Series - Visitationes Apostolicae et Pastorales (VAP)


Variations: Visitationes Pastorales (VP), Visitationes Apostolica (VA)

Pastoral visits are the responsibility of the incumbent bishop, who has the right to visit any part of the diocese as often as he chooses. The Council of Trent decreed that bishops should visit their diocese, if possible, every year or at least every two years. During each visit, notes were taken, generally by the bishop's assistants and reports were drawn. These are the reports done after the Apostolic or Pastoral Visits. An Apostolic Visit is when the Pope delegates someone in his name to conduct a visit in a particular diocese.