The Council of Trent and Print Culture: Documents in the archive of the Congregatio Concilii

In the context of the Council of Trent's re-structuring of papal government, the Congregation of the Council was founded in 1564 and entrusted with the task of implementing the Reform Decrees of Trent. In the hitherto little explored 'Positiones' fondo of the Congregation are preserved memoranda laying out a plan for a Printing House directed by the papacy, and entrusted with the publication of the Latin Bible, etc. One of them purports to be from representatives of the printing industry. It explains what would be needed for a papal press, notably with respect to organisation and structure. In this way the papacy was brought into contact with the new printing industry.