CONSTITUTION
ON THE SACRED LITURGY
SACROSANCTUM
CONCILIUM
SOLEMNLY PROMULGATED BY
HIS HOLINESS
POPE PAUL VI
ON DECEMBER 4, 1963
INTRODUCTION
1. This sacred
Council has several aims in view: it desires
to impart an ever increasing vigor to the
Christian life of the faithful; to adapt
more suitably to the needs of our own times
those institutions which are subject to
change; to foster whatever can promote union
among all who believe in Christ; to
strengthen whatever can help to call the
whole of mankind into the household of the
Church. The Council therefore sees
particularly cogent reasons for undertaking
the reform and promotion of the liturgy.
2. For the liturgy,
"through which the work of our redemption is
accomplished," [1]
most of all in the divine sacrifice of the
Eucharist, is the outstanding means whereby
the faithful may express in their lives, and
manifest to others, the mystery of Christ
and the real nature of the true Church. It
is of the essence of the Church that she be
both human and divine, visible and yet
invisibly equipped, eager to act and yet
intent on contemplation, present in this
world and yet not at home in it; and she is
all these things in such wise that in her
the human is directed and subordinated to
the divine, the visible likewise to the
invisible, action to contemplation, and this
present world to that city yet to come,
which we seek [2].
While the liturgy daily builds up those who
are within into a holy temple of the Lord,
into a dwelling place for God in the Spirit
[3],
to the mature measure of the fullness of
Christ [4],
at the same time it marvelously strengthens
their power to preach Christ, and thus shows
forth the Church to those who are outside as
a sign lifted up among the nations [5]
under which the scattered children of God
may be gathered together [6],
until there is one sheepfold and one
shepherd [7].
3. Wherefore the
sacred Council judges that the following
principles concerning the promotion and
reform of the liturgy should be called to
mind, and that practical norms should be
established.
Among these
principles and norms there are some which
can and should be applied both to the Roman
rite and also to all the other rites. The
practical norms which follow, however,
should be taken as applying only to the
Roman rite, except for those which, in the
very nature of things, affect other rites as
well.
4. Lastly, in
faithful obedience to tradition, the sacred
Council declares that holy Mother Church
holds all lawfully acknowledged rites to be
of equal right and dignity; that she wishes
to preserve them in the future and to foster
them in every way. The Council also desires
that, where necessary, the rites be revised
carefully in the light of sound tradition,
and that they be given new vigor to meet the
circumstances and needs of modern times.
CHAPTER I
GENERAL
PRINCIPLES FOR THE: RESTORATION AND
PROMOTION OF THE SACRED LITURGY
1. The Nature of
the Sacred Liturgy and Its Importance in the
Church's Life
5. God who "wills
that all men be saved and come to the
knowledge of the truth" (1 Tim. 2:4), "who
in many and various ways spoke in times past
to the fathers by the prophets" (Heb. 1:1),
when the fullness of time had come sent His
Son, the Word made flesh, anointed by the
Holy Spirit, to preach the the gospel to the
poor, to heal the contrite of heart [8],
to be a "bodily and spiritual medicine" [9],
the Mediator between God and man [10].
For His humanity, united with the person of
the Word, was the instrument of our
salvation. Therefore in Christ "the perfect
achievement of our reconciliation came
forth, and the fullness of divine worship
was given to us" [11].
The wonderful works
of God among the people of the Old Testament
were but a prelude to the work of Christ the
Lord in redeeming mankind and giving perfect
glory to God. He achieved His task
principally by the paschal mystery of His
blessed passions resurrection from the dead,
and the glorious ascension, whereby "dying,
he destroyed our death and, rising, he
restored our life" [12].
For it was from the side of Christ as He
slept the sleep of death upon the cross that
there came forth "the wondrous sacrament of
the whole Church" [13].
6. Just as Christ
was sent by the Father, so also He sent the
apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit. This
He did that, by preaching the gospel to
every creature [14],
they might proclaim that the Son of God, by
His death and resurrection, had freed us
from the power of Satan [15]
and from death, and brought us into the
kingdom of His Father. His purpose also was
that they might accomplish the work of
salvation which they had proclaimed, by
means of sacrifice and sacraments, around
which the entire liturgical life revolves.
Thus by baptism men are plunged into the
paschal mystery of Christ: they die with
Him, are buried with Him, and rise with Him
[16];
they receive the spirit of adoption as sons
"in which we cry: Abba, Father" ( Rom. 8
:15), and thus become true adorers whom the
Father seeks [17].
In like manner, as often as they eat the
supper of the Lord they proclaim the death
of the Lord until He comes [18].
For that reason, on the very day of
Pentecost, when the Church appeared before
the world, "those who received the word" of
Peter "were baptized." And "they continued
steadfastly in the teaching of the apostles
and in the communion of the breaking of
bread and in prayers . . . praising God and
being in favor with all the people" (Acts
2:41-47). From that time onwards the Church
has never failed to come together to
celebrate the paschal mystery: reading those
things "which were in all the scriptures
concerning him" (Luke 24:27), celebrating
the eucharist in which "the victory and
triumph of his death are again made present"
[19],
and at the same time giving thanks "to God
for his unspeakable gift" (2 Cor. 9:15) in
Christ Jesus, "in praise of his glory" (Eph.
1:12), through the power of the Holy Spirit.
7. To accomplish so
great a work, Christ is always present in
His Church, especially in her liturgical
celebrations. He is present in the sacrifice
of the Mass, not only in the person of His
minister, "the same now offering, through
the ministry of priests, who formerly
offered himself on the cross" [20],
but especially under the Eucharistic
species. By His power He is present in the
sacraments, so that when a man baptizes it
is really Christ Himself who baptizes [21].
He is present in His word, since it is He
Himself who speaks when the holy scriptures
are read in the Church. He is present,
lastly, when the Church prays and sings, for
He promised: "Where two or three are
gathered together in my name, there am I in
the midst of them" (Matt. 18:20) .
Christ indeed
always associates the Church with Himself in
this great work wherein God is perfectly
glorified and men are sanctified. The Church
is His beloved Bride who calls to her Lord,
and through Him offers worship to the
Eternal Father.
Rightly, then, the
liturgy is considered as an exercise of the
priestly office of Jesus Christ. In the
liturgy the sanctification of the man is
signified by signs perceptible to the
senses, and is effected in a way which
corresponds with each of these signs; in the
liturgy the whole public worship is
performed by the Mystical Body of Jesus
Christ, that is, by the Head and His
members.
From this it
follows that every liturgical celebration,
because it is an action of Christ the priest
and of His Body which .s the Church, is a
sacred action surpassing all others; no
other action of the Church can equal its
efficacy by the same title and to the same
degree.
8. In the earthly
liturgy we take part in a foretaste of that
heavenly liturgy which is celebrated in the
holy city of Jerusalem toward which we
journey as pilgrims, where Christ is sitting
at the right hand of God, a minister of the
holies and of the true tabernacle [22];
we sing a hymn to the Lord's glory with all
the warriors of the heavenly army;
venerating the memory of the saints, we hope
for some part and fellowship with them; we
eagerly await the Saviour, Our Lord Jesus
Christ, until He, our life, shall appear and
we too will appear with Him in glory [23].
9. The sacred
liturgy does not exhaust the entire activity
of the Church. Before men can come to the
liturgy they must be called to faith and to
conversion: "How then are they to call upon
him in whom they have not yet believed? But
how are they to believe him whom they have
not heard? And how are they to hear if no
one preaches? And how are men to preach
unless they be sent?" (Rom. 10:14-15).
Therefore the
Church announces the good tidings of
salvation to those who do not believe, so
that all men may know the true God and Jesus
Christ whom He has sent, and may be
converted from their ways, doing penance [24].
To believers also the Church must ever
preach faith and penance, she must prepare
them for the sacraments, teach them to
observe all that Christ has commanded [25],
and invite them to all the works of charity,
piety, and the apostolate. For all these
works make it clear that Christ's faithful,
though not of this world, are to be the
light of the world and to glorify the Father
before men.
10. Nevertheless
the liturgy is the summit toward which the
activity of the Church is directed; at the
same time it is the font from which all her
power flows. For the aim and object of
apostolic works is that all who are made
sons of God by faith and baptism should come
together to praise God in the midst of His
Church, to take part in the sacrifice, and
to eat the Lord's supper.
The liturgy in its
turn moves the faithful, filled with "the
paschal sacraments," to be "one in holiness"
[26];
it prays that "they may hold fast in their
lives to what they have grasped by their
faith" [27];
the renewal in the Eucharist of the covenant
between the Lord and man draws the faithful
into the compelling love of Christ and sets
them on fire. From the liturgy, therefore,
and especially from the Eucharist, as from a
font, grace is poured forth upon us; and the
sanctification of men in Christ and the
glorification of God, to which all other
activities of the Church are directed as
toward their end, is achieved in the most
efficacious possible way.
11. But in order
that the liturgy may be able to produce its
full effects, it is necessary that the
faithful come to it with proper
dispositions, that their minds should be
attuned to their voices, and that they
should cooperate with divine grace lest they
receive it in vain [28]
. Pastors of souls must therefore realize
that, when the liturgy is celebrated,
something more is required than the mere
observation of the laws governing valid and
licit celebration; it is their duty also to
ensure that the faithful take part fully
aware of what they are doing, actively
engaged in the rite, and enriched by its
effects.
12. The spiritual
life, however, is not limited solely to
participation in the liturgy. The Christian
is indeed called to pray with his brethren,
but he must also enter into his chamber to
pray to the Father, in secret [29];
yet more, according to the teaching of the
Apostle, he should pray without ceasing [30].
We learn from the same Apostle that we must
always bear about in our body the dying of
Jesus, so that the life also of Jesus may be
made manifest in our bodily frame [31].
This is why we ask the Lord in the sacrifice
of the Mass that, "receiving the offering of
the spiritual victim," he may fashion us for
himself "as an eternal gift" [32].
13. Popular
devotions of the Christian people are to be
highly commended, provided they accord with
the laws and norms of the Church, above all
when they are ordered by the Apostolic See.
Devotions proper to
individual Churches also have a special
dignity if they are undertaken by mandate of
the bishops according to customs or books
lawfully approved.
But these devotions
should be so drawn up that they harmonize
with the liturgical seasons, accord with the
sacred liturgy, are in some fashion derived
from it, and lead the people to it, since,
in fact, the liturgy by its very nature far
surpasses any of them.
II. The
Promotion of Liturgical Instruction and
Active Participation
14. Mother Church
earnestly desires that all the faithful
should be led to that fully conscious, and
active participation in liturgical
celebrations which is demanded by the very
nature of the liturgy. Such participation by
the Christian people as "a chosen race, a
royal priesthood, a holy nation, a redeemed
people (1 Pet. 2:9; cf. 2:4-5), is their
right and duty by reason of their baptism.
In the restoration
and promotion of the sacred liturgy, this
full and active participation by all the
people is the aim to be considered before
all else; for it is the primary and
indispensable source from which the faithful
are to derive the true Christian spirit; and
therefore pastors of souls must zealously
strive to achieve it, by means of the
necessary instruction, in all their pastoral
work.
Yet it would be
futile to entertain any hopes of realizing
this unless the pastors themselves, in the
first place, become thoroughly imbued with
the spirit and power of the liturgy, and
undertake to give instruction about it. A
prime need, therefore, is that attention be
directed, first of all, to the liturgical
instruction of the clergy. Wherefore the
sacred Council has decided to enact as
follows:
15. Professors who
are appointed to teach liturgy in
seminaries, religious houses of study, and
theological faculties must be properly
trained for their work in institutes which
specialize in this subject.
16. The study of
sacred liturgy is to be ranked among the
compulsory and major courses in seminaries
and religions houses of studies; in
theological faculties it is to rank among
the principal courses. It is to be taught
under its theological, historical,
spiritual, pastoral, and juridical aspects.
Moreover, other professors, while striving
to expound the mystery of Christ and the
history of salvation from the angle proper
to each of their own subjects, must
nevertheless do so in a way which will
clearly bring out the connection between
their subjects and the liturgy, as also the
unity which underlies all priestly training.
This consideration is especially important
for professors of dogmatic, spiritual, and
pastoral theology and for those of holy
scripture.
17. In seminaries
and houses of religious, clerics shall be
given a liturgical formation in their
spiritual life. For this they will need
proper direction, so that they may be able
to understand the sacred rites and take part
in them wholeheartedly; and they will also
need personally to celebrate the sacred
mysteries, as well as popular devotions
which are imbued with the spirit of the
liturgy. In addition they must learn how to
observe the liturgical laws, so that life in
seminaries and houses of religious may be
thoroughly influenced by the spirit of the
liturgy.
18. Priests, both
secular and religious, who are already
working in the Lord's vineyard are to be
helped by every suitable means to understand
ever more fully what it is that they are
doing when they perform sacred rites; they
are to be aided to live the liturgical life
and to share it with the faithful entrusted
to their care.
19. With zeal and
patience, pastors of souls must promote the
liturgical instruction of the faithful, and
also their active participation in the
liturgy both internally and externally,
taking into account their age and condition,
their way of life, and standard of religious
culture. By so doing, pastors will be
fulfilling one of the chief duties of a
faithful dispenser of the mysteries of God;
and in this matter they must lead their
flock not only in word but also by example.
20. Transmissions
of the sacred rites by radio and television
shall be done with discretion and dignity,
under the leadership and direction of a
suitable person appointed for this office by
the bishops. This is especially important
when the service to be broadcast is the
Mass.
III. The Reform
of the Sacred Liturgy
21. In order that
the Christian people may more certainly
derive an abundance of graces from the
sacred liturgy, holy Mother Church desires
to undertake with great care a general
restoration of the liturgy itself. For the
liturgy is made up of immutable elements
divinely instituted, and of elements subject
to change. These not only may but ought to
be changed with the passage of time if they
have suffered from the intrusion of anything
out of harmony with the inner nature of the
liturgy or have become unsuited to it.
In this
restoration, both texts and rites should be
drawn up so that they express more clearly
the holy things which they signify; the
Christian people, so far as possible, should
be enabled to understand them with ease and
to take part in them fully, actively, and as
befits a community.
Wherefore the
sacred Council establishes the following
general norms:
A) General
norms
22. 1. Regulation
of the sacred liturgy depends solely on the
authority of the Church, that is, on the
Apostolic See and, as laws may determine, on
the bishop.
2. In virtue of
power conceded by the law, the regulation of
the liturgy within certain defined limits
belongs also to various kinds of competent
territorial bodies of bishops legitimately
established.
3. Therefore no
other person, even if he be a priest, may
add, remove, or change anything in the
liturgy on his own authority.
23. That sound
tradition may be retained, and yet the way
remain open to legitimate progress Careful
investigation is always to be made into each
part of the liturgy which is to be revised.
This investigation should be theological,
historical, and pastoral. Also the general
laws governing the structure and meaning of
the liturgy must be studied in conjunction
with the experience derived from recent
liturgical reforms and from the indults
conceded to various places. Finally, there
must be no innovations unless the good of
the Church genuinely and certainly requires
them; and care must be taken that any new
forms adopted should in some way grow
organically from forms already existing.
As far as possible,
notable differences between the rites used
in adjacent regions must be carefully
avoided.
24. Sacred
scripture is of the greatest importance in
the celebration of the liturgy. For it is
from scripture that lessons are read and
explained in the homily, and psalms are
sung; the prayers, collects, and liturgical
songs are scriptural in their inspiration
and their force, and it is from the
scriptures that actions and signs derive
their meaning. Thus to achieve the
restoration, progress, and adaptation of the
sacred liturgy, it is essential to promote
that warm and living love for scripture to
which the venerable tradition of both
eastern and western rites gives testimony.
25. The liturgical
books are to be revised as soon as possible;
experts are to be employed on the task, and
bishops are to be consulted, from various
parts of the world.
B) Norms
drawn from the hierarchic and communal
nature of the Liturgy
26. Liturgical
services are not private functions, but are
celebrations of the Church, which is the
"sacrament of unity," namely, the holy
people united and ordered under their
bishops [33]
Therefore
liturgical services pertain to the whole
body of the Church; they manifest it and
have effects upon it; but they concern the
individual members of the Church in
different ways, according to their differing
rank, office, and actual participation.
27. It is to be
stressed that whenever rites, according to
their specific nature, make provision for
communal celebration involving the presence
and active participation of the faithful,
this way of celebrating them is to be
preferred, so far as possible, to a
celebration that is individual and
quasi-private.
This applies with
especial force to the celebration of Mass
and the administration of the sacraments,
even though every Mass has of itself a
public and social nature.
28. In liturgical
celebrations each person, minister or
layman, who has an office to perform, should
do all of, but only, those parts which
pertain to his office by the nature of the
rite and the principles of liturgy.
29. Servers,
lectors commentators, and members of the
choir also exercise a genuine liturgical
function. They ought, therefore, to
discharge their office with the sincere
piety and decorum demanded by so exalted a
ministry and rightly expected of them by
God's people.
Consequently they
must all be deeply imbued with the spirit of
the liturgy, each in his own measure, and
they must be trained to perform their
functions in a correct and orderly manner.
30. To promote
active participation, the people should be
encouraged to take part by means of
acclamations, responses, psalmody,
antiphons, and songs, as well as by actions,
gestures, and bodily attitudes. And at the
proper times all should observe a reverent
silence.
31. The revision of
the liturgical books must carefully attend
to the provision of rubrics also for the
people's parts.
32. The liturgy
makes distinctions between persons according
to their liturgical function and sacred
Orders, and there are liturgical laws
providing for due honors to be given to
civil authorities. Apart from these
instances, no special honors are to be paid
in the liturgy to any private persons or
classes of persons, whether in the
ceremonies or by external display.
C) Norms
based upon the didactic and pastoral nature
of the Liturgy
33. Although the
sacred liturgy is above all things the
worship of the divine Majesty, it likewise
contains much instruction for the faithful [34].
For in the liturgy God speaks to His people
and Christ is still proclaiming His gospel.
And the people reply to God both by song and
prayer.
Moreover, the
prayers addressed to God by the priest who
presides over the assembly in the person of
Christ are said in the name of the entire
holy people and of all present. And the
visible signs used by the liturgy to signify
invisible divine things have been chosen by
Christ or the Church. Thus not only when
things are read "which were written for our
instruction" (Rom. 15:4), but also when the
Church prays or sings or acts, the faith of
those taking part is nourished and their
minds are raised to God, so that they may
offer Him their rational service and more
abundantly receive His grace.
Wherefore, in the
revision of the liturgy, the following
general norms should be observed:
34. The rites
should be distinguished by a noble
simplicity; they should be short, clear, and
unencumbered by useless repetitions; they
should be within the people's powers of
comprehension, and normally should not
require much explanation.
35. That the
intimate connection between words and rites
may be apparent in the liturgy:
1) In sacred
celebrations there is to be more reading
from holy scripture, and it is to be more
varied and suitable.
2) Because the
sermon is part of the liturgical service,
the best place for it is to be indicated
even in the rubrics, as far as the nature of
the rite will allow; the ministry of
preaching is to be fulfilled with exactitude
and fidelity. The sermon, moreover, should
draw its content mainly from scriptural and
liturgical sources, and its character should
be that of a proclamation of God's wonderful
works in the history of salvation, the
mystery of Christ, ever made present and
active within us, especially in the
celebration of the liturgy.
3) Instruction
which is more explicitly liturgical should
also be given in a variety of ways; if
necessary, short directives to be spoken by
the priest or proper minister should be
provided within the rites themselves. But
they should occur only at the more suitable
moments, and be in prescribed or similar
words.
4) Bible services
should be encouraged, especially on the
vigils of the more solemn feasts, on some
weekdays in Advent and Lent, and on Sundays
and feast days. They are particularly to be
commended in places where no priest is
available; when this is so, a deacon or some
other person authorized by the bishop should
preside over the celebration.
36. 1. Particular
law remaining in force, the use of the Latin
language is to be preserved in the Latin
rites.
2. But since the
use of the mother tongue, whether in the
Mass, the administration of the sacraments,
or other parts of the liturgy, frequently
may be of great advantage to the people, the
limits of its employment may be extended.
This will apply in the first place to the
readings and directives, and to some of the
prayers and chants, according to the
regulations on this matter to be laid down
separately in subsequent chapters.
3. These norms
being observed, it is for the competent
territorial ecclesiastical authority
mentioned in Art. 22, 2, to decide whether,
and to what extent, the vernacular language
is to be used; their decrees are to be
approved, that is, confirmed, by the
Apostolic See. And, whenever it seems to be
called for, this authority is to consult
with bishops of neighboring regions which
have the same language.
4. Translations
from the Latin text into the mother tongue
intended for use in the liturgy must be
approved by the competent territorial
ecclesiastical authority mentioned above.
D) Norms for
adapting the Liturgy to the culture and
traditions of peoples
37. Even in the
liturgy, the Church has no wish to impose a
rigid uniformity in matters which do not
implicate the faith or the good of the whole
community; rather does she respect and
foster the genius and talents of the various
races and peoples. Anything in these
peoples' way of life which is not
indissolubly bound up with superstition and
error she studies with sympathy and, if
possible, preserves intact. Sometimes in
fact she admits such things into the liturgy
itself, so long as they harmonize with its
true and authentic spirit.
38. Provisions
shall also be made, when revising the
liturgical books, for legitimate variations
and adaptations to different groups,
regions, and peoples, especially in mission
lands, provided that the substantial unity
of the Roman rite is preserved; and this
should be borne in mind when drawing up the
rites and devising rubrics.
39. Within the
limits set by the typical editions of the
liturgical books, it shall be for the
competent territorial ecclesiastical
authority mentioned in Art. 22, 2, to
specify adaptations, especially in the case
of the administration of the sacraments, the
sacramentals, processions, liturgical
language, sacred music, and the arts, but
according to the fundamental norms laid down
in this Constitution.
40. In some places
and circumstances, however, an even more
radical adaptation of the liturgy is needed,
and this entails greater difficulties.
Wherefore:
1) The competent
territorial ecclesiastical authority
mentioned in Art. 22, 2, must, in this
matter, carefully and prudently consider
which elements from the traditions and
culture of individual peoples might
appropriately be admitted into divine
worship. Adaptations which are judged to be
useful or necessary should when be submitted
to the Apostolic See, by whose consent they
may be introduced.
2) To ensure that
adaptations may be made with all the
circumspection which they demand, the
Apostolic See will grant power to this same
territorial ecclesiastical authority to
permit and to direct, as the case requires,
the necessary preliminary experiments over a
determined period of time among certain
groups suited for the purpose.
3) Because
liturgical laws often involve special
difficulties with respect to adaptation,
particularly in mission lands, men who are
experts in these matters must be employed to
formulate them.
E) Promotion
of Liturgical Life in Diocese and Parish
41. The bishop is
to be considered as the high priest of his
flock, from whom the life in Christ of his
faithful is in some way derived and
dependent.
Therefore all
should hold in great esteem the liturgical
life of the diocese centered around the
bishop, especially in his cathedral church;
they must be convinced that the pre-eminent
manifestation of the Church consists in the
full active participation of all God's holy
people in these liturgical celebrations,
especially in the same eucharist, in a
single prayer, at one altar, at which there
presides the bishop surrounded by his
college of priests and by his ministers [35].
42. But because it
is impossible for the bishop always and
everywhere to preside over the whole flock
in his Church, he cannot do other than
establish lesser groupings of the faithful.
Among these the parishes, set up locally
under a pastor who takes the place of the
bishop, are the most important: for in some
manner they represent the visible Church
constituted throughout the world.
And therefore the
liturgical life of the parish and its
relationship to the bishop must be fostered
theoretically and practically among the
faithful and clergy; efforts also must be
made to encourage a sense of community
within the parish, above all in the common
celebration of the Sunday Mass.
F) The
Promotion of Pastoral-Liturgical Action
43. Zeal for the
promotion and restoration of the liturgy is
rightly held to be a sign of the
providential dispositions of God in our
time, as a movement of the Holy Spirit in
His Church. It is today a distinguishing
mark of the Church's life, indeed of the
whole tenor of contemporary religious
thought and action.
So that this
pastoral-liturgical action may become even
more vigorous in the Church, the sacred
Council decrees:
44. It is desirable
that the competent territorial
ecclesiastical authority mentioned in Art.
22, 2, set up a liturgical commission, to be
assisted by experts in liturgical science,
sacred music, art and pastoral practice. So
far as possible the commission should be
aided by some kind of Institute for Pastoral
Liturgy, consisting of persons who are
eminent in these matters, and including
laymen as circumstances suggest. Under the
direction of the above-mentioned territorial
ecclesiastical authority the commission is
to regulate pastoral-liturgical action
throughout the territory, and to promote
studies and necessary experiments whenever
there is question of adaptations to be
proposed to the Apostolic See.
45. For the same
reason every diocese is to have a commission
on the sacred liturgy under the direction of
the bishop, for promoting the liturgical
apostolate.
Sometimes it may be
expedient that several dioceses should form
between them one single commission which
will be able to promote the liturgy by
common consultation.
46. Besides the
commission on the sacred liturgy, every
diocese, as far as possible, should have
commissions for sacred music and sacred art.
These three
commissions must work in closest
collaboration; indeed it will often be best
to fuse the three of them into one single
commission.
CHAPTER II
THE MOST SACRED
MYSTERY OF THE EUCHARIST
47. At the Last
Supper, on the night when He was betrayed,
our Saviour instituted the eucharistic
sacrifice of His Body and Blood. He did this
in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the
Cross throughout the centuries until He
should come again, and so to entrust to His
beloved spouse, the Church, a memorial of
His death and resurrection: a sacrament of
love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity [36],
a paschal banquet in which Christ is eaten,
the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge
of future glory is given to us [37].
48. The Church,
therefore, earnestly desires that Christ's
faithful, when present at this mystery of
faith, should not be there as strangers or
silent spectators; on the contrary, through
a good understanding of the rites and
prayers they should take part in the sacred
action conscious of what they are doing,
with devotion and full collaboration. They
should be instructed by God's word and be
nourished at the table of the Lord's body;
they should give thanks to God; by offering
the Immaculate Victim, not only through the
hands of the priest, but also with him, they
should learn also to offer themselves;
through Christ the Mediator [38],
they should be drawn day by day into ever
more perfect union with God and with each
other, so that finally God may be all in
all.
49. For this reason
the sacred Council, having in mind those
Masses which are celebrated with the
assistance of the faithful, especially on
Sundays and feasts of obligation, has made
the following decrees in order that the
sacrifice of the Mass, even in the ritual
forms of its celebration, may become
pastorally efficacious to the fullest
degree.
50. The rite of the
Mass is to be revised in such a way that the
intrinsic nature and purpose of its several
parts, as also the connection between them,
may be more clearly manifested, and that
devout and active participation by the
faithful may be more easily achieved.
For this purpose
the rites are to be simplified, due care
being taken to preserve their substance;
elements which, with the passage of time,
came to be duplicated, or were added with
but little advantage, are now to be
discarded; other elements which have
suffered injury through accidents of history
are now to be restored to the vigor which
they had in the days of the holy Fathers, as
may seem useful or necessary.
51. The treasures
of the bible are to be opened up more
lavishly, so that richer fare may be
provided for the faithful at the table of
God's word. In this way a more
representative portion of the holy
scriptures will be read to the people in the
course of a prescribed number of years.
52. By means of the
homily the mysteries of the faith and the
guiding principles of the Christian life are
expounded from the sacred text, during the
course of the liturgical year; the homily,
therefore, is to be highly esteemed as part
of the liturgy itself; in fact, at those
Masses which are celebrated with the
assistance of the people on Sundays and
feasts of obligation, it should not be
omitted except for a serious reason.
53. Especially on
Sundays and feasts of obligation there is to
be restored, after the Gospel and the
homily, "the common prayer" or "the prayer
of the faithful." By this prayer, in which
the people are to take part, intercession
will be made for holy Church, for the civil
authorities, for those oppressed by various
needs, for all mankind, and for the
salvation of the entire world [39].
54. In Masses which
are celebrated with the people, a suitable
place may be allotted to their mother
tongue. This is to apply in the first place
to the readings and "the common prayer," but
also, as local conditions may warrant, to
those parts which pertain to the people,
according to tho norm laid down in Art. 36
of this Constitution.
Nevertheless steps
should be taken so that the faithful may
also be able to say or to sing together in
Latin those parts of the Ordinary of the
Mass which pertain to them.
And wherever a more
extended use of the mother tongue within the
Mass appears desirable, the regulation laid
down in Art. 40 of this Constitution is to
be observed.
55. That more
perfect form of participation in the Mass
whereby the faithful, after the priest's
communion, receive the Lord's body from the
same sacrifice, is strongly commended.
The dogmatic
principles which were laid down by the
Council of Trent remaining intact [40],
communion under both kinds may be granted
when the bishops think fit, not only to
clerics and religious, but also to the
laity, in cases to be determined by the
Apostolic See, as, for instance, to the
newly ordained in the Mass of their sacred
ordination, to the newly professed in the
Mass of their religious profession, and to
the newly baptized in the Mass which follows
their baptism.
56. The two parts
which, in a certain sense, go to make up the
Mass, namely, the liturgy of the word and
the eucharistic liturgy, are so closely
connected with each other that they form but
one single act of worship. Accordingly this
sacred Synod strongly urges pastors of souls
that, when instructing the faithful, they
insistently teach them to take their part in
the entire Mass, especially on Sundays and
feasts of obligation.
57. 1.
Concelebration, whereby the unity of the
priesthood is appropriately manifested, has
remained in use to this day in the Church
both in the east and in the west. For this
reason it has seemed good to the Council to
extend permission for concelebration to the
following cases:
1.
a) on the Thursday
of the Lord's Supper, not only at the Mass
of the Chrism, but also at the evening Mass.
b) at Masses during
councils, bishops' conferences, and synods;
c) at the Mass for
the blessing of an abbot.
2. Also, with
permission of the ordinary, to whom it
belongs to decide whether concelebration is
opportune:
a) at conventual
Mass, and at the principle Mass in churches
when the needs of the faithful do not
require that all priests available should
celebrate individually;
b) at Masses
celebrated at any kind of priests' meetings,
whether the priests be secular clergy or
religious.
2.
1. The regulation,
however, of the discipline of
con-celebration in the diocese pertains to
the bishop.
2. Nevertheless,
each priest shall always retain his right to
celebrate Mass individually, though not at
the same time in the same church as a
concelebrated Mass, nor on Thursday of the
Lord's Supper.
58. A new rite for
concelebration is to be drawn up and
inserted into the Pontifical and into the
Roman Missal.
CHAPTER III
THE OTHER
SACRAMENTS AND THE SACRAMENTALS
59. The purpose of
the sacraments is to sanctify men, to build
up the body of Christ, and, finally, to give
worship to God; because they are signs they
also instruct. They not only presuppose
faith, but by words and objects they also
nourish, strengthen, and express it; that is
why they are called "sacraments of faith."
They do indeed impart grace, but, in
addition, the very act of celebrating them
most effectively disposes the faithful to
receive this grace in a fruitful manner, to
worship God duly, and to practice charity.
It is therefore of
the highest importance that the faithful
should easily understand the sacramental
signs, and should frequent with great
eagerness those sacraments which were
instituted to nourish the Christian life.
60. Holy Mother
Church has, moreover, instituted
sacramentals. These are sacred signs which
bear a resemblance to the sacraments: they
signify effects, particularly of a spiritual
kind, which are obtained through the
Church's intercession. By them men are
disposed to receive the chief effect of the
sacraments, and various occasions in life
are rendered holy.
61. Thus, for
well-disposed members of the faithful, the
liturgy of the sacraments and sacramentals
sanctifies almost every event in their
lives; they are given access to the stream
of divine grace which flows from the paschal
mystery of the passion, death, the
resurrection of Christ, the font from which
all sacraments and sacramentals draw their
power. There is hardly any proper use of
material things which cannot thus be
directed toward the sanctification of men
and the praise of God.
62. With the
passage of time, however, there have crept
into the rites of the sacraments and
sacramentals certain features which have
rendered their nature and purpose far from
clear to the people of today; hence some
changes have become necessary to adapt them
to the needs of our own times. For this
reason the sacred Council decrees as follows
concerning their revision.
63. Because of the
use of the mother tongue in the
administration of the sacraments and
sacramentals can often be of considerable
help to the people, this use is to be
extended according to the following norms:
a) The vernacular
language may be used in administering the
sacraments and sacramentals, according to
the norm of Art. 36.
b) In harmony with
the new edition of the Roman Ritual,
particular rituals shall be prepared without
delay by the competent territorial
ecclesiastical authority mentioned in Art.
22, 2, of this Constitution. These rituals,
which are to be adapted, also as regards the
language employed, to the needs of the
different regions, are to be reviewed by the
Apostolic See and then introduced into the
regions for which they have been prepared.
But in drawing up these rituals or
particular collections of rites, the
instructions prefixed to the individual
rites the Roman Ritual, whether they be
pastoral and rubrical or whether they have
special social import, shall not be omitted.
64. The
catechumenate for adults, comprising several
distinct steps, is to be restored and to be
taken into use at the discretion of the
local ordinary. By this, means the time of
the catechumenate, which is intended as a
period of suitable instruction, may be
sanctified by sacred rites to be celebrated
at successive intervals of time.
65. In mission
lands it is found that some of the peoples
already make use of initiation rites.
Elements from these, when capable of being
adapted to Christian ritual, may be admitted
along with those already found in Christian
tradition, according to the norm laid down
in Art. 37-40, of this Constitution.
66. Both the rites
for the baptism of adults are to be revised:
not only the simpler rite, but also the more
solemn one, which must take into account the
restored catechumenate. A special Mass "for
the conferring of baptism" is to be inserted
into the Roman Missal.
67. The rite for
the baptism of infants is to be revised, and
it should be adapted to the circumstance
that those to be baptized are, in fact,
infants. The roles of parents and
godparents, and also their duties, should be
brought out more clearly in the rite itself.
68. The baptismal
rite should contain variants, to be used at
the discretion of the local ordinary, for
occasions when a very large number are to be
baptized together. Moreover, a shorter rite
is to be drawn up, especially for mission
lands, to be used by catechists, but also by
the faithful in general when there is danger
of death, and neither priest nor deacon is
available.
69. In place of the
rite called the "Order of supplying what was
omitted in the baptism of an infant," a new
rite is to be drawn up. This should manifest
more fittingly and clearly that the infant,
baptized by the short rite, has already been
received into the Church.
And a new rite is
to be drawn up for converts who have already
been validly baptized; it should indicate
that they are now admitted to communion with
the Church.
70. Except during
Eastertide, baptismal water may be blessed
within the rite of baptism itself by an
approved shorter formula.
71. The rite of
confirmation is to be revised and the
intimate connection which this sacrament has
with the whole of Christian initiation is to
be more clearly set forth; for this reason
it is fitting for candidates to renew their
baptismal promises just before they are
confirmed.
Confirmation may be
given within the Mass when convenient; when
it is given outside the Mass, the rite that
is used should be introduced by a formula to
be drawn up for this purpose.
72. The rite and
formulas for the sacrament of penance are to
be revised so that they more clearly express
both the nature and effect of the sacrament.
73. "Extreme
unction," which may also and more fittingly
be called "anointing of the sick," is not a
sacrament for those only who are at the
point of death. Hence, as soon as any one of
the faithful begins to be in danger of death
from sickness or old age, the fitting time
for him to receive this sacrament has
certainly already arrived.
74. In addition to
the separate rites for anointing of the sick
and for viaticum, a continuous rite shall be
prepared according to which the sick man is
anointed after he has made his confession
and before he receives viaticum.
75. The number of
the anointings is to be adapted to the
occasion, and the prayers which belong to
the rite of anointing are to be revised so
as to correspond with the varying conditions
of the sick who receive the sacrament.
76. Both the
ceremonies and texts of the ordination rites
are to be revised. The address given by the
bishop at the beginning of each ordination
or consecration may be in the mother tongue.
When a bishop is
consecrated, the laying of hands may be done
by all the bishops present.
77. The marriage
rite now found in the Roman Ritual is to be
revised and enriched in such a way that the
grace of the sacrament is more clearly
signified and the duties of the spouses are
taught.
"If any regions are
wont to use other praiseworthy customs and
ceremonies when celebrating the sacrament of
matrimony, the sacred Synod earnestly
desires that these by all means be retained"
[41].
Moreover the
competent territorial ecclesiastical
authority mentioned in Art. 22, 52, of this
Constitution is free to draw up its own rite
suited to the usages of place and people,
according to the provision of Art. 63. But
the rite must always conform to the law that
the priest assisting at the marriage must
ask for and obtain the consent of the
contracting parties.
78. Matrimony is
normally to be celebrated within the Mass,
after the reading of the gospel and the
homily, and before "the prayer of the
faithful." The prayer for the bride, duly
amended to remind both spouses of their
equal obligation to remain faithful to each
other, may be said in the mother tongue.
But if the
sacrament of matrimony is celebrated apart
from Mass, the epistle and gospel from the
nuptial Mass are to be read at the beginning
of the rite, and the blessing should always
be given to the spouses.
79. The
sacramentals are to undergo a revision which
takes into account the primary principle of
enabling the faithful to participate
intelligently, actively, and easily; the
circumstances of our own days must also be
considered. When rituals are revised, as
laid down in Art. 63, new sacramentals may
also be added as the need for these becomes
apparent.
Reserved blessings
shall be very few; reservations shall be in
favor of bishops or ordinaries.
Let provision be
made that some sacramentals, at least in
special circumstances and at the discretion
of the ordinary, may be administered by
qualified lay persons.
80. The rite for
the consecration of virgins at present found
in the Roman Pontifical is to be revised.
Moreover, a rite of
religious profession and renewal of vows
shall be drawn up in order to achieve
greater unity, sobriety, and dignity. Apart
from exceptions in particular law, this rite
should be adopted by those who make their
profession or renewal of vows within the
Mass.
Religious
profession should preferably be made within
the Mass.
81. The rite for
the burial of the dead should express more
clearly the paschal character of Christian
death, and should correspond more closely to
the circumstances and traditions found in
various regions. This holds good also for
the liturgical color to be used.
82. The rite for
the burial of infants is to be revised, and
a special Mass for the occasion should be
provided.
CHAPTER IV
THE DIVINE
OFFICE
83. Christ Jesus,
high priest of the new and eternal covenant,
taking human nature, introduced into this
earthly exile that hymn which is sung
throughout all ages in the halls of heaven.
He joins the entire community of mankind to
Himself, associating it with His own singing
of this canticle of divine praise.
For he continues
His priestly work through the agency of His
Church, which is ceaselessly engaged in
praising the Lord and interceding for the
salvation of the whole world. She does this,
not only by celebrating the eucharist, but
also in other ways, especially by praying
the divine office.
84. By tradition
going back to early Christian times, the
divine office is devised so that the whole
course of the day and night is made holy by
the praises of God. Therefore, when this
wonderful song of praise is rightly
performed by priests and others who are
deputed for this purpose by the Church's
ordinance, or by the faithful praying
together with the priest in the approved
form, then it is truly the voice of the
bride addressed to her bridegroom; lt is the
very prayer which Christ Himself, together
with His body, addresses to the Father.
85. Hence all who
render this service are not only fulfilling
a duty of the Church, but also are sharing
in the greatest honor of Christ's spouse,
for by offering these praises to God they
are standing before God's throne in the name
of the Church their Mother.
86. Priests who are
engaged in the sacred pastoral ministry will
offer the praises of the hours with greater
fervor the more vividly they realize that
they must heed St. Paul's exhortation: "Pray
without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:11). For the
work in which they labor will effect nothing
and bring forth no fruit except by the power
of the Lord who said: "Without me you can do
nothing" (John 15: 5). That is why the
apostles, instituting deacons, said: "We
will devote ourselves to prayer and to the
ministry of the word" (Acts 6:4).
81. In order that
the divine office may be better and more
perfectly prayed in existing circumstances,
whether by priests or by other members of
the Church, the sacred Council, carrying
further the restoration already so happily
begun by the Apostolic See, has seen fit to
decree as follows concerning the office of
the Roman rite.
88. Because the
purpose of the office is to sanctify the
day, the traditional sequence of the hours
is to be restored so that once again they
may be genuinely related to the time of the
day when they are prayed, as far as this may
be possible. Moreover, it will be necessary
to take into account the modern conditions
in which daily life has to be lived,
especially by those who are called to labor
in apostolic works.
89. Therefore, when
the office is revised, these norms are to be
observed:
a) By the venerable
tradition of the universal Church, Lauds as
morning prayer and Vespers as evening prayer
are the two hinges on which the daily office
turns; hence they are to be considered as
the chief hours and are to be celebrated as
such.
b) Compline is to
be drawn up so that it will be a suitable
prayer for the end of the day.
c) The hour known
as Matins, although it should retain the
character of nocturnal praise when
celebrated in choir, shall be adapted so
that it may be recited at any hour of the
day; it shall be made up of fewer psalms and
longer readings.
d) The hour of
Prime is to be suppressed.
e) In choir the
hours of Terce, Sext, and None are to be
observed. But outside choir it will be
lawful to select any one of these three,
according to the respective time of the day.
90. The divine
office, because it is the public prayer of
the Church, is a source of piety, and
nourishment for personal prayer. And
therefore priests and all others who take
part in the divine office are earnestly
exhorted in the Lord to attune their minds
to their voices when praying it. The better
to achieve this, let them take steps to
improve their understanding of the liturgy
and of the bible, especially of the psalms.
In revising the
Roman office, its ancient and venerable
treasures are to be so adapted that all
those to whom they are handed on may more
extensively and easily draw profit from
them.
91. So that it may
really be possible in practice to observe
the course of the hours proposed in Art. 89,
the psalms are no longer to be distributed
throughout one week, but through some longer
period of time.
The work of
revising the psalter, already happily begun,
is to be finished as soon as possible, and
is to take into account the style of
Christian Latin, the liturgical use of
psalms, also when sung, and the entire
tradition of the Latin Church.
92. As regards the
readings, the following shall be observed:
a) Readings from sacred scripture shall be
arranged so that the riches of God's word
may be easily accessible in more abundant
measure.
b) Readings
excerpted from the works of the fathers,
doctors, and ecclesiastical writers shall be
better selected.
c) The accounts of
martyrdom or the lives of the saints are to
accord with the facts of history.
93. To whatever
extent may seem desirable, the hymns are to
be restored to their original form, and
whatever smacks of mythology or ill accords
with Christian piety is to be removed or
changed. Also, as occasion may arise, let
other selections from the treasury of hymns
be incorporated.
94. That the day
may be truly sanctified, and that the hours
themselves may be recited with spiritual
advantage, it is best that each of them be
prayed at a time which most closely
corresponds with its true canonical time.
95. Communities
obliged to choral office are bound to
celebrate the office in choir every day in
addition to the conventual Mass. In
particular:
a) Orders of
canons, of monks and of nuns, and of other
regulars bound by law or constitutions to
choral office must celebrate the entire
office.
b) Cathedral or
collegiate chapters are bound to recite
those parts of the office imposed on them by
general or particular law.
c) All members of
the above communities who are in major
orders or who are solemnly professed, except
for lay brothers, are bound to recite
individually those canonical hours which
they do not pray in choir.
96. Clerics not
bound to office in choir, if they are in
major orders, are bound to pray the entire
office every day, either in common or
individually, as laid down in Art. 89.
97. Appropriate
instances are to be defined by the rubrics
in which a liturgical service may be
substituted for the divine office.
In particular
cases, and for a just reason, ordinaries can
dispense their subjects wholly or in part
from the obligation of reciting the divine
office, or may commute the obligation.
98. Members of any
institute dedicated to acquiring perfection
who, according to their constitutions, are
to recite any parts of the divine office are
thereby performing the public prayer of the
Church.
They too perform
the public prayer of the Church who, in
virtue of their constitutions, recite any
short office, provided this is drawn up
after the pattern of the divine office and
is duly approved.
99. Since the
divine office is the voice of the Church,
that is of the whole mystical body publicly
praising God, those clerics who are not
obliged to office in choir, especially
priests who live together or who assemble
for any purpose, are urged to pray at least
some part of the divine office in common.
All who pray the
divine office, whether in choir or in
common, should fulfill the task entrusted to
them as perfectly as possible: this refers
not only to the internal devotion of their
minds but also to their external manner of
celebration.
It is, moreover,
fitting that the office, both in choir and
in common, be sung when possible.
100. Pastors of
souls should see to it that the chief hours,
especially Vespers, are celebrated in common
in church on Sundays and the more solemn
feasts. And the laity, too, are encouraged
to recite the divine office, either with the
priests, or among themselves, or even
individually.
101. 1. In
accordance with the centuries-old tradition
of the Latin rite, the Latin language is to
be retained by clerics in the divine office.
But in individual cases the ordinary has the
power of granting the use of a vernacular
translation to those clerics for whom the
use of Latin constitutes a grave obstacle to
their praying the office properly. The
vernacular version, however, must be one
that is drawn up according to the provision
of Art. 36.
2. The competent
superior has the power to grant the use of
the vernacular in the celebration of the
divine office, even in choir, to nuns and to
members of institutes dedicated to acquiring
perfection, both men who are not clerics and
women. The version, however, must be one
that is approved.
3. Any cleric bound
to the divine office fulfills his obligation
if he prays the office in the vernacular
together with a group of the faithful or
with those mentioned in 52 above provided
that the text of the translation is
approved.
CHAPTER V
THE LITURGICAL
YEAR
102. Holy Mother
Church is conscious that she must celebrate
the saving work of her divine Spouse by
devoutly recalling it on certain days
throughout the course of the year. Every
week, on the day which she has called the
Lord's day, she keeps the memory of the
Lord's resurrection, which she also
celebrates once in the year, together with
His blessed passion, in the most solemn
festival of Easter.
Within the cycle of
a year, moreover, she unfolds the whole
mystery of Christ, from the incarnation and
birth until the ascension, the day of
Pentecost, and the expectation of blessed
hope and of the coming of the Lord.
Recalling thus the
mysteries of redemption, the Church opens to
the faithful the riches of her Lord's powers
and merits, so that these are in some way
made present for all time, and the faithful
are enabled to lay hold upon them and become
filled with saving grace.
103. In celebrating
this annual cycle of Christ's mysteries,
holy Church honors with especial love the
Blessed Mary, Mother of God, who is joined
by an inseparable bond to the saving work of
her Son. In her the Church holds up and
admires the most excellent fruit of the
redemption, and joyfully contemplates, as in
a faultless image, that which she herself
desires and hopes wholly to be.
104. The Church has
also included in the annual cycle days
devoted to the memory of the martyrs and the
other saints. Raised up to perfection by the
manifold grace of God, and already in
possession of eternal salvation, they sing
God's perfect praise in heaven and offer
prayers for us. By celebrating the passage
of these saints from earth to heaven the
Church proclaims the paschal mystery
achieved in the saints who have suffered and
been glorified with Christ; she proposes
them to the faithful as examples drawing all
to the Father through Christ, and through
their merits she pleads for God's favors.
105. Finally, in
the various seasons of the year and
according to her traditional discipline, the
Church completes the formation of the
faithful by means of pious practices for
soul and body, by instruction, prayer, and
works of penance and of mercy.
Accordingly the
sacred Council has seen fit to decree as
follows.
106. By a tradition
handed down from the apostles which took its
origin from the very day of Christ's
resurrection, the Church celebrates the
paschal mystery every eighth day; with good
reason this, then, bears the name of the
Lord's day or Sunday. For on this day
Christ's faithful are bound to come together
into one place so that; by hearing the word
of God and taking part in the eucharist,
they may call to mind the passion, the
resurrection and the glorification of the
Lord Jesus, and may thank God who "has
begotten them again, through the
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
unto a living hope" (1 Pet. 1:3). Hence the
Lord's day is the original feast day, and it
should be proposed to the piety of the
faithful and taught to them so that it may
become in fact a day of joy and of freedom
from work. Other celebrations, unless they
be truly of greatest importance, shall not
have precedence over the Sunday which is the
foundation and kernel of the whole
liturgical year.
107. The liturgical
year is to be revised so that the
traditional customs and discipline of the
sacred seasons shall be preserved or
restored to suit the conditions of modern
times; their specific character is to be
retained, so that they duly nourish the
piety of the faithful who celebrate the
mysteries of Christian redemption, and above
all the paschal mystery. If certain
adaptations are considered necessary on
account of local conditions, they are to be
made in accordance with the provisions of
Art. 39 and 40.
108. The minds of
the faithful must be directed primarily
toward the feasts of the Lord whereby the
mysteries of salvation are celebrated in the
course of the year. Therefore, the proper of
the time shall be given the preference which
is its due over the feasts of the saints, so
that the entire cycle of the mysteries of
salvation may be suitably recalled.
109. The season of
Lent has a twofold character: primarily by
recalling or preparing for baptism and by
penance, it disposes the faithful, who more
diligently hear the word of God and devote
themselves to prayer, to celebrate the
paschal mystery. This twofold character is
to be brought into greater prominence both
in the liturgy and by liturgical catechesis.
Hence:
a) More use is to
be made of the baptismal features proper to
the Lenten liturgy; some of them, which used
to flourish in bygone days, are to be
restored as may seem good.
b) The same is to
apply to the penitential elements. As
regards instruction it is important to
impress on the minds of the faithful not
only a social consequences of sin but also
that essence of the virtue of penance which
leads to the detestation of sin as an
offence against God; the role of the Church
in penitential practices is not to be passed
over, and the people must be exhorted to
pray for sinners.
110. During Lent
penance should not be only internal and
individual, but also external and social.
The practice of penance should be fostered
in ways that are possible in our own times
and in different regions, and according to
the circumstances of the faithful; it should
be encouraged by the authorities mentioned
in Art. 22.
Nevertheless, let
the paschal fast be kept sacred. Let it be
celebrated everywhere on Good Friday and,
where possible, prolonged throughout Holy
Saturday, so that the joys of the Sunday of
the resurrection may be attained with
uplifted and clear mind.
111. The saints
have been traditionally honored in the
Church and their authentic relics and images
held in veneration. For the feasts of the
saints proclaim the wonderful works of
Christ in His servants, and display to the
faithful fitting examples for their
imitation.
Lest the feasts of
the saints should take precedence over the
feasts which commemorate the very mysteries
of salvation, many of them should be left to
be celebrated by a particular Church or
nation or family of religious; only those
should be extended to the universal Church
which commemorate saints who are truly of
universal importance.
CHAPTER
VI SACRED MUSIC
112. The musical
tradition of the universal Church is a
treasure of inestimable value, greater even
than that of any other art. The main reason
for this pre-eminence is that, as sacred
song united to the words, it forms a
necessary or integral part of the solemn
liturgy.
Holy Scripture,
indeed, has bestowed praise upon sacred song
[42],
and the same may be said of the fathers of
the Church and of the Roman pontiffs who in
recent times, led by St. Pius X, have
explained more precisely the ministerial
function supplied by sacred music in the
service of the Lord.
Therefore sacred
music is to be considered the more holy in
proportion as it is more closely connected
with the liturgical action, whether it adds
delight to prayer, fosters unity of minds,
or confers greater solemnity upon the sacred
rites. But the Church approves of all forms
of true art having the needed qualities, and
admits them into divine worship.
Accordingly, the
sacred Council, keeping to the norms and
precepts of ecclesiastical tradition and
discipline, and having regard to the purpose
of sacred music, which is the glory of God
and the sanctification of the faithful,
decrees as follows.
113. Liturgical
worship is given a more noble form when the
divine offices are celebrated solemnly in
song, with the assistance of sacred
ministers and the active participation of
the people.
As regards the
language to be used, the provisions of Art.
36 are to be observed; for the Mass, Art.
54; for the sacraments, Art. 63; for the
divine office. Art. 101.
114. The treasure
of sacred music is to be preserved and
fostered with great care. Choirs must be
diligently promoted, especially in cathedral
churches; but bishops and other pastors of
souls must be at pains to ensure that,
whenever the sacred action is to be
celebrated with song, the whole body of the
faithful may be able to contribute that
active participation which is rightly
theirs, as laid down in Art. 28 and 30.
115. Great
importance is to be attached to the teaching
and practice of music in seminaries, in the
novitiates and houses of study of religious
of both sexes, and also in other Catholic
institutions and schools. To impart this
instruction, teachers are to be carefully
trained and put in charge of the teaching of
sacred music.
It is desirable
also to found higher institutes of sacred
music whenever this can be done.
Composers and
singers, especially boys, must also be given
a genuine liturgical training.
116. The Church
acknowledges Gregorian chant as specially
suited to the Roman liturgy: therefore,
other things being equal, it should be given
pride of place in liturgical services.
But other kinds of
sacred music, especially polyphony, are by
no means excluded from liturgical
celebrations, so long as they accord with
the spirit of the liturgical action, as laid
down in Art. 30.
117. The typical
edition of the books of Gregorian chant is
to be completed; and a more critical edition
is to be prepared of those books already
published since the restoration by St. Pius
X.
It is desirable
also that an edition be prepared containing
simpler melodies, for use in small churches.
118. Religious
singing by the people is to be intelligently
fostered so that in devotions and sacred
exercises, as also during liturgical
services, the voices of the faithful may
ring out according to the norms and
requirements of the rubrics.
119. In certain
parts of the world, especially mission
lands, there are peoples who have their own
musical traditions, and these play a great
part in their religious and social life. For
this reason due importance is to be attached
to their music, and a suitable place is to
be given to it, not only in forming their
attitude toward religion, but also in
adapting worship to their native genius, as
indicated in Art. 39 and 40.
Therefore, when
missionaries are being given training in
music, every effort should be made to see
that they become competent in promoting the
traditional music of these peoples, both in
schools and in sacred services, as far as
may be practicable.
120. In the Latin
Church the pipe organ is to be held in high
esteem, for it is the traditional musical
instrument which adds a wonderful splendor
to the Church's ceremonies and powerfully
lifts up man's mind to God and to higher
things.
But other
instruments also may be admitted for use in
divine worship, with the knowledge and
consent of the competent territorial
authority, as laid down in Art. 22, 52, 37,
and 40. This may be done, however, only on
condition that the instruments are suitable,
or can be made suitable, for sacred use,
accord with the dignity of the temple, and
truly contribute to the edification of the
faithful.
121. Composers,
filled with the Christian spirit, should
feel that their vocation is to cultivate
sacred music and increase its store of
treasures.
Let them produce
compositions which have the qualities proper
to genuine sacred music, not confining
themselves to works which can be sung only
by large choirs, but providing also for the
needs of small choirs and for the active
participation of the entire assembly of the
faithful.
The texts intended
to be sung must always be in conformity with
Catholic doctrine; indeed they should be
drawn chiefly from holy scripture and from
liturgical sources.
CHAPTER VII
SACRED ART AND
SACRED FURNISHINGS
122. Very rightly
the fine arts are considered to rank among
the noblest activities of man's genius, and
this applies especially to religious art and
to its highest achievement, which is sacred
art. These arts, by their very nature, are
oriented toward the infinite beauty of God
which they attempt in some way to portray by
the work of human hands; they achieve their
purpose of redounding to God's praise and
glory in proportion as they are directed the
more exclusively to the single aim of
turning men's minds devoutly toward God.
Holy Mother Church
has therefore always been the friend of the
fine arts and has ever sought their noble
help, with the special aim that all things
set apart for use in divine worship should
be truly worthy, becoming, and beautiful,
signs and symbols of the supernatural world,
and for this purpose she has trained
artists. In fact, the Church has, with good
reason, always reserved to herself the right
to pass judgment upon the arts, deciding
which of the works of artists are in
accordance with faith, piety, and cherished
traditional laws, and thereby fitted for
sacred use.
The Church has been
particularly careful to see that sacred
furnishings should worthily and beautifully
serve the dignity of worship, and has
admitted changes in materials, style, or
ornamentation prompted by the progress of
the technical arts with he passage of time.
Wherefore it has
pleased the Fathers to issue the following
decrees on these matters.
123. The Church has
not adopted any particular style of art as
her very own; she has admitted styles from
every period according to the natural
talents and circumstances of peoples, and
the needs of the various rites. Thus, in the
course of the centuries, she has brought
into being a treasury of art which must be
very carefully preserved. The art of our own
days, coming from every race and region,
shall also be given free scope in the
Church, provided that it adorns the sacred
buildings and holy rites with due reverence
and honor; thereby it is enabled to
contribute its own voice to that wonderful
chorus of praise in honor of the Catholic
faith sung by great men in times gone by.
124. Ordinaries, by
the encouragement and favor they show to art
which is truly sacred, should strive after
noble beauty rather than mere sumptuous
display. This principle is to apply also in
the matter of sacred vestments and
ornaments.
Let bishops
carefully remove from the house of God and
from other sacred places those works of
artists which are repugnant to faith,
morals, and Christian piety, and which
offend true religious sense either by
depraved forms or by lack of artistic worth,
mediocrity and pretense.
And when churches
are to be built, let great care be taken
that they be suitable for the celebration of
liturgical services and for the active
participation of the faithful.
125. The practice
of placing sacred images in churches so that
they may be venerated by the faithful is to
be maintained. Nevertheless their number
should be moderate and their relative
positions should reflect right order. For
otherwise they may create confusion among
the Christian people and foster devotion of
doubtful orthodoxy.
126. When passing
judgment on works of art, local ordinaries
shall give a hearing to the diocesan
commission on sacred art and, if needed,
also to others who are especially expert,
and to the commissions referred to in Art.
44, 45, and 46.
Ordinaries must be
very careful to see that sacred furnishings
and works of value are not disposed of or
dispersed; for they are the ornaments of the
house of God.
127. Bishops should
have a special concern for artists, so as to
imbue them with the spirit of sacred art and
of the sacred liturgy. This they may do in
person or through suitable priests who are
gifted with a knowledge and love of art.
It is also
desirable that schools or academies of
sacred art should be founded in those parts
of the world where they would be useful, so
that artists may be trained.
All artists who,
prompted by their talents, desire to serve
God's glory in holy Church, should ever bear
in mind that they are engaged in a kind of
sacred imitation of God the Creator, and are
concerned with works destined to be used in
Catholic worship, to edify the faithful, and
to foster their piety and their religious
formation.
128. Along with the
revision of the liturgical books, as laid
down in Art. 25, there is to be an early
revision of the canons and ecclesiastical
statutes which govern the provision of
material things involved in sacred worship.
These laws refer especially to the worthy
and well planned construction of sacred
buildings, the shape and construction of
altars, the nobility, placing, and safety of
the eucharistic tabernacle, the dignity and
suitability of the baptistery, the proper
ordering of sacred images, embellishments,
and vestments. Laws which seem less suited
to the reformed liturgy are to be brought
into harmony with it, or else abolished; and
any which are helpful are to be retained if
already in use, or introduced where they are
lacking.
According to the
norm of Art. 22 of this Constitution, the
territorial bodies of bishops are empowered
to adapt such things to the needs and
customs of their different regions; this
applies especially to the materials and form
of sacred furnishings and vestments.
129. During their
philosophical and theological studies,
clerics are to be taught about the history
and development of sacred art, and about the
sound principles governing the production of
its works. In consequence they will be able
to appreciate and preserve the Church's
venerable monuments, and be in a position to
aid, by good advice, artists who are engaged
in producing works of art.
130. It is fitting
that the use of pontificals be reserved to
those ecclesiastical persons who have
episcopal rank or some particular
jurisdiction.
APPENDIX
A
DECLARATION OF THE SECOND ECUMENICAL COUNCIL
OF THE VATICAN ON REVISION OF THE CALENDAR
The Second Ecumenical Sacred Council of
the Vatican, recognizing the importance of
the wishes expressed by many concerning the
assignment of the feast of Easter to a fixed
Sunday and concerning an unchanging
calendar, having carefully considered the
effects which could result from the
introduction of a new calendar, declares as
follows:
- The
Sacred Council would not object if the
feast of Easter were assigned to a
particular Sunday of the Gregorian
Calendar, provided that those whom it
may concern, especially the brethren who
are not in communion with the Apostolic
See, give their assent.
- The
sacred Council likewise declares that it
does not oppose efforts designed to
introduce a perpetual calendar into
civil society.
But among the various systems which are
being suggested to stabilize a perpetual
calendar and to introduce it into civil
life, the Church has no objection only in
the case of those systems which retain and
safeguard a seven-day week with Sunday,
without the introduction of any days outside
the week, so that the succession of weeks
may be left intact, unless there is question
of the most serious reasons. Concerning
these the Apostolic See shall judge.
NOTES
[ 1]
Secret of the ninth Sunday after Pentecost.
[ 2]
Cf. Heb. 13:14.
[ 3]
Cf. Eph. 2:21-22.
[ 4]
Cf. Eph. 4:13.
[ 5]
Cf. Is. 11:12.
[ 6]
Cf. John 11:52.
[ 7]
Cf. John 10:16.
[ 8]
Cf. Is. 61:1; Luke 4:18.
[ 9]
St. Ignatius of Antioch, To the Ephesians,
7, 2.
[ 10]
Cf. 1 Tim. 2:5.
[ 11]
Sacramentarium Veronese (ed.
Mohlberg), n. 1265; cf. also n. 1241, 1248.
[ 12]
Easter Preface of the Roman Missal.
[ 13]
Prayer before the second lesson for Holy
Saturday, as it was in the Roman Missal
before the restoration of Holy Week.
[ 14]
Cf. Mark 16:15.
[ 15]
Cf. Acts 26:18.
[ 16]
Cf. Rom. 6:4; Eph. 2:6; Col.
3:1; 2 Tim. 2:11.
[ 17]
Cf. John 4:23.
[ 18]
Cf. 1 Cor. 11:26.
[ 19]
Council of Trent, Session XIII, Decree on
the Holy Eucharist, c.5.
[ 20]
Council of Trent, Session XXII, Doctrine
on the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, c. 2.
[ 21]
Cf. St. Augustine, Tractatus in Ioannem,
VI, n. 7.
[ 22]
Cf. Apoc. 21:2; Col. 3:1;
Heb. 8:2.
[ 23]
Cf. Phil. 3:20; Col. 3:4.
[ 24]
Cf. John 17:3; Luke 24:27;
Acts 2:38.
[ 25]
Cf. Matt. 28:20.
[ 26]
Postcommunion for both Masses of Easter
Sunday.
[ 27]
Collect of the Mass for Tuesday of Easter
Week.
[ 28]
Cf. 2 Cor. 6:1.
[ 29]
Cf. Matt. 6:6.
[ 30]
Cf . 1 Thess. 5:17.
[ 31]
Cf . 2 Cor. 4:10-11.
[ 32]
Secret for Monday of Pentecost Week.
[ 33]
St. Cyprian, On the Unity of the Cathotic
Church, 7; cf. Letter 66, n. 8,
3.
[ 34]
Cf. Council of Trent, Session XXII,
Doctrine on the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass,
c. 8.
[ 35]
Cf. St. Ignatius of Antioch, To the
Smyrnians, 8; To the Magnesians,
7; To the Philadelphians, 4.
[ 36]
Cf. St. Augustine, Tractatus in Ioannem,
VI, n. 13.
[ 37]
Roman Breviary, feast of Corpus Christi,
Second Vespers, antiphon to the Magnificat.
[ 38]
Cf. St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary
on the Gospel of John, book XI, chap.
XI-XII: Migne, Patrologia Graeca, 74,
557-564.
[ 39]
Cf. 1 Tim. 2:1-2.
[ 40]
Session XXI, July 16, 1562. Doctrine on
Communion under Both Species, chap. 1-3:
Condlium Tridentinum. Diariorum, Actorum,
Epistolarum, Tractatuum nova collectio
ed. Soc. Goerresiana, tome VIII (Freiburg in
Br., 1919), 698-699.
[ 41]
Council of Trent, Session XXIV, November 11,
1563, On Reform, chap. I. Cf. Roman
Ritual, title VIII, chap. II, n. 6.
[ 42]
Cf. Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16.
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