PAULUS EPISCOPUS SERVUS SERVORUM DEI UNA CUM SACROSANCTI CONCILII PATRIBUS AD PERPETUAM REI MEMORIAM CONSTITUTIO DE SACRA LITURGIA SACROSANCTUM CONCILIUM

Praefatio

§ 1

[E] Sacrosanctum Concilium, cum sibi proponat vitam christianam inter fideles in dies augere; eas institutiones quae mutationibus obnoxiae sunt, ad nostrae aetatis necessitates melius accommodare; quidquid ad unionem omnium in Christum credentium conferre potest, fovere; et quidquid ad omnes in sinum Ecclesiae vocandos conducit, roborare; suum esse arbitratur peculiari ratione etiam instaurandam atque fovendam Liturgiam curare.

§ 2

[E] Liturgia enim, per quam, maxime in divino Eucharistiae Sacrificio, «opus nostrae Redemptionis exercetur»[1], summe eo confert ut fideles vivendo exprimant et aliis manifestent mysterium Christi et genuinam verae Ecclesiae naturam [§1068], cuius proprium est esse humanam simul ac divinam, visibilem invisibilibus praeditam, actione ferventem et contemplationi vacantem, in mundo praesentem et tamen peregrinam; et ita quidem ut in ea quod humanum est ordinetur ad divinum eique subordinetur, quod visibile ad invisibile, quod actionis ad contemplationem, et quod praesens ad futuram civitatem quam inquirimus.[2] [CCC §771] Unde, cum Liturgia eos qui intus sunt cotidie aedificet in templum sanctum in Domino, in habitaculum Dei in Spiritu[3], usque ad mensuram aetatis plenitudinis Christi[4], miro modo simul vires eorum ad praedicandum Christum roborat, et sic Ecclesiam iis qui sunt foris ostendit ut signum levatum in nationes[5], sub quo filii Dei dispersi congregentur in unum[6] quousque unum ovile fiat et unus pastor.[7]

§ 3

[E] Quare Sacrosanctum Concilium, de fovenda atque instauranda Liturgia quae sequuntur principia censet in mentem revocanda et practicas normas statuendas esse.

[E] Inter haec principia et normas nonnulla habentur quae tum ad Ritum romanum tum ad omnes alios Ritus applicari possunt ac debent, licet normae practicae quae sequuntur solum Ritum romanum spectare intellegendae sint, nisi agatur de iis quae ex ipsa rei natura alios quoque Ritus afficiant.

§ 4

[E] Traditioni denique fideliter obsequens, Sacrosanctum Concilium declarat Sanctam Matrem Ecclesiam omnes Ritus legitime agnitos aequo iure atque honore habere, eosque in posterum servari et omnimode foveri velle, atque optat ut, ubi opus sit, caute ex integro ad mentem sanae traditionis recognoscantur et novo vigore, pro hodiernis adiunctis et necessitatibus, donentur. [CCC §1075* SC 3-4, §1203]

Caput I DE PRINCIPIIS GENERALIBUS AD SACRAM LITURGIAM INSTAURANDAM ATQUE FOVENDAM

I. De sacrae Liturgiae natura eiusque momento in vita Ecclesiae

§ 5

[E] Deus, «qui omnes homines vult salvos fieri et ad agnitionem veritatis venire» (1 Tim 2,4), «multifariam multisque modis olim loquens patribus in prophetis» (Hebr 1,1), ubi venit plenitudo temporis, misit Filium suum, Verbum carnem factum, Spiritu Sancto unctum, ad evangelizandum pauperibus, ad sanandos contritos corde[8], «medicum carnalem et spiritualem»[9], Mediatorem Dei et hominum.[10] Ipsius namque humanitas, in unitate personae Verbi, fuit instrumentum nostrae salutis. Quare in Christo «nostrae reconciliationis processit perfecta placatio, et divini cultus nobis est indita plenitudo».[11]

§ 5b

[E] Hoc autem humanae Redemptionis et perfectae Dei glorificationis opus, cui divina magnalia in populo Veteris Testamenti praeluserant, adimplevit Christus Dominus, praecipue per suae beatae Passionis, ab inferis Resurrectionis et gloriosae Ascensionis paschale mysterium, quo «mortem nostram moriendo destruxit, et vitam resurgendo reparavit».[12] Nam de latere Christi in cruce dormientis ortum est «totius Ecclesiae mirabile sacramentum».[13] [CCC §766, §1067]

§ 6

[E] Ideoque, sicut Christus missus est a Patre, ita et ipse Apostolos, repletos Spiritu Sancto, misit, non solum ut, praedicantes Evangelium omni creaturae[14], annuntiarent Filium Dei morte sua et resurrectione nos a potestate satanae[15] et a morte liberasse et in regnum Patris transtulisse, sed etiam ut, quod annuntiabant, opus salutis per Sacrificium et Sacramenta, circa quae tota vita liturgica vertit [§1086, §1113*], exercerent. Sic per Baptismum homines paschali Christi mysterio inseruntur: commortui, consepulti, conresuscitati[16]; spiritum accipiunt adoptionis filiorum, «in quo clamamus: Abba, Pater» (Rom 8,15), et ita fiunt veri adoratores, quos Pater quaerit.[17] Similiter quotiescumque dominicam cenam manducant, mortem Domini annuntiant donec veniat.[18] Idcirco, ipsa die Pentecostes, qua Ecclesia mundo apparuit [CCC §1076*], «qui receperunt sermonem» Petri «baptizati sunt». Et erant «perseverantes in doctrina Apostolorum et communicatione fractionis panis et orationibus ... collaudantes Deum et habentes gratiam ad omnem plebem» (Act 2,41-42, 47). Numquam exinde omisit Ecclesia quin in unum conveniret ad paschale mysterium celebrandum: legendo ea «in omnibus Scripturis quae de ipso erant» (Lc 24,27), Eucharistiam celebrando in qua «mortis eius victoria et triumphus repraesentantur»[19], et simul gratias agendo «Deo super inenarrabili dono» (2 Cor 9,15) in Christo Iesu, «in laudem gloriae eius» (Eph 1,12), per virtutem Spiritus Sancti.

§ 7

[E] Ad tantum vero opus perficiendum, Christus Ecclesiae suae semper adest, praesertim in actionibus liturgicis. Praesens adest in Missae Sacrificio cum in ministri persona, «idem nunc offerens sacerdotum ministerio, qui seipsum tunc in cruce obtulit»[20], tum maxime sub speciebus eucharisticis. [§1373] Praesens adest virtute sua in Sacramentis, ita ut cum aliquis baptizat, Christus ipse baptizet.[21] Praesens adest in verbo suo, siquidem ipse loquitur dum sacrae Scripturae in Ecclesia leguntur. Praesens adest denique dum supplicat et psallit Ecclesia, ipse qui promisit: «Ubi sunt duo vel tres congregati in nomine meo, ibi sum in medio eorum» (Mt 18,20).

§ 7b

[E] Reapse tanto in opere, quo Deus perfecte glorificatur et homines sanctificantur, Christus Ecclesiam, sponsam suam dilectissimam, sibi semper consociat, quae Dominum suum invocat et per ipsum Aeterno Patri cultum tribuit.

§ 7c

[E] Merito igitur Liturgia habetur veluti Iesu Christi sacerdotalis muneris exercitatio, in qua per signa sensibilia significatur et modo singulis proprio efficitur sanctificatio hominis, et a mystico Iesu Christi Corpore, Capite nempe eiusque membris, integer cultus publicus exercetur.

§ 7d

[E] Proinde omnis liturgica celebratio, utpote opus Christi sacerdotis eiusque Corporis, quod est Ecclesia, est actio sacra praecellenter, cuius efficacitatem eodem titulo eodemque gradu nulla alia actio Ecclesiae adaequat. [CCC §1070, §1088, §1089, §1181*]

§ 8

[E] In terrena Liturgia caelestem illam praegustando participamus, quae in sancta civitate Ierusalem, ad quam peregrini tendimus, celebratur, ubi Christus est in dextera Dei sedens, sanctorum minister et tabernaculi veri[22]; cum omni militia caelestis exercitus hymnum gloriae Domino canimus; memoriam Sanctorum venerantes partem aliquam et societatem cum iis speramus; Salvatorem exspectamus Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum, donec ipse apparebit vita nostra, et nos apparebimus cum ipso in gloria.[23] [CCC §1090]

§ 9

[E] Sacra Liturgia non explet totam actionem Ecclesiae [CCC §1072]; nam antequam homines ad Liturgiam accedere possint, necesse est ut ad fidem et conversionem vocentur: «Quomodo invocabunt in quem non crediderunt? Aut quomodo credent ei quem non audierunt? Quomodo autem audient sine praedicante? Quomodo vero praedicabunt nisi mittantur?» (Rom 10,14-15).

§ 9b

[E] Quare Ecclesia non credentibus praeconium salutis annuntiat, ut omnes homines solum Deum verum et quem misit Iesum Christum cognoscant et a viis suis convertantur, paenitentiam agentes.[24] Credentibus vero semper fidem et paenitentiam praedicare debet, eos praeterea debet ad Sacramenta disponere, docere servare omnia quaecumque mandavit Christus[25], et allicere ad omnia opera caritatis, pietatis et apostolatus, quibus operibus manifestum fiat christifideles de hoc mundo quidem non esse, sed tamen esse lucem mundi eosdemque Patrem glorificare coram hominibus.

§ 10

[E] Attamen Liturgia est culmen ad quod actio Ecclesiae tendit et simul fons unde omnis eius virtus emanat. [CCC §1324*, §1074] Nam labores apostolici ad id ordinantur ut omnes, per fidem et Baptismum filii Dei facti, in unum conveniant, in medio Ecclesiae Deum laudent, Sacrificium participent et cenam dominicam manducent.

§ 10b

[E] Vicissim, ipsa Liturgia impellit fideles ut «sacramentis paschalibus» satiati fiant «pietate concordes»[26]; orat ut «vivendo teneant quod fide perceperunt»[27]; renovatio vero foederis Domini cum hominibus in Eucharistia fideles in urgentem caritatem Christi trahit et accendit. Ex Liturgia ergo, praecipue ex Eucharistia, ut e fonte, gratia in nos derivatur et maxima cum efficacia obtinetur illa in Christo hominum sanctificatio et Dei glorificatio, ad quam, uti ad finem, omnia alia Ecclesiae opera contendunt. [CCC §824]

§ 11

[E] Ut haec tamen plena efficacitas habeatur, necessarium est ut fideles cum recti animi dispositionibus ad sacram Liturgiam accedant, mentem suam voci accommodent, et supernae gratiae cooperentur, ne eam in vacuum recipiant.[28] Ideo sacris pastoribus advigilandum est ut in actione liturgica non solum observentur leges ad validam et licitam celebrationem, sed ut fideles scienter, actuose et fructuose eandem participent. [CCC §1071]

§ 12

[E] Vita tamen spiritualis non unius sacrae Liturgiae participatione continetur. Christianus enim ad communiter orandum vocatus, nihilominus debet etiam intrare in cubiculum suum ut Patrem in abscondito oret[29], immo, docente Apostolo, sine intermissione orare.[30] Et ab eodem Apostolo docemur mortificationem Iesu semper circumferre in corpore nostro, ut et vita Iesu manifestetur in carne nostra mortali.[31] Quapropter Dominum in Missae Sacrificio precamur ut, «hostiae spiritualis oblatione suscepta, nosmetipsos» sibi perficiat «munus aeternum».[32]

§ 13

[E] Pia populi christiani exercitia, dummodo legibus et normis Ecclesiae conformia sint, valde commendantur, praesertim cum de mandato Apostolicae Sedis fiunt.

[E] Speciali quoque dignitate gaudent sacra Ecclesiarum particularium exercitia, quae de mandato Episcoporum celebrantur, secundum consuetudines aut libros legitime approbatos.

[E] Ita vero, ratione habita temporum liturgicorum, eadem exercitia ordinentur oportet, ut sacrae Liturgiae congruant, ab ea quodammodo deriventur, ad eam populum manuducant, utpote quae natura sua iisdem longe antecellat. [CCC §1675]

II. De liturgica institutione et de actuosa participatione prosequendis

§ 14

[E] Valde cupit Mater Ecclesia ut fideles universi ad plenam illam, consciam atque actuosam liturgicarum celebrationum participationem ducantur, quae ab ipsius Liturgiae natura postulatur et ad quam populus christianus, «genus electum, regale sacerdotium, gens sancta, populus adquisitionis» (1 Petr 2,9; cf. 2,4-5), vi Baptismatis ius habet et officium. [CCC §1141]

§ 14b

[E] Quae totius populi plena et actuosa participatio, in instauranda et fovenda sacra Liturgia, summopere est attendenda: est enim primus, isque necessarius fons, e quo spiritum vere christianum fideles hauriant; et ideo in tota actione pastorali, per debitam institutionem, ab animarum pastoribus est sedulo adpetenda.

§ 14c

[E] Sed quia, ut hoc evenire possit, nulla spes effulget nisi prius ipsi animarum pastores spiritu et virtute Liturgiae penitus imbuantur in eaque efficiantur magistri, ideo pernecesse est ut institutioni liturgicae cleri apprime consulatur. Quapropter Sacrosanctum Concilium ea quae sequuntur statuere decrevit.

§ 15

[E] Magistri, qui sacrae Liturgiae disciplinae in seminariis, studiorum domibus religiosis et facultatibus theologicis docendae praeficiuntur, ad munus suum in institutis ad hoc speciali cura destinatis probe instituendi sunt.

§ 16

[E] Disciplina de sacra Liturgia in seminariis et studiorum domibus religiosis inter disciplinas necessarias et potiores, in facultatibus autem theologicis inter disciplinas principales est habenda, et sub aspectu cum theologico et historico, tum spirituali, pastorali et iuridico tradenda. Curent insuper aliarum disciplinarum magistri, imprimis theologiae dogmaticae, sacrae Scripturae, theologiae spiritualis et pastoralis ita, ex intrinsecis exigentiis proprii uniuscuiusque obiecti, mysterium Christi et historiam salutis excolere, ut exinde earum connexio cum Liturgia et unitas sacerdotalis institutionis aperte clarescant.

§ 17

[E] Clerici, in seminariis domibusque religiosis, formationem vitae spiritualis liturgicam adquirant, cum apta manuductione qua sacros ritus intellegere et toto animo participare queant, tum ipsa sacrorum mysteriorum celebratione, necnon aliis pietatis exercitiis spiritu sacrae Liturgiae imbutis; pariter observantiam legum liturgicarum addiscant, ita ut vita in seminariis et religiosorum institutis liturgico spiritu penitus informetur.

§ 18

[E] Sacerdotes, sive saeculares sive religiosi, in vinea Domini iam operantes, omnibus mediis opportunis iuventur ut plenius semper quae in functionibus sacris agunt intellegant, vitam liturgicam vivant, eamque cum fidelibus sibi commissis communicent.

§ 19

[E] Liturgicam institutionem necnon actuosam fidelium participationem, internam et externam, iuxta ipsorum aetatem, condicionem, vitae genus et religiosae culturae gradum, animarum pastores sedulo ac patienter prosequantur, unum e praecipuis fidelis mysteriorum Dei dispensatoris muneribus absolventes; et gregem suum hac in re non verbo tantum, sed etiam exemplo ducant.

§ 20

[E] Transmissiones actionum sacrarum ope radiophonica et televisifica, praesertim si agatur de Sacro faciendo, discrete ac decore fiant, ductu et sponsione personae idoneae, ad hoc munus ab Episcopis destinatae.

III. De sacrae Liturgiae instauratione

§ 21

[E] Pia Mater Ecclesia, ut populus christianus in sacra Liturgia abundantiam gratiarum securius assequatur, ipsius Liturgiae generalem instaurationem sedulo curare cupit. Nam Liturgia constat parte immutabili, utpote divinitus instituta, et partibus mutationi obnoxiis, quae decursu temporum variare possunt vel etiam debent, si in eas forte irrepserint quae minus bene ipsius Liturgiae intimae naturae respondeant, vel minus aptae factae sint. [CCC §1205*]

[E] Qua quidem instauratione, textus et ritus ita ordinari oportet, ut sancta, quae significant, clarius exprimant, eaque populus christianus, in quantum fieri potest, facile percipere atque plena, actuosa et communitatis propria celebratione participare possit.

Quare Sacrosanctum Concilium generaliores has normas statuit.

A) Normae generales

§ 22

1. [E] Sacrae Liturgiae moderatio ab Ecclesiae auctoritate unice pendet: quae quidem est apud Apostolicam Sedem et, ad normam iuris, apud Episcopum.

2. Ex potestate a iure concessa, rei liturgicae moderatio inter limites statutos pertinet quoque ad competentes varii generis territoriales Episcoporum coetus legitime constitutos.

3. Quapropter nemo omnino alius, etiamsi sit sacerdos, quidquam proprio marte in Liturgia addat, demat, aut mutet.

§ 23

[E] Ut sana traditio retineatur et tamen via legitimae progressioni aperiatur, de singulis Liturgiae partibus recognoscendis accurata investigatio theologica, historica, pastoralis semper praecedat. Insuper considerentur cum leges generales structurae et mentis Liturgiae, tum experientia ex recentiore instauratione liturgica et ex indultis passim concessis promanans. Innovationes, demum, ne fiant nisi vera et certa utilitas Ecclesiae id exigat, et adhibita cautela ut novae formae ex formis iam exstantibus organice quodammodo crescant.

Caveatur etiam, in quantum fieri potest, ne notabiles differentiae rituum inter finitimas regiones habeantur.

§ 24

[E] Maximum est sacrae Scripturae momentum in Liturgia celebranda. Ex ea enim lectiones leguntur et in homilia explicantur, psalmi canuntur, atque ex eius afflatu instinctuque preces, orationes et carmina liturgica effusa sunt, et ex ea significationem suam actiones et signa accipiunt. Unde, ad procurandam sacrae Liturgiae instaurationem, progressum et aptationem, oportet ut promoveatur ille suavis et vivus sacrae Scripturae affectus, quem testatur venerabilis rituum cum orientalium tum occidentalium traditio. [CCC §1100]

§ 25

[E] Libri liturgici quam primum recognoscantur, peritis adhibitis et Episcopis consultis ex diversis orbis regionibus.

B) Normae ex indole Liturgiae utpote actionis hierarchicae et communitatis propriae

§ 26

[E] Actiones liturgicae non sunt actiones privatae, sed celebrationes Ecclesiae, quae est «unitatis sacramentum», scilicet plebs sancta sub Episcopis adunata et ordinata.[33]

Quare ad universum Corpus Ecclesiae pertinent illudque manifestant et afficiunt; singula vero membra ipsius diverso modo, pro diversitate ordinum, munerum et actualis participationis, attingunt. [CCC §1140]

§ 27

[E] Quoties ritus, iuxta propriam cuiusque naturam, secum ferunt celebrationem communem, cum frequentia et actuosa participatione fidelium, inculcetur hanc, in quantum fieri potest, esse praeferendam celebrationi eorundem singulari et quasi privatae. [CCC §1140]

Quod valet praesertim pro Missae celebratione, salva semper natura publica et sociali cuiusvis Missae, et pro Sacramentorum administratione. [CCC §1482* SC 26-27, §1517*]

§ 28

[E] In celebrationibus liturgicis quisque, sive minister sive fidelis, munere suo fungens, solum et totum id agat, quod ad ipsum ex rei natura et normis liturgicis pertinet. [CCC §1144]

§ 29

[E] Etiam ministrantes, lectores, commentatores et ii qui ad scholam cantorum pertinent, vero ministerio liturgico funguntur. [CCC §1143] Propterea munus suum tali sincera pietate et ordine exerceant, quae tantum ministerium decent quaeque populus Dei ab eis iure exigit.

Ideo oportet eos spiritu Liturgiae, suo cuiusque modo, sedulo imbui, et ad partes suas rite et ordinate obeundas institui.

§ 30

[E] Ad actuosam participationem promovendam, populi acclamationes, responsiones, psalmodia, antiphonae, cantica, necnon actiones seu gestus et corporis habitus foveantur. Sacrum quoque silentium suo tempore servetur.

§ 31

[E] In libris liturgicis recognoscendis, sedulo attendatur ut rubricae etiam partes fidelium praevideant.

§ 32

[E] In Liturgia, praeter distinctionem ex munere liturgico et Ordine sacro manantem, et praeter honores ad normam legum liturgicarum auctoritatibus civilibus debitos, nulla privatarum personarum aut condicionum, sive in caerimoniis, sive in exterioribus pompis, habeatur acceptio.

C) Normae ex indole didactica et pastorali Liturgiae

§ 33

[E] Etsi sacra Liturgia est praecipue cultus divinae maiestatis, magnam etiam continet populi fidelis eruditionem.[34] In Liturgia enim Deus ad populum suum loquitur; Christus adhuc Evangelium annuntiat. Populus vero Deo respondet tum cantibus tum oratione.

[E] Immo, preces a sacerdote, qui coetui in persona Christi praeest [CCC §1548*], ad Deum directae, nomine totius plebis sanctae et omnium circumstantium dicuntur. [CCC §1552*] Signa tandem visibilia, quibus utitur sacra Liturgia ad res divinas invisibiles significandas, a Christo vel Ecclesia delecta sunt. Unde non solum quando leguntur ea quae «ad nostram doctrinam scripta sunt» (Rom 15,4), sed etiam dum Ecclesia vel orat vel canit vel agit, participantium fides alitur, mentes in Deum excitantur ut rationabile obsequium Ei praestent, gratiamque Eius abundantius recipiant.

Exinde in instauratione facienda generales normae quae sequuntur observari debent.

§ 34

[E] Ritus nobili simplicitate fulgeant, sint brevitate perspicui et repetitiones inutiles evitent, sint fidelium captui accommodati, neque generatim multis indigeant explanationibus.

§ 35

[E] Ut clare appareat in Liturgia ritum et verbum intime coniungi:

1. [E] In celebrationibus sacris abundantior, varior et aptior lectio sacrae Scripturae instauretur.

2. [E] Locus aptior sermonis, utpote partis actionis liturgicae, prout ritus patitur, etiam in rubricis notetur; et fidelissime ac rite adimpleatur ministerium praedicationis. Haec vero imprimis ex fonte sacrae Scripturae et Liturgiae hauriatur, quasi annuntiatio mirabilium Dei in historia salutis seu mysterio Christi, quod in nobis praesens semper adest et operatur, praesertim in celebrationibus liturgicis.

3. [E] Etiam catechesis directius liturgica omnibus modis inculcetur; et in ipsis ritibus, si necessariae sint, breves admonitiones, a sacerdote vel competenti ministro, opportunioribus tantum momentis, praescriptis vel similibus verbis, dicendae, praevideantur.

4. [E] Foveatur sacra verbi Dei celebratio in solemniorum festorum pervigiliis, in aliquibus feriis Adventus et Quadragesimae, atque in dominicis et diebus festis, maxime in locis quae sacerdote carent: quo in casu celebrationem diaconus vel alius ab Episcopo delegatus dirigat. [CCC §1570*]

§ 36

1. [E] Linguae latinae usus, salvo particulari iure, in Ritibus latinis servetur.

2. [E] Cum tamen, sive in Missa, sive in Sacramentorum administratione, sive in aliis Liturgiae partibus, haud raro linguae vernaculae usurpatio valde utilis apud populum exsistere possit, amplior locus ipsi tribui valeat, imprimis autem in lectionibus et admonitionibus, in nonnullis orationibus et cantibus, iuxta normas quae de hac re in sequentibus capitibus singillatim statuuntur.

3. [E] Huiusmodi normis servatis, est competentis auctoritatis ecclesiasticae territorialis, de qua in art. 22 § 2, etiam, si casus ferat, consilio habito cum Episcopis finitimarum regionum eiusdem linguae, de usu et modo linguae vernaculae statuere, actis ab Apostolica Sede probatis seu confirmatis.

4. [E] Conversio textus latini in linguam vernaculam in Liturgia adhibenda, a competenti auctoritate ecclesiastica territoriali, de qua supra, approbari debet.

D) Normae ad aptationem ingenio et traditionibus populorum perficiendam

[CCC §1204*, §1232* SC 37-40]

§ 37

[E] Ecclesia, in iis quae fidem aut bonum totius communitatis non tangunt, rigidam unius tenoris formam ne in Liturgia quidem imponere cupit; quinimmo, variarum gentium populorumque animi ornamenta ac dotes colit et provehit; quidquid vero in populorum moribus indissolubili vinculo superstitionibus erroribusque non adstipulatur, benevole perpendit ac, si potest, sartum tectumque servat, immo quandoque in ipsam Liturgiam admittit, dummodo cum rationibus veri et authentici spiritus liturgici congruat.

§ 38

[E] Servata substantiali unitate Ritus romani, legitimis varietatibus et aptationibus ad diversos coetus, regiones, populos, praesertim in Missionibus, locus relinquatur, etiam cum libri liturgici recognoscuntur; et hoc in structura rituum et in rubricis instituendis opportune prae oculis habeatur.

§ 39

[E] Intra limites in editionibus typicis librorum liturgicorum statutos, erit competentis auctoritatis ecclesiasticae territorialis, de qua in art. 22 § 2, aptationes definire, praesertim quoad administrationem Sacramentorum, quoad Sacramentalia, processiones, linguam liturgicam, musicam sacram et artes, iuxta tamen normas fundamentales quae hac in Constitutione habentur.

§ 40

[E] Cum tamen variis in locis et adiunctis, profundior Liturgiae aptatio urgeat, et ideo difficilior evadat:

1. [E] A competenti auctoritate ecclesiastica territoriali, de qua in art. 22 § 2, sedulo et prudenter consideretur quid, hoc in negotio, ex traditionibus ingenioque singulorum populorum opportune in cultum divinum admitti possit. Aptationes, quae utiles vel necessariae existimantur, Apostolicae Sedi proponantur, de ipsius consensu introducendae.

2. [E] Ut autem aptatio cum necessaria circumspectione fiat, eidem auctoritati ecclesiasticae territoriali ab Apostolica Sede facultas tribuetur, si casus ferat, ut in quibusdam coetibus ad id aptis et per determinatum tempus necessaria praevia experimenta permittat et dirigat.

3. [E] Quia leges liturgicae difficultates speciales, quoad aptationem, praesertim in Missionibus, secum ferre solent, in illis condendis praesto sint viri, in re de qua agitur, periti.

IV. De vita liturgica in dioecesi et in paroecia fovenda

§ 41

[E] Episcopus ut sacerdos magnus sui gregis habendus est, a quo vita suorum fidelium in Christo quodammodo derivatur et pendet.

[E] Quare omnes vitam liturgicam dioeceseos circa Episcopum, praesertim in ecclesia cathedrali, maximi faciant oportet: sibi persuasum habentes praecipuam manifestationem Ecclesiae haberi in plenaria et actuosa participatione totius plebis sanctae Dei in iisdem celebrationibus liturgicis, praesertim in eadem Eucharistia, in una oratione, ad unum altare cui praeest Episcopus a suo presbyterio et ministris circumdatus.[35] [CCC §1561*]

§ 42

[E] Cum Episcopus in Ecclesia sua ipsemet nec semper nec ubique universo gregi praeesse possit, necessario constituere debet fidelium coetus, inter quos paroeciae, localiter sub pastore vices gerente Episcopi ordinatae, eminent: nam quodammodo repraesentant Ecclesiam visibilem per orbem terrarum constitutam.

[E] Quare vita liturgica paroeciae eiusque relatio ad Episcopum in mente et praxi fidelium et cleri fovenda est; et adlaborandum ut sensus communitatis paroecialis, imprimis vero in communi celebratione Missae dominicalis, floreat.

V. De actione pastorali liturgica promovenda

§ 43

[E] Sacrae Liturgiae fovendae atque instaurandae studium merito habetur veluti signum providentialium dispositionum Dei super nostra aetate, veluti transitus Spiritus Sancti in sua Ecclesia; et vitam ipsius, immo huius nostri temporis universam rationem religiose sentiendi et agendi, nota propria distinguit.

[E] Quapropter, ad hanc actionem pastoralem liturgicam ulterius in Ecclesia fovendam, Sacrosanctum Concilium decernit:

§ 44

[E] A competenti auctoritate ecclesiastica territoriali, de qua in art. 22 § 2, expedit ut instituatur Commissio liturgica, a viris in scientia liturgica, Musica, Arte sacra ac re pastorali peritis iuvanda. Cui Commissioni, in quantum fieri potest, opem ferat quoddam Institutum Liturgiae Pastoralis, constans sodalibus, non exclusis, si res ita ferat, laicis in hac materia praestantibus. Ipsius Commissionis erit, ductu auctoritatis ecclesiasticae territorialis, de qua supra, et actionem pastoralem liturgicam in sua dicione moderari, et studia atque necessaria experimenta promovere, quoties agatur de aptationibus Apostolicae Sedi proponendis.

§ 45

[E] Eadem ratione, in singulis dioecesibus Commissio de sacra Liturgia habeatur, ad actionem liturgicam, moderante Episcopo, promovendam.

[E] Opportunum aliquando evadere potest ut plures dioeceses unam Commissionem constituant, quae, collatis consiliis, rem liturgicam provehat.

§ 46

[E] Praeter Commissionem de sacra Liturgia, in quavis dioecesi constituantur, quantum fieri potest, etiam Commissiones de Musica sacra et de Arte sacra.

[E] Necessarium est ut hae tres Commissiones consociatis viribus adlaborent; immo non raro congruum erit ut in unam Commissionem coalescant.

Caput II DE SACROSANCTO EUCHARISTIAE MYSTERIO

§ 47

[E] Salvator noster, in Cena novissima, qua nocte tradebatur, Sacrificium Eucharisticum Corporis et Sanguinis sui instituit, quo Sacrificium Crucis in saecula, donec veniret, perpetuaret atque adeo Ecclesiae dilectae Sponsae memoriale concrederet Mortis et Resurrectionis suae: sacramentum pietatis, signum unitatis, vinculum caritatis[36], convivium paschale, «in quo Christus sumitur, mens impletur gratia et futurae gloriae nobis pignus datur».[37] [CCC §1323, §1398*]

§ 48

[E] Itaque Ecclesia sollicitas curas eo intendit ne christifideles huic fidei mysterio tamquam extranei vel muti spectatores intersint, sed per ritus et preces id bene intellegentes, sacram actionem conscie, pie et actuose participent, verbo Dei instituantur, mensa Corporis Domini reficiantur, gratias Deo agant, immaculatam hostiam, non tantum per sacerdotis manus, sed etiam una cum ipso offerentes, seipsos offerre discant, et de die in diem consummentur, Christo Mediatore, in unitatem cum Deo et inter se[38], ut sit tandem Deus omnia in omnibus.

§ 49

[E] Quapropter, ut Sacrificium Missae, etiam rituum forma, plenam pastoralem efficacitatem assequatur, Sacrosanctum Concilium, ratione habita Missarum, quae concurrente populo celebrantur, praesertim diebus dominicis et festis de praecepto, ea quae sequuntur decernit.

§ 50

[E] Ordo Missae ita recognoscatur, ut singularum partium propria ratio necnon mutua connexio clarius pateant, atque pia et actuosa fidelium participatio facilior reddatur.

[E] Quamobrem ritus, probe servata eorum substantia, simpliciores fiant; ea omittantur quae temporum decursu duplicata fuerunt vel minus utiliter addita; restituantur vero ad pristinam sanctorum Patrum normam nonnulla quae temporum iniuria deciderunt, prout opportuna vel necessaria videantur.

§ 51

[E] Quo ditior mensa verbi Dei paretur fidelibus, thesauri biblici largius aperiantur, ita ut, intra praestitutum annorum spatium, praestantior pars Scripturarum Sanctarum populo legatur.

§ 52

[E] Homilia, qua per anni liturgici cursum ex textu sacro fidei mysteria et normae vitae christianae exponuntur, ut pars ipsius liturgiae valde commendatur; quinimmo in Missis quae diebus dominicis et festis de praecepto concurrente populo celebrantur, ne omittatur, nisi gravi de causa.

§ 53

[E] «Oratio communis» seu «fidelium», post Evangelium et homiliam, praesertim diebus dominicis et festis de praecepto, restituatur, ut, populo eam participante, obsecrationes fiant pro sancta Ecclesia, pro iis qui nos in potestate regunt, pro iis qui variis premuntur necessitatibus, ac pro omnibus hominibus totiusque mundi salute.[39]

§ 54

[E] Linguae vernaculae in Missis cum populo celebratis congruus locus tribui possit, praesertim in lectionibus et «oratione communi», ac, pro condicione locorum, etiam in partibus quae ad populum spectant, ad normam art. 36 huius Constitutionis.

[E] Provideatur tamen ut christifideles etiam lingua latina partes Ordinarii Missae quae ad ipsos spectant possint simul dicere vel cantare.

[E] Sicubi tamen amplior usus linguae vernaculae in Missa opportunus esse videatur, servetur praescriptum art. 40 huius Constitutionis.

§ 55

[E] Valde commendatur illa perfectior Missae participatio qua fideles post Communionem sacerdotis ex eodem Sacrificio Corpus Dominicum sumunt. [CCC §1388]

[E] Communio sub utraque specie, firmis principiis dogmaticis a Concilio Tridentino statutis[40], in casibus ab Apostolica Sede definiendis, tum clericis et religiosis, tum laicis concedi potest, de iudicio Episcoporum, veluti ordinatis in Missa sacrae suae ordinationis, professis in Missa religiosae suae professionis, neophytis in Missa quae Baptismum subsequitur.

§ 56

[E] Duae partes e quibus Missa quodammodo constat, liturgia nempe verbi et eucharistica, tam arcte inter se coniunguntur, ut unum actum cultus efficiant. [CCC §1346] Sacra proinde Synodus vehementer hortatur animarum pastores ut, in catechesi tradenda, fideles sedulo doceant de integra Missa participanda, praesertim diebus dominicis et festis de praecepto.

§ 57.1

§1 [E] Concelebratio, qua unitas sacerdotii opportune manifestatur, in Ecclesia usque adhuc in usu remansit tam in Oriente quam in Occidente. Quare facultatem concelebrandi ad sequentes casus Concilio extendere placuit:

1. a) feria V in Cena Domini, tum ad Missam chrismatis, tum ad Missam vespertinam;

b) ad Missas in Conciliis, Conventibus Episcopalibus et Synodis;

c) ad Missam in Benedictione Abbatis.

2. [E] Praeterea, accedente licentia Ordinarii, cuius est de opportunitate concelebrationis iudicare:

a) ad Missam conventualem et ad Missam principalem in ecclesiis, cum utilitas christifidelium singularem celebrationem omnium sacerdotum praesentium non postulat;

b) ad Missas in conventibus cuiusvis generis sacerdotum tum saecularium tum religiosorum.

§ 57.2

§2 1. [E] Ad Episcopum vero pertinet concelebrationis disciplinam in dioecesi moderari.

2. [E] Salva tamen semper sit cuique sacerdoti facultas Missam singularem celebrandi, non vero eodem tempore in eadem ecclesia, nec feria V in Cena Domini.

§ 58

[E] Novus ritus concelebrationis conficiatur, Pontificali et Missali romano inserendus.

Caput III DE CETERIS SACRAMENTIS ET DE SACRAMENTALIBUS

§ 59

[E] Sacramenta ordinantur ad sanctificationem hominum, ad aedificationem Corporis Christi, ad cultum denique Deo reddendum; ut signa vero etiam ad instructionem pertinent. Fidem non solum supponunt, sed verbis et rebus etiam alunt, roborant, exprimunt; quare fidei sacramenta dicuntur. [CCC §1123] Gratiam quidem conferunt, sed eorum celebratio fideles optime etiam disponit ad eandem gratiam fructuose recipiendam, ad Deum rite colendum et ad caritatem exercendam.

[E] Maxime proinde interest ut fideles signa Sacramentorum facile intellegant et ea Sacramenta impensissime frequentent, quae ad vitam christianam alendam sunt instituta.

§ 60

[E] Sacramentalia praeterea sancta Mater Ecclesia instituit. Quae sacra sunt signa quibus, in aliquam Sacramentorum imitationem, effectus praesertim spirituales significantur et ex Ecclesiae impetratione obtinentur. Per ea homines ad praecipuum Sacramentorum effectum suscipiendum disponuntur et varia vitae adiuncta sanctificantur. [CCC §1667]

§ 61

[E] Itaque liturgia Sacramentorum et Sacramentalium id efficit ut fidelibus bene dispositis omnis fere eventus vitae sanctificetur gratia divina manante ex mysterio paschali Passionis, Mortis et Resurrectionis Christi, a quo omnia Sacramenta et Sacramentalia suam virtutem derivant [§1621*]; nullusque paene rerum materialium usus honestus ad finem hominem sanctificandi Deumque laudandi dirigi non possit. [CCC §1670]

§ 62

[E] Cum autem, successu temporum, quaedam in Sacramentorum et Sacramentalium ritus irrepserint, quibus eorum natura et finis nostris temporibus minus eluceant, atque adeo opus sit quaedam in eis ad nostrae aetatis necessitates accommodare, Sacrosanctum Concilium ea quae sequuntur de eorum recognitione decernit.

§ 63

[E] Cum haud raro in administratione Sacramentorum et Sacramentalium valde utilis esse possit apud populum linguae vernaculae usurpatio, amplior locus huic tribuatur, iuxta normas quae sequuntur:

a) [E] In administratione Sacramentorum et Sacramentalium lingua vernacula adhiberi potest ad normam art. 36;

b) [E] Iuxta novam Ritualis romani editionem, Ritualia particularia, singularum regionum necessitatibus, etiam quoad linguam, accommodata, a competenti ecclesiastica auctoritate territoriali de qua in art. 22 § 2 huius Constitutionis quam primum parentur, et, actis ab Apostolica Sede recognitis, in regionibus ad quas pertinet adhibeantur. In iis autem Ritualibus vel peculiaribus Collectionibus rituum conficiendis, ne omittantur instructiones, in Rituali romano singulis ritibus praepositae, sive pastorales et rubricales, sive quae peculiare momentum sociale habent.

§ 64

[E] Instauretur catechumenatus adultorum pluribus gradibus distinctus [CCC §1232], de iudicio Ordinarii loci in usum deducendus; quo fiat ut tempus catechumenatus, aptae institutioni destinatum, sacris ritibus successivis temporibus celebrandis, sanctificari possit.

§ 65

[E] In terris Missionum, praeter ea quae in traditione christiana habentur, illa etiam elementa initiationis admitti liceat, quae apud unumquemque populum in usu esse reperiuntur, quatenus ritui christiano accommodari possunt, ad normam art. 37-40 huius Constitutionis. [CCC §1232]

§ 66

[E] Uterque ritus baptizandi adultos, tum simplicior, tum, ratione habita catechumenatus instaurati, solemnior, recognoscatur; et Missali romano Missa propria «In collatione Baptismi» inseratur.

§ 67

[E] Ritus baptizandi parvulos recognoscatur et verae infantium condicioni accommodetur; partes etiam parentum et patrinorum eorumque officia, in ipso ritu, magis pateant. [CCC §1255*]

§ 68

[E] In ritu Baptismi ne desint accommodationes, de iudicio Ordinarii loci adhibendae, pro magno baptizandorum concursu. Conficiatur item Ordo brevior quo, praesertim in terris Missionum, catechistae, et generatim, in periculo mortis, fideles, absente sacerdote vel diacono, uti possint.

§ 69

[E] Loco ritus qui «Ordo supplendi omissa super infantem baptizatum» appellatur, novus conficiatur quo apertius et congruentius indicetur infantem, qui ritu brevi baptizatus fuerit, iam receptum esse in Ecclesiam.

[E] Item novus ritus conficiatur pro valide iam baptizatis, ad sacra catholica conversis, quo significetur eos in Ecclesiae communionem admitti.

§ 70

[E] Aqua baptismalis, extra tempus paschale, in ipso ritu Baptismi probata formula breviore benedici potest.

§ 71

[E] Ritus Confirmationis recognoscatur etiam ut huius Sacramenti intima connexio cum tota initiatione christiana clarius eluceat; quapropter renovatio promissionum Baptismi convenienter ipsam Sacramenti susceptionem praecedet. [CCC §1298*]

[E] Confirmatio, pro opportunitate, intra Missam conferri potest; ad ritum autem extra Missam quod attinet, paretur formula ad modum introductionis adhibenda.

§ 72

[E] Ritus et formulae Paenitentiae ita recognoscantur, ut naturam et effectum Sacramenti clarius exprimant.

§ 73

[E] «Extrema Unctio», quae etiam et melius «Unctio infirmorum» vocari potest, non est Sacramentum eorum tantum qui in extremo vitae discrimine versantur. Proinde tempus opportunum eam recipiendi iam certe habetur cum fidelis incipit esse in periculo mortis propter infirmitatem vel senium. [CCC §1513*, §1514]

§ 74

[E] Praeter ritus seiunctos Unctionis infirmorum et Viatici, conficiatur Ordo continuus secundum quem Unctio aegroto conferatur post confessionem et ante receptionem Viatici.

§ 75

[E] Unctionum numerus pro opportunitate accommodetur, et orationes ad ritum Unctionis infirmorum pertinentes ita recognoscantur, ut respondeant variis condicionibus infirmorum, qui Sacramentum suscipiunt.

§ 76

[E] Ritus Ordinationum, sive quoad caeremonias sive quoad textus, recognoscantur. Allocutiones Episcopi, initio cuiusque Ordinationis aut Consecrationis, fieri possunt lingua vernacula.

In Consecratione Episcopali impositionem manuum fieri licet ab omnibus Episcopis praesentibus.

§ 77

[E] Ritus celebrandi Matrimonium, qui exstat in Rituali romano, recognoscatur et ditior fiat, quo clarius gratia Sacramenti significetur et munera coniugum inculcentur.

[E] «Si quae provinciae ... aliis laudabilibus consuetudinibus et caeremoniis» in celebrando Matrimonii Sacramento «utuntur, eas omnino retineri Sancta Synodus vehementer optat».[41]

[E] Insuper competenti auctoritati ecclesiasticae territoriali, de qua in art. 22 § 2 huius Constitutionis, relinquitur facultas, ad normam art. 63, exarandi ritum proprium usibus locorum et populorum congruentem, firma tamen lege ut sacerdos assistens requirat excipiatque contrahentium consensum.

§ 78

[E] Matrimonium ex more intra Missam celebretur, post lectionem Evangelii et homiliam, ante «orationem fidelium». Oratio super sponsam, ita opportune emendata ut aequalia officia mutuae fidelitatis utriusque sponsi inculcet, dici potest lingua vernacula.

[E] Si vero Sacramentum Matrimonii sine Missa celebratur, Epistola et Evangelium Missae «pro sponsis» legantur in initio ritus et benedictio sponsis semper impertiatur.

§ 79

[E] Sacramentalia recognoscantur, ratione habita normae primariae de conscia, actuosa et facili participatione fidelium, et attentis nostrorum temporum necessitatibus. In Ritualibus recognoscendis ad normam art. 63, etiam nova Sacramentalia, prout necessitas expostulat, addi possunt.

[E] Benedictiones reservatae perpaucae sint, et in favorem tantum Episcoporum vel Ordinariorum.

[E] Provideatur ut quaedam Sacramentalia, saltem in specialibus rerum adiunctis et de iudicio Ordinarii, a laicis congruis qualitatibus praeditis, administrari possint. [CCC §1669*]

§ 80

[E] Ritus Consecrationis Virginum, qui in Pontificali romano habetur, recognitioni subiciatur.

[E] Conficiatur praeterea ritus professionis religiosae et renovationis votorum, qui ad maiorem unitatem, sobrietatem et dignitatem conferat, ab iis qui professionem vel votorum renovationem intra Missam peragunt, salvo iure particulari, assumendus.

Professio religiosa laudabiliter intra Missam fiet.

§ 81

[E] Ritus exsequiarum paschalem mortis christianae indolem manifestius exprimat, atque condicionibus et traditionibus singularum regionum, etiam quoad colorem liturgicum, melius respondeat. [CCC §1685*]

§ 82

[E] Recognoscatur ritus sepeliendi parvulos, ac propria Missa donetur. [CCC §1684* SC 81-82]

Caput IV DE OFFICIO DIVINO

§ 83

[E] Summus Novi atque aeterni Testamenti Sacerdos, Christus Iesus, humanam naturam assumens, terrestri huic exsilio hymnum illum invexit, qui in supernis sedibus per omne aevum canitur. Universam hominum communitatem ipse sibi coagmentat, eandemque in divino hoc concinendo laudis carmine secum consociat.

[E] Illud enim sacerdotale munus per ipsam suam Ecclesiam pergit [CCC §1175], quae non tantum Eucharistia celebranda, sed etiam aliis modis, praesertim Officio divino persolvendo, Dominum sine intermissione laudat et pro totius mundi salute interpellat.

§ 84

[E] Divinum Officium ex antiqua traditione christiana ita est constitutum ut totus cursus diei ac noctis per laudem Dei consecretur. [CCC §1174] Cum vero mirabile illud laudis canticum rite peragunt sacerdotes aliique ad hanc rem Ecclesiae instituto deputati vel christifideles una cum sacerdote forma probata orantes, tunc vere vox est ipsius Sponsae, quae Sponsum alloquitur, immo etiam oratio Christi cum ipsius Corpore ad Patrem.

§ 85

[E] Omnes proinde qui haec praestant, tum Ecclesiae officium explent, tum summum Sponsae Christi honorem participant, quia laudes Deo persolventes stant ante thronum Dei nomine Matris Ecclesiae.

§ 86

[E] Sacerdotes sacro pastorali ministerio addicti eo maiore fervore Horarum laudes persolvent, quo vividius conscii erunt sibi observandum esse monitum Pauli: «Sine intermissione orate» (1 Thess 5,17); operi enim in quo laborant Dominus solus efficacitatem et incrementum dare potest, qui dixit: «Sine me nihil potestis facere» (Io 15,5); propterea Apostoli, diaconos instituentes, dixerunt: «Nos vero orationi et ministerio verbi instantes erimus» (Act 6,4). [CCC §1175*]

§ 87

[E] Ut autem divinum Officium, sive a sacerdotibus sive ab aliis Ecclesiae membris melius et perfectius in rerum adiunctis peragatur, Sacrosancto Concilio, instaurationem ab Apostolica Sede feliciter inceptam persequenti, de Officio iuxta ritum romanum ea quae sequuntur placuit decernere.

§ 88

[E] Cum sanctificatio diei sit finis Officii, cursus Horarum traditus ita instauretur ut Horis veritas temporis, quantum fieri potest, reddatur, simulque ratio habeatur vitae hodiernae condicionum in quibus versantur praesertim ii qui operibus apostolicis incumbunt.

§ 89

[E] Itaque, in instauratione Officii, hae normae serventur:

a) [E] Laudes, ut preces matutinae, et Vesperae, ut preces vespertinae, ex venerabili universae Ecclesiae traditione duplex cardo Officii cotidiani, Horae praecipuae habendae sunt et ita celebrandae;

b) [E] Completorium ita instruatur, ut fini diei apte conveniat;

c) [E] Hora quae Matutinum vocatur, quamvis in choro indolem nocturnae laudis retineat, ita accommodetur ut qualibet diei hora recitari possit, et e psalmis paucioribus lectionibusque longioribus constet;

d) [E] Hora Prima supprimatur;

e) [E] In choro, Horae minores Tertia, Sexta, Nona serventur. Extra chorum e tribus unam seligere licet, diei tempori magis congruentem.

§ 90

[E] Cum praeterea Officium divinum, utpote oratio publica Ecclesiae, sit fons pietatis et orationis personalis nutrimentum, obsecrantur in Domino sacerdotes aliique omnes divinum Officium participantes, ut in eo persolvendo mens concordet voci; ad quod melius assequendum, liturgicam et biblicam, praecipue psalmorum, institutionem sibi uberiorem comparent. [CCC §1176]

[E] In instauratione vero peragenda, venerabilis ille romani Officii saecularis thesaurus ita aptetur, ut latius et facilius eo frui possint omnes quibus traditur.

§ 91

[E] Ut cursus Horarum, in art. 89 propositus, reapse observari possit, psalmi non amplius per unam hebdomadam, sed per longius temporis spatium distribuantur.

[E] Opus recognitionis Psalterii, feliciter inchoatum, quamprimum perducatur ad finem, respectu habito latinitatis christianae, usus liturgici etiam in cantu, necnon totius traditionis latinae Ecclesiae.

§ 92

[E] Ad lectiones quod attinet, haec serventur:

a) [E] lectio sacrae Scripturae ita ordinetur, ut thesauri verbi divini in pleniore amplitudine expedite adiri possint;

b) [E] lectiones de operibus Patrum, Doctorum et Scriptorum ecclesiasticorum depromendae melius seligantur;

c) [E] Passiones seu vitae Sanctorum fidei historicae reddantur.

§ 93

[E] Hymni, quantum expedire videtur, ad pristinam formam restituantur, iis demptis vel mutatis quae mythologiam sapiunt aut christianae pietati minus congruunt. Recipiantur quoque, pro opportunitate, alii qui in hymnorum thesauro inveniuntur.

§ 94

[E] Praestat, sive ad diem revera sanctificandum, sive ad ipsas Horas cum fructu spirituali recitandas, ut in Horarum absolutione tempus servetur, quod proxime accedat ad tempus verum uniuscuiusque Horae canonicae.

§ 95

[E] Communitates choro obligatae, praeter Missam conventualem, tenentur Officium divinum cotidie in choro celebrare, et quidem:

a) [E] totum Officium, Ordines Canonicorum, Monachorum et Monialium, aliorumque Regularium ex iure vel constitutionibus choro adstrictorum;

b) [E] Capitula cathedralia vel collegialia, eas partes Officii, quae sibi a iure communi vel particulari imponuntur;

c) [E] omnes autem illarum Communitatum sodales, qui sunt aut in Ordinibus maioribus constituti aut solemniter professi, conversis exceptis, debent eas Horas canonicas soli recitare, quas in choro non persolvunt.

§ 96

[E] Clerici choro non obligati, si sunt in Ordinibus maioribus constituti, cotidie, sive in communi, sive soli, obligatione tenentur totum Officium persolvendi, ad normam art. 89. [CCC §1175*]

§ 97

[E] Opportunae commutationes divini Officii cum actione liturgica a rubricis definiantur.

In casibus singularibus iustaque de causa, Ordinarii possunt subditos suos ab obligatione Officium recitandi ex toto vel ex parte dispensare vel id commutare.

§ 98

[E] Sodales cuiusvis Instituti status perfectionis, qui, vi Constitutionum, partes aliquas divini Officii absolvunt, orationem publicam Ecclesiae [CCC §1174] agunt. [CCC §1175*]

[E] Item, publicam Ecclesiae orationem agunt, si quod parvum Officium, vi Constitutionum, recitant, dummodo in modum Officii divini confectum ac rite approbatum sit.

§ 99

[E] Cum Officium divinum sit vox Ecclesiae seu totius Corporis mystici Deum publice laudantis, suadetur ut clerici choro haud obligati, ac praesertim sacerdotes conviventes vel in unum convenientes, aliquam saltem divini Officii partem in communi persolvant.

[E] Omnes autem sive in choro sive in communi Officium persolventes munus sibi concreditum quam perfectissime, tam interna animi devotione quam externa agendi ratione, peragant.

[E] Praestat insuper ut Officium in choro et in communi, pro opportunitate, cantetur.

§ 100

[E] Curent animarum pastores ut Horae praecipuae, praesertim Vesperae, diebus dominicis et festis sollemnioribus, in ecclesia communiter celebrentur. Commendatur ut et ipsi laici recitent Officium divinum, vel cum sacerdotibus, vel inter se congregati, quin immo unusquisque solus. [CCC §1175]

§ 101

1. [E] Iuxta saecularem traditionem ritus latini, in Officio divino lingua latina clericis servanda est, facta tamen Ordinario potestate usum versionis vernaculae ad normam art. 36 confectae concedendi, singulis pro casibus, iis clericis, quibus usus linguae latinae grave impedimentum est quominus Officium debite persolvant.

2. [E] Monialibus, necnon sodalibus, sive viris non clericis sive mulieribus, Institutorum statuum perfectionis, in Officio divino, etiam in choro celebrando, concedi potest a Superiore competente ut lingua vernacula utantur, dummodo versio approbata sit.

3. [E] Quivis clericus Officio divino adstrictus, si Officium divinum una cum coetu fidelium, vel cum iis qui sub § 2 recensentur, lingua vernacula celebrat, suae obligationi satisfacit, dummodo textus versionis sit approbatus.

Caput V DE ANNO LITURGICO

§ 102

[E] Pia Mater Ecclesia suum esse ducit Sponsi sui divini opus salutiferum, statis diebus per anni decursum, sacra recordatione celebrare. In unaquaque hebdomada, die quam Dominicam vocavit, memoriam habet Resurrectionis Domini, quam semel etiam in anno, solemnitate maxima Paschatis, una cum beata ipsius Passione, frequentat.

[E] Totum vero Christi mysterium per anni circulum explicat, ab Incarnatione et Nativitate usque ad Ascensionem, ad diem Pentecostes et ad exspectationem beatae spei et adventus Domini. [CCC §1194]

[E] Mysteria Redemptionis ita recolens, divitias virtutum atque meritorum Domini sui, adeo ut omni tempore quodammodo praesentia reddantur, fidelibus aperit, qui ea attingant et gratia salutis repleantur. [CCC §1163]

§ 103

[E] In hoc annuo mysteriorum Christi circulo celebrando, Sancta Ecclesia Beatam Mariam Dei Genetricem cum peculiari amore veneratur, quae indissolubili nexu cum Filii sui opere salutari coniungitur; in qua praecellentem Redemptionis fructum [CCC §508] miratur et exaltat, ac veluti in purissima imagine, id quod ipsa tota esse cupit et sperat cum gaudio contemplatur. [CCC 971*, §1172]

§ 104

[E] Memorias insuper Martyrum aliorumque Sanctorum, qui per multiformem Dei gratiam ad perfectionem provecti, atque aeternam iam adepti salutem, Deo in caelis laudem perfectam decantant ac pro nobis intercedunt, circulo anni inseruit Ecclesia. In Sanctorum enim nataliciis praedicat paschale mysterium in Sanctis cum Christo compassis et conglorificatis, et fidelibus exempla eorum proponit, omnes per Christum ad Patrem trahentia, eorumque meritis Dei beneficia impetrat. [CCC §1173]

§ 105

[E] Variis denique anni temporibus iuxta traditas disciplinas, Ecclesia fidelium eruditionem perficit, per pias animi et corporis exercitationes, instructionem, precationem, paenitentiae et misericordiae opera.

Quapropter placuit Sacrosancto Concilio ea quae sequuntur decernere.

§ 106

[E] Mysterium paschale Ecclesia, ex traditione apostolica, quae originem ducit ab ipsa die Resurrectionis Christi, octava quaque die celebrat, quae dies Domini seu dies dominica merito nuncupatur. [CCC §1166, §2191*] Hac enim die christifideles in unum convenire debent ut, verbum Dei audientes et Eucharistiam participantes, memores sint Passionis, Resurrectionis et gloriae Domini Iesu, et gratias agant Deo qui eos «regeneravit in spem vivam per Resurrectionem Iesu Christi ex mortuis» (1 Pt 1,3). [CCC §1167] Itaque dies dominica est primordialis dies festus, qui pietati fidelium proponatur et inculcetur, ita ut etiam fiat dies laetitiae et vacationis ab opere. Aliae celebrationes, nisi revera sint maximi momenti, ipsi ne praeponantur, quippe quae sit fundamentum et nucleus totius anni liturgici. [CCC §1193]

§ 107

[E] Annus liturgicus ita recognoscatur ut, servatis aut restitutis sacrorum temporum traditis consuetudinibus et disciplinis iuxta nostrae aetatis condiciones, ipsorum indoles nativa retineatur ad fidelium pietatem debite alendam in celebrandis mysteriis Redemptionis christianae, maxime vero mysterio paschali. Accommodationes autem, secundum locorum condiciones, si quae forte necessariae sint, fiant ad normam art. 39 et 40.

§ 108

[E] Fidelium animi dirigantur imprimis ad dies festos Domini, quibus mysteria salutis per annum celebrantur. Proinde Proprium de Tempore aptum suum locum obtineat super festa Sanctorum, ut integer mysteriorum salutis cyclus debito modo recolatur. [CCC §1173*]

§ 109

[E] Duplex indoles temporis quadragesimalis, quod praesertim per memoriam vel praeparationem Baptismi et per paenitentiam fideles, instantius verbum Dei audientes et orationi vacantes, componit ad celebrandum paschale mysterium, tam in liturgia quam in catechesi liturgica pleniore in luce ponatur. Proinde:

a) elementa baptismalia liturgiae quadragesimalis propria abundantius adhibeantur; quaedam vero ex anteriore traditione, pro opportunitate, restituantur;

b) idem dicatur de elementis paenitentialibus. Quoad catechesim autem animis fidelium inculcetur, una cum consectariis socialibus peccati, illa propria paenitentiae natura quae peccatum, prout est offensa Dei, detestatur; nec praetermittantur partes Ecclesiae in actione paenitentiali atque oratio pro peccatoribus urgeatur.

§ 110

[E] Paenitentia temporis quadragesimalis non tantum sit interna et individualis, sed quoque externa et socialis. Praxis vero paenitentialis, iuxta nostrae aetatis et diversarum regionum possibilitates necnon fidelium condiciones, foveatur, et ab auctoritatibus, de quibus in art. 22, commendetur.

[E] Sacrum tamen esto ieiunium paschale, feria VI in Passione et Morte Domini ubique celebrandum et, iuxta opportunitatem, etiam Sabbato sancto producendum, ut ita, elato et aperto animo, ad gaudia dominicae Resurrectionis perveniatur. [CCC §1438* SC 109-110]

§ 111

[E] Sancti iuxta traditionem in Ecclesia coluntur, eorumque reliquiae authenticae atque imagines in veneratione habentur. Festa Sanctorum mirabilia quidem Christi in servis eius praedicant et fidelibus opportuna praebent exempla imitanda. [CCC §1173*]

[E] Ne festa Sanctorum festis ipsa mysteria salutis recolentibus praevaleant, plura ex his particulari cuique Ecclesiae vel Nationi vel Religiosae Familiae relinquantur celebranda, iis tantum ad Ecclesiam universam extensis, quae Sanctos memorant momentum universale revera prae se ferentes.

Caput VI DE MUSICA SACRA

§ 112

[E] Musica traditio Ecclesiae universae thesaurum constituit pretii inaestimabilis, inter ceteras artis expressiones excellentem, eo praesertim quod ut cantus sacer qui verbis inhaeret necessariam vel integralem liturgiae sollemnis partem efficit. [CCC §1156]

[E] Profecto sacros concentus laudibus extulerunt cum Sacra Scriptura[42], tum sancti Patres atque Romani Pontifices, qui recentiore aetate, praeeunte sancto Pio X, munus Musicae sacrae ministeriale in dominico servitio pressius illustrarunt.

[E] Ideo Musica sacra tanto sanctior erit quanto arctius cum actione liturgica connectetur [CCC §1157], sive orationem suavius exprimens vel unanimitatem fovens, sive ritus sacros maiore locupletans sollemnitate. Ecclesia autem omnes verae artis formas, debitis praeditas dotibus, probat easque in cultum divinum admittit.

[E] Sacrosanctum igitur Concilium normas ac praecepta ecclesiasticae traditionis et disciplinae servans finemque Musicae sacrae respiciens, qui gloria Dei est atque sanctificatio fidelium, ea quae sequuntur statuit.

§ 113

[E] Formam nobiliorem actio liturgica accipit, cum divina Officia sollemniter in cantu celebrantur, quibus ministri sacri intersint quaeque populus actuose participet.

[E] Quoad linguam adhibendam, serventur praecepta art. 36; quoad Missam art. 54; quoad Sacramenta, art. 63; quoad Officium divinum, art. 101.

§ 114

[E] Thesaurus Musicae sacrae summa cura servetur et foveatur. Scholae cantorum assidue provehantur, praesertim apud ecclesias cathedrales; Episcopi vero ceterique animarum pastores sedulo curent ut in qualibet actione sacra in cantu peragenda universus fidelium coetus actuosam participationem sibi propriam praestare valeat, ad normam art. 28 et 30.

§ 115

[E] Magni habeatur institutio et praxis musica in Seminariis, in Religiosorum utriusque sexus novitiatibus et studiorum domibus, necnon in ceteris institutis et scholis catholicis; ad quam quidem institutionem assequendam, magistri, qui Musicae sacrae docendae praeficiuntur, sedulo conformentur.

Commendantur insuper Instituta Superiora de Musica sacra pro opportunitate erigenda.

Musicae vero artifices, cantores, imprimis pueri, etiam germana institutione liturgica donentur.

§ 116

[E] Ecclesia cantum gregorianum agnoscit ut liturgiae romanae proprium: qui ideo in actionibus liturgicis, ceteris paribus, principem locum obtineat.

[E] Alia genera Musicae sacrae, praesertim vero polyphonia, in celebrandis divinis Officiis minime excluduntur, dummodo spiritui actionis liturgicae respondeant, ad normam art. 30.

§ 117

[E] Compleatur editio typica librorum cantus gregoriani; immo paretur editio magis critica librorum iam editorum post instaurationem sancti Pii X.

Expedit quoque ut paretur editio simpliciores modos continens, in usum minorum ecclesiarum.

§ 118

[E] Cantus popularis religiosus sollerter foveatur, ita ut in piis sacrisque exercitiis et in ipsis liturgicis actionibus, iuxta normas et praecepta rubricarum, fidelium voces resonare possint. [CCC §1158]

§ 119

[E] Cum in regionibus quibusdam, praesertim Missionum, gentes inveniantur quibus propria est traditio musica, magnum momentum in earum vita religiosa ac sociali habens, huic musicae aestimatio debita necnon locus congruus praebeatur, tam in fingendo earum sensu religioso, quam in cultu ad earum indolem accommodando, ad mentem art. 39 et 40. [CCC §1158*]

[E] Quapropter in institutione musica missionariorum diligenter curetur, ut, quantum fieri potest, traditionalem earum gentium musicam tam in scholis quam in actionibus sacris promovere valeant.

§ 120

[E] Organum tubulatum in Ecclesia latina magno in honore habeatur, tamquam instrumentum musicum traditionale, cuius sonus Ecclesiae caeremoniis mirum addere valet splendorem, atque mentes ad Deum ac superna vehementer extollere.

[E] Alia vero instrumenta, de iudicio et consensu auctoritatis territorialis competentis, ad normam art. 22 § 2, 37 et 40, in cultum divinum admittere licet, quatenus usui sacro apta sint aut aptari possint, templi dignitati congruant, atque revera aedificationi fidelium faveant.

§ 121

[E] Sentiant musicae artifices, spiritu christiano imbuti, se ad Musicam sacram colendam et ad thesaurum eius augendum esse vocatos.

[E] Modos autem componant, qui notas verae Musicae sacrae prae se ferant atque non solum a maioribus scholis cantorum cani possint, sed minoribus quoque scholis conveniant et actuosam participationem totius coetus fidelium foveant.

[E] Textus cantui sacro destinati catholicae doctrinae sint conformes, immo ex Sacris Scripturis et fontibus liturgicis potissimum hauriantur. [CCC §1158]

Caput VII DE ARTE SACRA DEQUE SACRA SUPELLECTILE

[CCC §1181*, §2503* SC 122−127]

§ 122

[E] Inter nobilissimas ingenii humani exercitationes artes ingenuae optimo iure adnumerantur, praesertim autem ars religiosa eiusdemque culmen, ars nempe sacra. Quae natura sua ad infinitam pulchritudinem divinam spectant, humanis operibus aliquomodo exprimendam, et Deo eiusdemque laudi et gloriae provehendae eo magis addicuntur, quo nihil aliud eis propositum est, quam ut operibus suis ad hominum mentes pie in Deum convertendas maxime conferant. [CCC §2513]

[E] Alma Mater Ecclesia proinde semper fuit ingenuarum artium amica, earumque nobile ministerium, praecipue ut res ad sacrum cultum pertinentes vere essent dignae, decorae ac pulchrae, rerum supernarum signa et symbola, continenter quaesivit, artificesque instruxit. Immo earum veluti arbitram Ecclesia iure semper se habuit, diiudicans inter artificum opera quae fidei, pietati legibusque religiose traditis congruerent, atque ad usum sacrum idonea haberentur.

[E] Peculiari sedulitate Ecclesia curavit ut sacra supellex digne et pulchre cultus decori inserviret, eas mutationes sive in materia, sive in forma, sive in ornatu admittens, quas artis technicae progressus per temporis decursum invexit.

[E] Placuit proinde Patribus hisce de rebus ea quae sequuntur decernere.

§ 123

[E] Ecclesia nullum artis stilum veluti proprium habuit, sed secundum gentium indoles ac condiciones atque variorum Rituum necessitates modos cuiusvis aetatis admisit, efficiens per decursum saeculorum artis thesaurum omni cura servandum. Nostrorum etiam temporum atque omnium gentium et regionum ars liberum in Ecclesia exercitium habeat, dummodo sacris aedibus sacrisque ritibus debita reverentia debitoque honore inserviat; ita ut eadem ad mirabilem illum gloriae concentum, quem summi viri per praeterita saecula catholicae fidei cecinere, suam queat adiungere vocem.

§ 124

[E] Curent Ordinarii ut artem vere sacram promoventes eique faventes, potius nobilem intendant pulchritudinem quam meram sumptuositatem. Quod etiam intellegatur de sacris vestibus et ornamentis.

[E] Curent Episcopi ut artificum opera, quae fidei et moribus, ac christianae pietati repugnent, offendantque sensum vere religiosum vel ob formarum depravationem, vel ob artis insufficientiam, mediocritatem ac simulationem, ab aedibus Dei aliisque locis sacris sedulo arceantur.

[E] In aedificandis vero sacris aedibus, diligenter curetur ut ad liturgicas actiones exsequendas et ad fidelium actuosam participationem obtinendam idoneae sint.

§ 125

[E] Firma maneat praxis, in ecclesiis sacras imagines fidelium venerationi proponendi; attamen moderato numero et congruo ordine exponantur, ne populo christiano admirationem inficiant, neve indulgeant devotioni minus rectae.

§ 126

[E] In diiudicandis artis operibus Ordinarii locorum audiant Commissionem dioecesanam de Arte sacra, et, si casus ferat, alios viros valde peritos, necnon Commissiones de quibus in articulis 44, 45, 46.

[E] Sedulo advigilent Ordinarii ne sacra supellex vel opera pretiosa, utpote ornamenta domus Dei, alienentur vel disperdantur. [CCC §2132*]

§ 127

[E] Episcopi vel per se ipsos vel per sacerdotes idoneos qui peritia et artis amore praediti sunt, artificum curam habeant, ut eos spiritu Artis sacrae et sacrae Liturgiae imbuant.

[E] Insuper commendatur ut scholae vel Academiae de Arte Sacra ad artifices formandos instituantur in illis regionibus in quibus id visum fuerit.

[E] Artifices autem omnes, qui ingenio suo ducti, gloriae Dei in Ecclesia sancta servire intendunt, semper meminerint agi de sacra quadam Dei Creatoris imitatione et de operibus cultui catholico, fidelium aedificationi necnon pietati eorumque instructioni religiosae destinatis.

§ 128

[E] Canones et statuta ecclesiastica, quae rerum externarum ad sacrum cultum pertinentium apparatum spectant, praesertim quoad aedium sacrarum dignam et aptam constructionem, altarium formam et aedificationem, tabernaculi eucharistici nobilitatem, dispositionem et securitatem, baptisterii convenientiam et honorem, necnon congruentem sacrarum imaginum, decorationis et ornatus rationem, una cum libris liturgicis ad normam art. 25 quam primum recognoscantur: quae liturgiae instauratae minus congruere videntur, emendentur aut aboleantur; quae vero ipsi favent, retineantur vel introducantur. [CCC §1183]

[E] Qua in re, praesertim quoad materiam et formam sacrae supellectilis et indumentorum, territorialibus Episcoporum Coetibus facultas tribuitur res aptandi necessitatibus et moribus locorum, ad normam art. 22 huius Constitutionis.

§ 129

[E] Clerici, dum philosophicis et theologicis studiis incumbunt, etiam de artis sacrae historia eiusque evolutione instituantur, necnon de sanis principiis quibus opera artis sacrae inniti debent, ita ut Ecclesiae venerabilia monumenta aestiment atque servent, et artificibus in operibus efficiendis congrua consilia queant praebere.

§ 130

[E] Convenit ut usus pontificalium reservetur illis ecclesiasticis personis, quae aut charactere episcopali, aut peculiari aliqua iurisdictione gaudent.


APPENDIX

Sacrosancti Oecumenici Concilii Vaticani secundi de calendario recognoscendo declaratio

[E] Sacrosanctum Oecumenicum Concilium Vaticanum secundum, haud parvi momenti aestimans multorum desideria de festo Paschatis certae dominicae assignando et de calendario stabiliendo, omnibus sedulo perpensis, quae ex inductione novi calendarii manare possint, haec quae sequuntur declarat:

  1. Sacrosanctum Concilium non obnititur quin festum Paschatis certae dominicae in Calendario Gregoriano assignetur, assentientibus iis quorum intersit, praesertim fratribus ab Apostolicae Sedis communione seiunctis.
  2. Item Sacrosanctum Concilium declarat se non obsistere inceptis quae conferant ad calendarium perpetuum in societatem civilem inducendum.

[E] Variorum autem systematum, quae ad calendarium perpetuum stabiliendum et in societatem civilem inducendum excogitantur, iis tantum Ecclesia non obsistit, quae hebdomadam septem dierum cum dominica servant et tutantur, nullis diebus extra hebdomadam interiectis, ita ut hebdomadarum successio intacta, nisi accedant gravissimae rationes de quibus Apostolica Sedes iudicium ferat, relinquatur.


Haec omnia et singula quae in hac Constitutione edicta sunt, placuerunt Sacrosancti Concilii Patribus. Et Nos, Apostolica a Christo Nobis tradita potestate, illa, una cum Venerabilibus Patribus, in Spiritu Sancto approbamus, decernimus ac statuimus et quae ita synodaliter statuta sunt ad Dei gloriam promulgari iubemus.

Romae, apud S. Petrum die IV decembris anno MCMLXIII.

Ego PAULUS Catholicae Ecclesiae Episcopus

† Ego EUGENIUS Episcopus Ostiensis ac Portuensis et S. Rufinae Cardinalis TISSERANT, Sacri Collegii Decanus.

† Ego IOSEPHUS Episcopus Albanensis Cardinalis PIZZARDO.

† Ego BENEDICTUS Episcopus Praenestinus Cardinalis Aloisi MASELLA.

† Ego HAMLETUS IOANNES Episcopus tit. Tusculanus Cardinalis CICOGNANI.

† Ego IOSEPHUS Episcopus tit. Sabinensis et Mandelensis Cardinalis FERRETTO.

Ego GREGORIUS PETRUS titulo S. Bartholomaei in Insula Presbyter Cardinalis AGAGIANIAN.

† Ego CAROLUS CARMELUS titulo S. Pancratii Presbyter Cardinalis MOTTA, Archiepiscopus S. Pauli in Brasilia.

† Ego FRANCISCUS titulo Ss. Ioannis et Pauli Presbyter Cardinalis SPELLMAN, Archiepiscopus Neo-Eboracensis.

† Ego IACOBUS titulo Ss. Bonifacii et Alexii Presbyter Cardinalis DE BARROS CÂMARA, Archiepiscopus S. Sebastiani Fluminis Ianuarii.

† Ego IOSEPHUS titulo S. Ioannis ante Portam Latinam Presbyter Cardinalis FRINGS, Archiepiscopus Coloniensis.

† Ego ERNESTUS titulo S. Sabinae Presbyter Cardinalis RUFFINI, Archiepiscopus Panormitanus.

† Ego ANTONIUS titulo S. Laurentii in Panisperna Presbyter Cardinalis CAGGIANO, Archiepiscopus Bonaërensis.

Ego PETRUS titulo S. Praxedis Presbyter Cardinalis CIRIACI.

† Ego MAURITIUS titulo S. Mariae de Pace Presbyter Cardinalis FELTIN, Archiepiscopus Parisiensis.

† Ego IOSEPHUS titulo S. Mariae de Victoria Presbyter Cardinalis SIRI, Archiepiscopus Ianuensis.

† Ego IACOBUS FRANCISCUS titulo S. Anastasiae Presbyter Cardinalis MCINTYRE, Archiepiscopus Angelorum in California.

† Ego IACOBUS titulo S. Mariae in Transpontina Presbyter Cardinalis LERCARO, Archiepiscopus Bononiensis.

† Ego STEPHANUS titulo S. Mariae Trans Tiberim Presbyter Cardinalis WYSZYNSKI, Archiepiscopus Gnesnensis et Varsaviensis, Primas Poloniae.

† Ego BENIAMINUS titulo S. Vitalis Presbyter Cardinalis DE ARRIBA Y CASTRO, Archiepiscopus Tarraconensis.

† Ego FERDINANDUS titulo S. Augustini Presbyter Cardinalis QUIROGA Y PALACIOS, Archiepiscopus Compostellanus.

† Ego PAULUS AEMILIUS titulo S. Mariae Angelorum in Thermis Presbyter Cardinalis LEGER, Archiepiscopus Marianopolitanus.

† Ego VALERIANUS titulo S. Mariae in Via Lata Presbyter Cardinalis GRACIAS, Archiepiscopus Bombayensis.

† Ego IOANNES titulo S. Marci Presbyter Cardinalis URBANI, Patriarcha Venetiarum.

Ego PAULUS titulo S. Mariae in Vallicella Presbyter Cardinalis GIOBBE, S. R. E. Datarius.

† Ego ALOISIUS titulo S. Mariae Novae Presbyter Cardinalis CONCHA, Archiepiscopus Bogotensis.

Ego IOSEPHUS titulo S. Priscae Presbyter Cardinalis DA COSTA NUNES.

Ego HILDEBRANDUS titulo S. Sebastiani ad Catacumbas Presbyter Cardinalis ANTONIUTTI.

Ego EPHRAEM titulo S. Crucis in Hierusalem Presbyter Cardinalis FORNI.

† Ego IOANNES titulo S. Mariae de Aracoeli Presbyter Cardinalis LANDAZURI RICKETTS, Archiepiscopus Limanus, Primas Peruviae.

† Ego RADULFUS titulo S. Bernardi ad Thermas Presbyter Cardinalis SILVA HENRIQUEZ, Archiepiscopus S. Iacobi in Chile.

† Ego LEO IOSEPHUS titulo S. Petri ad Vincula Presbyter Cardinalis SUENENS, Archiepiscopus Mechliniensis-Bruxellensis.

Ego ALAPHRIDUS S. Mariae in Domnica Protodiaconus Cardinalis OTTAVIANI.

Ego ALBERTUS S. Pudentianae Diaconus Cardinalis DI JORIO.

Ego FRANCISCUS S. Caesarei in Palatio Diaconus Cardinalis BRACCI.

Ego FRANCISCUS S. Mariae in Cosmedin Diaconus Cardinalis ROBERTI.

Ego ARCADIUS Ss. Blasii et Caroli ad Catinarios Diaconus Cardinalis LARRAONA.

Ego FRANCISCUS Ss. Cosmae et Damiani Diaconus Cardinalis MORANO.

Ego GUILLELMUS THEODORUS S. Theodori in Palatio Cardinalis HEARD.

Ego AUGUSTINUS S. Sabae Diaconus Cardinalis BEA.

Ego FRATER MICHAEL S. Pauli Apostoli in Arenula Diaconus Cardinalis BROWNE.

Ego IOACHIM ANSELMUS S. Apollinaris Diaconus Cardinalis ALBAREDA.

† Ego STEPHANUS I SIDAROUSS, Patriarcha Alexandrinus Coptorum.

† Ego MAXIMUS IV SAIGH, Patriarcha Antiochenus Melchitarum.

† Ego PAULUS PETRUS MEOUCHI, Patriarcha Antiochenus Maronitarum.

VACATIO LEGIS

Beatissimus Pater, pro modo approbata Constitutione «de Sacra Liturgia» statuit vacationem legis usque ad diem 16 februarii, anni 1964, dominicam primam Quadragesimae. Intra hoc tempus idem Beatissimus Pater statuet quando et quibus modis nova huius Constitutionis decreta in actum deducenda sint. Nemini itaque licet ante hoc tempus haec nova decreta per seipsum in actum deducere.

† PERICLES FELICI Archiepiscopus tit. Samosatensis Ss. Concilii Secretarius Generalis


Notae

(1) Missale romanum, oratio super oblata dominicae IX post Pentecosten. [MR §1529 Concede nobis, quaesumus, Domine, haec digne frequentare mysteria: quia, quoties huius hostiae commemoratio celebratur, opus nostrae redemptionis exercetur.]

(2) Cf. Hebr 13,14.

(3) Cf. Eph 2, 21-22.

(4) Cf. Eph 4,13.

(5) Cf. Is 11,12.

(6) Cf. Io 11,52.

(7) Cf. Io 10,16.

(8) Cf. Is 61,1; Lc 4,18.

(9) S. IGNATIUS ANTIOCHENUS, Ad Eph., 7, 2: ed. F. X. FUNK, Patres Apostolici, I, Tubingae 1901, p. 218.

(10) Cf. 1 Tim 2,5.

(11) Sacramentarium Veronense (Leonianum): ed. C. MOHLBERG, Romae 1956, n. 1265, p. 162.

(12) Missale romanum, Praefatio paschalis. [MR §1048 Vere dignum et iustum est, aequum et salutare: Te quidem Domine, omni tempore, sed in [hac potissimum nocte|in hac potissimum die|in hoc potissimum] gloriosius praedicare, cum Pasch nostrum immolatus est Christus. Ipse enim verus est Agnus, qui abstulit peccata mundi. Qui mortem nostram moriendo destruxit, et vitam resurgendo reparavit. Et ideo cum Angelis ...

(13) Cf. S. AUGUSTINUS, Enarr. in Ps. CXXXVIII, 2: Corpus Christianorum, XL, Turnholti 1956, p. 1991 et oratio post secundam lectionem Sabbati sancti, in Missali Romano, ante instaurationem Hebdomadae sanctae.

(14) Cf. Mc 16,15.

(15) Cf. Act 26,18.

(16) Cf. Rom 6,4; Eph 2,6; Col 3,1; 2 Tim 2,11.

(17) Cf. Io 4,23.

(18) Cf. 1 Cor 11,26.

(19) CONC. TRID., Sess. XIII, 11 oct. 1551, Decr. De ss. Eucharist., c. 5: CONCILIUM TRIDENTINUM, Diariorum, Actorum, Epistolarum, Tractatuum nova collectio, ed. Soc. Goerresianae, t. VII. Actorum pars IV, Friburgi Brisgoviae 1961, p. 202.

(20) CONC. TRID., Sess. XXII, 17 sept. 1562, Doctr. De ss. Missae sacrif., c. 2: CONCILIUM TRIDENTINUM, ed. cit., t. VIII. Actorum pars V, Friburgi Brisgoviae 1919, p. 960.

(21) Cf. S. AUGUSTINUS, In Ioannis Evangelium Tractatus VI, cap. I, n. 7: PL 35, 1428.

(22) Cf. Apoc 21,2; Col 3,1; Hebr 8,2.

(23) Cf. Phil 3,20; Col 3,4.

(24) Cf. Io 17,3; Lc 24,47; Act 2,38.

(25) Cf. Mt 28,20.

(25b)

(26) Missale romanum, postcommunio Vigiliae paschalis et dominicae Resurrectionis. [MR §1150 Spiritum nobis, Domine, tuae caritatis infunde: ut, quos sacramentis paschalibus satiasti, tua facias pietate concordes.]

(27) Missale romanum, oratio Missae feriae III infra octavam Paschae. [MR §1163 Deus, qui Ecclesiam tuam novo semper fetu multiplicas: concede famulis tuis; ut sacramentum vivendo teneant, quod fide perceperunt.]

(28) Cf. 2 Cor 6,1.

(29) Cf. Mt 6,6.

(30) Cf. 1 Thess 5,17.

(31) Cf. 2 Cor 4,10-11.

(32) Missale romanum, oratio super oblata feriae II infra octavam Pentecostes. [MR §1327 Propitius, Domine, quaesumus, haec dona sanctifica: et, hostiae spiritalis oblatione suscepta, nosmetipsos tibi perfice munus asternum.]

(33) S. CYPRIANUS, De cath. eccl. unitate, 7: ed. G. HARTEL, in CSEL, t. III, 1, Vindobonae 1868, pp. 215-16. Cf. Ep. 66, n. 8,3: ed. cit., t. III, 2, Vindobonae 1871, pp. 732-33.

(34) Cf. CONC. TRID., Sess. XXII, 17 sept. 1562, Doctr. De ss. Missae sacrif., c. 8: CONCILIUM TRIDENTINUM, ed. cit., t. VIII, p. 961.

(35) Cf. S. IGNATIUS ANTIOCHENUS, Ad Magn. 7; Ad Philad. 4; Ad Smyrn. 8: ed. F. X. FUNK, cit., I, pp. 236, 266, 281.

(36) Cf. S. AUGUSTINUS, In Ioannis Evangelium Tractatus XXVI, cap. VI, n. 13: PL 35, 1613.

(37) Breviarium romanum, In festo Sanctissimi Corporis Christi, ad II Vesperas, antiphona ad Magnificat.

(38) Cf. S. CYRILLUS ALEX., Commentarium in Ioannis Evangelium, lib. XI, capp. XI-XII: PG 74, 557-565, praesertim 564-565.

(39) Cf. 1 Tim 2,1-2.

(40) Sess. XXI, Doctrina de Communione sub utraque specie et parvulorum, capp. 1-3, cann. 1-3: CONCILIUM TRIDENTINUM, ed. cit., t. VIII, pp. 698-699.

(41) CONC. TRID., Sess. XXIV, Decr. De reformatione, cap. 1: CONCILIUM TRIDENTINUM, ed. cit., t. IX. Actorum pars VI, Friburgi Brisgoviae 1924, p. 969. Cf. Rituale romanum, tit. VIII, c. II, n. 6.

(42) Cf. Eph 5,19; Col 3,16.


CONSTITUTION ON THE SACRED LITURGY SACROSANCTUM CONCILIUM SOLEMNLY PROMULGATED BY HIS HOLINESS POPE PAUL VI ON DECEMBER 4, 1963

INTRODUCTION

§ 1

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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.

§ 3b

[L] 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

[L] 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

I. The Nature of the Sacred Liturgy and Its Importance in the Church's Life

§ 5

[L] 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 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]

§ 5b

[L] 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 passion, 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

[L] 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

[L] 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) .

§ 7b

[L] 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.

§ 7c

[L] 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.

§ 7d

[L] From this it follows that every liturgical celebration, because it is an action of Christ the priest and of His Body which is 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

[L] 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

[L] 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)

[L] 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

[L] 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.

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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.

[L] 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.

[L] 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

[L] 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.

§ 14b

[L] 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.

§ 14c

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] The study of sacred liturgy is to be ranked among the compulsory and major courses in seminaries and religious 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

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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.

[L] 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. [L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] The revision of the liturgical books must carefully attend to the provision of rubrics also for the people's parts.

§ 32

[L] 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

[L] 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.

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] That the intimate connection between words and rites may be apparent in the liturgy:

1. [L] In sacred celebrations there is to be more reading from holy scripture, and it is to be more varied and suitable.

2. [L] 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. [L] 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. [L] 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. [L] Particular law remaining in force, the use of the Latin language is to be preserved in the Latin rites.

2. [L] 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. [L] 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. [L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] In some places and circumstances, however, an even more radical adaptation of the liturgy is needed, and this entails greater difficulties. Wherefore:

1. [L] 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 then be submitted to the Apostolic See, by whose consent they may be introduced.

2. [L] 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. [L] 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

[L] 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.

[L] Therefore all should hold in great esteem [maximi faciant oportet] 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

[L] 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.

[L] 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

[L] 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.

[L] So that this pastoral-liturgical action may become even more vigorous in the Church, the sacred Council decrees:

§ 44

[L] 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

[L] 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.

[L] 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

[L] Besides the commission on the sacred liturgy, every diocese, as far as possible, should have commissions for sacred music and sacred art.

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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.

[L] 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

[L] The treasures of the bible are to be opened up more lavishly, so that richer (praestantior) 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

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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 the norm laid down in Art. 36 of this Constitution.

[L] 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.

[L] 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

[L] 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.

[L] 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

[L] 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

§1 [L] 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. [L] 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.

§ 57.2

§2 1. [L] The regulation, however, of the discipline of con-celebration in the diocese pertains to the bishop.

2. [L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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.

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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) [L] The vernacular language may be used in administering the sacraments and sacramentals, according to the norm of Art. 36.

b) [L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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.

[L] 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

[L] Except during Eastertide, baptismal water may be blessed within the rite of baptism itself by an approved shorter formula.

§ 71

[L] 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.

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] "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

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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.

[L] "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]

[L] Moreover the competent territorial ecclesiastical authority mentioned in Art. 22, §2 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

[L] 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.

[L] 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

[L] 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.

[L] Reserved blessings shall be very few; reservations shall be in favor of bishops or ordinaries.

[L] 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

[L] The rite for the consecration of virgins at present found in the Roman Pontifical is to be revised.

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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.

[L] 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

[L] 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; It is the very prayer which Christ Himself, together with His body, addresses to the Father.

§ 85

[L] 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

[L] 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).

§ 87

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] Therefore, when the office is revised, these norms are to be observed:

a) [L] 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) [L] Compline is to be drawn up so that it will be a suitable prayer for the end of the day.

c) [L] 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) [L] The hour of Prime is to be suppressed.

e) [L] 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

[L] 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.

[L] 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

[L] 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.

[L] 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

[L] As regards the readings, the following shall be observed:

a) [L] Readings from sacred scripture shall be arranged so that the riches of God's word may be easily accessible in more abundant measure.

b) [L] Readings excerpted from the works of the fathers, doctors, and ecclesiastical writers shall be better selected.

c) [L] The accounts of martyrdom or the lives of the saints are to accord with the facts of history.

§ 93

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] Communities obliged to choral office are bound to celebrate the office in choir every day in addition to the conventual Mass. In particular:

a) [L] 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) [L] Cathedral or collegiate chapters are bound to recite those parts of the office imposed on them by general or particular law.

c) [L] All members of the above communities who are in major orders or who are solemnly professed, except for lay brothers [conversis exceptis], are bound to recite individually those canonical hours which they do not pray in choir.

§ 96

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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.

[L] 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

[L] 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.

[L] 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.

[L] It is, moreover, fitting that the office, both in choir and in common, be sung when possible.

§ 100

[L] 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. [L] 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. [L] 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. [L] 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 § 2 above provided that the text of the translation is approved.

CHAPTER V THE LITURGICAL YEAR

§ 102

[L] 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.

[L] 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.

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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 [nataliciis] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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.

[L] 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

[L] 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.

[L] 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

[L] 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.

[L] 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.

[L] 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.

[L] 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

[L] Liturgical worship is given a more noble form when the divine offices are celebrated solemnly in song, with the assistance of sacred ministers [ministri sacri intersint] and the active participation of the people.

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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.

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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.

[L] 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

[L] 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.

[L] 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, §2, 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

[L] Composers, filled with the Christian spirit, should feel that their vocation is to cultivate sacred music and increase its store of treasures.

[L] 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.

[L] 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

[L] 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.

[L] 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.

[L] 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 the passage of time.

[L] Wherefore it has pleased the Fathers to issue the following decrees on these matters.

§ 123

[L] 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

[L] 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.

[L] 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.

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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.

[L] 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

[L] 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.

[L] 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.

[L] 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

[L] 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.

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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

[L] 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:

  1. 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.
  2. The sacred Council likewise declares that it does not oppose efforts designed to introduce a perpetual calendar into civil society.

[L] 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. [Missale Romanum §1529]

[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. [Missale Romanum §1048]

[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. [Missale Romanum §1150]

[27] Collect of the Mass for Tuesday of Easter Week. [Missale Romanum §1163]

[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.[Missale Romanum §1327]

[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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