Pope Paul VI Abolished Index of Forbidden Books 60 Years Ago

Sixty years ago, Pope Paul VI officially abolished the Index of Forbidden Books, ending centuries of Catholic Church censorship of literature. The Index, which contained works deemed harmful to Catholic faith and morals, had been used by the Church to restrict access to books it considered dangerous or heretical. The origins of the Church's legislative framework regarding book censorship remain unclear to historians. The abolition marked a significant shift in the Catholic Church's approach to intellectual freedom and represented part of broader reforms during the Second Vatican Council era.