SUPPLICA. — As a diplomatic term, it is the petition addressed to the sovereign to obtain a gracious concession. Even the concessions of various kinds granted by the pope and the appointments to minor benefices reserved to the Holy See were preceded by a *suppplica*.
Initially, papal *supplicae* were drawn up directly by the interested parties, but already in the 12th century there are records of scribes who held their stalls near the Lateran Palace to prepare *supplicae*, and in the 13th century the first collections of formulary books appear: they usually begin with *«Supplicat Sanctitati Vestrae devotus orator vester»*, which became their characteristic formula. In the 14th century, *supplicae* assumed an official character; their text was drafted *secundum stilum Curiae*, and the vice-chancellor or a referendary would present them to the pope, who approved them with the autograph formula *«fiat ut petitur»*, followed by the initial of his baptismal name; the date was added, marking the effective date of the concession. These details are significant for the history of the Curia, as they mark the origin of offices that later developed independently: the referendaries of the Segnatura and the Datary. In the 15th century, the procedure became fixed, remaining in use until the 19th century; the text, prepared in the style by the procurator who represented the interested party in the Curia, was examined and signed by a referendary, and then presented by him for approval, which could be given either by the pope with the now traditional formula, or, for certain matters, by the vice-chancellor, who used the formula *«concessum ut petitur»* followed by his signature, or by an authorized referendary, who, however, signed in the presence of the pope, writing *«concessum in praesentia domini nostri Papae»*; the Datary added the date.
The *suppplica*, therefore, constitutes, after approval, the original of the concession, intended, however, for official use, since the solemn definitive act, namely a bull or a brief, had to be issued. In certain cases, the pope granted that the mere signature, i.e., the *suppplica* signed by him, would suffice as the definitive document, without the need to issue the solemn document: these *supplicae* are distinguished by their careful external forms, often decorated with miniatures and bearing a special formula expressing their nature. Another type of *suppplica* begins with the words *motu proprio*: with this, a *fictio iuris* is employed to grant procedural facilitations to the beneficiary, as if the concession were initiated by the pope and not at his request. *Supplicae* were copied from the 14th century onward into official registers, which today form part of the Vatican Secret Archive.
SUPPLICA — Official registration of the same *suppplica*. — Vatican Secret Archive, Reg. Suppl. 2358, f. 79'.
SUPPLICA — Original *suppplica* by Lelio di Leone «de Villa Megiane» and Lorenzo di Giovanni Battista «de Villa Aqua Castanee» from the county of Spoleto, by which they ask Paul III to confirm their immunities and privileges, obtained for having fought against the Turks (19 Dec. 1539). The double autograph signature of the Pope is visible, one beneath the petition and the other beside the clauses; the siglum with which the Pope signs is the initial of his baptismal name (Alexander) — Vatican Secret Archive, Paolo III supplici. orig.