On 14 May 1904,
Pope Pius X created the
Commission for the Codification of Canon Law. It produced the
1917 Code of Canon Law, promulgated by
Pope Benedict XV on 27 May 1917 to take effect on 19 May 1918. Pope Benedict then established the
Pontifical Commission for Authentic Interpretation of the Code of Canon Law on 5 September 1917. On 28 March 1963,
Pope John XXIII replaced it with the
Pontifical Commission for the Revision of the Code of Canon Law, a revision called for by the
Second Vatican Council. On 11 July 1967,
Pope Paul VI established the
Pontifical Commission for Interpretation of the Decrees of the Second Vatican Council and, two years later, extended its mandate to the interpretation of the documents issued by the Holy See to implement those decrees. After promulgating a new version of the Code of Canon Law in January 1983,
Pope John Paul II erected the
Pontifical Commission for Authentic Interpretation of the Code of Canon Law once again on 2 January 1984. Its competence included with the universal laws for the
Latin Rite within its purview. This Commission replaced those set up by his two predecessors. On 28 June 1988, the body was given its present name and its jurisdiction in the apostolic constitution
Pastor Bonus. On 18 October 1990, its competence was extended to interpreting the
Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches and the laws shared in common by the
Eastern Catholic Churches.
Pastor bonus states that the dicastery's work "consists mainly in interpreting the laws of the Church". (
Pastor Bonus, 154).
Praedicate evangelium renamed the organ to
Dicastery for Legislative Texts. ==Presidents==