Praedecessores nostros was a papal encyclical written by Pope Pius IX on March 25, 1847, to address the crisis of the Great Irish Famine that occurred approximately between 1845 and 1850.

Several important events that occurred during the papacy of Pius IX are the unification of Italy, the First Vatican Council, the defining of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, and 38 papal encyclicals.

The first point made by Pope Pius IX in the encyclical is the importance of recognizing the legacies of papal predecessors and their assistance of Christian nations in the past.

[4] Also, a plenary indulgence was to be bestowed on anyone who attended the entire three days of prayer and received the sacraments (Catholic Church) of penance and Holy Communion within a week of doing so.

[4] In addition to the recommended public prayers for Ireland, he requested that the clergy ask their congregations to beseech God for the whole church against the evils that plague its existence.