ex cathedra declaration

In Roman Catholicism, papal infallibility is the doctrine that the pope, when speaking ex cathedra (from his chair as supreme teacher) on matters of faith or morals, cannot err. This doctrine was officially defined as dogma in 1870 during the First Vatican Council. The term ex cathedra literally means "from the chair" and refers to solemn pronouncements intended to bind the entire church. This teaching is rooted in the belief that the Church, through the assistance of the Holy Spirit, remains faithful to the teachings of Jesus Christ.12345