The pontifical secret or pontifical secrecy or papal secrecy is the code of confidentiality that, in accordance with the canon law of the Roman Catholic Church, applies in matters that requires greater than ordinary confidentiality: Pontifical secrecy is the subject of the instruction Secreta continere of 4 February 1974 issued by the Secretariat of State . The text is published in Acta Apostolicae Sedis, 1974, pages 89-92.