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WOTD: ex cathedra

Posted on January 28, 2020January 26, 2020 by Wordsmyth

ex cathedra

adjective & adverb

definition 1:   (Latin) from the chair; with the authority of one’s office or rank (used especially of statements from the pope regarding faith and morals).
example:  Catholic doctrine considers the Pope infallible when he speaks ex cathedra. 

See the full entry

Quotations:

…as an adverb
“This misses the most fundamental tenet of Catholicism: the doctrine of the infallibility of the Popes when they speak ex cathedra on faith and morals (sex and marriage).”

…as an adjective
“His fatwas are the nearest equivalent that al-Qaeda has to an ex cathedra statement from the pope.”
“The numbers are quoted as if they are “ex-cathedra,” infallible in their wisdom.”

 

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