This constitution comprised articles which affected the spiritual supremacy and administrative privileges of the court of Rome.

Catholicism became alarmed and protested; consciences were disturbed.

The Revolution, until then exclusively political, became schism in the eyes of a portion of the clergy and the faithful.

Amongst the bishops and the priests, some took the civil oath, which was the guarantee of their existence; others refused, or, after having taken it, retracted.

This gave rise to trouble in many minds, agitation in consciences, division in the temples.