"STATUTE OF THE VATICAN FILM-LIBRARY"

His Holiness Pope JOHN XXIII, on November 16th, 1959, was pleased to establish the Vatican Film-Library, by conferring on it legal status and headquarters in Vatican City, and by giving approval to the present Statute and ordering its publication.

Art. 1. Legal status and Office. - The Vatican Film-Library now established-in accordance with the Apostolic Letter Boni Pastoris of February 22nd, 1959-by His Holiness Pope John XXIII, on November 16th, 1959, has full legal status.
It has its headquarters in Vatican City State.

Art. 2. Scope. - In accord with the age-long tradition of the Holy See of collecting the most important records of history and civilization, the Vatican Film-Library has as its aim the gathering together and preserving of films and of recordings of television programmes which have reference to the life of the Church, and in particular those concerning:

a) the Sovereign Pontiff, his Representatives, and the various Departments of the Roman Curia;

b) the apostolic and charitable activities of the Universal Church and the cultural works under Catholic auspices;

c) religious life in the world;

d) works of a high artistic and cultural level.

Art. 3. Sources of the Collection. - The following are being assembled to form the Vatican Film-Library collection:

a) motion pictures and television recordings which are already in the possession of the Holy See;

b) copies of films produced, and recordings of televised functions carried out, in the territory of Vatican City State or in extraterritorial zones;

c) films which will in future come into possession of the Sovereign Pontiff, of Departments of the Holy See, or of the Film-Library itself, and which answer to the specifications outlined in Article 2.

Art. 4. Patrimony and Funds. - The Vatican Film-Library has a patrimony of its own, assigned to it by the Holy See.
Free gifts made either 'inter vivos' or at death, in favour of the Vatican Film-Library, will be assigned to the purposes of the said FilmLibrary.

Art. 5. Direction and Administration. - The direction and the administration of the Vatican Film-Library is entrusted to the Pontifical Commission for Motion-Pictures, Radio and Television, which appoints, on the proposal of the President, an Official Delegate for the management of the said Film-Library.

To the same Pontifical Commission pertains in particular:

a) the publication of the rules relating to the working of the Film-Library;

b) the approval of the financial estimates and expenses;

c) the decision, in cases of doubt, on the admission of films to the Film-Library.

Art. 6. Representation. - The duty of representing the Vatican Film-Library falls jointly on the President of the Pontifical Commission for Motion Pictures, Radio and Television, and the Official Delegate for the management of the Film-Library.
In cases when they are prevented from performing this duty, the President is replaced by the member of the Pontifical Commission next in rank, and the Official Delegate by a Vice-Delegate.

Art. 7. Concluding Provision. - The present Statute comes into force from the day of its publication in the Acta Apostolicae Sedis (Cfr. Acta Ap. Sedis, vol. LI, p. 875-876).