writings, and those who were later beatified by the Catholic Church.

You can browse the “highlights” here. Some of the better-known banned titles included On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres by Nicolaus Copernicus, Les Misérables by Victor Hugo, Principles of Political Economy by John Stuart Mill and two books by Simone de Beauvoir: The Second Sex and The Mandarins.