| Latin:Dicasterium de Cultu Divino et Disciplina Sacramentorum Italian:Dicastero per il Culto Divino e la Disciplina dei Sacramenti | |
 Coat of arms of the Holy See | |
 The twin Palazzi delle Congregazioni facing one another in Piazza Pio XII (in front ofSt. Peter's Square) house a number of departments of the Roman Curia. | |
| Dicastery overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | March 1, 1989; 36 years ago (1989-03-01) (as a Congregation with the same name)[1] |
| Preceding agencies |
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| Type | Dicastery |
| Headquarters | Palazzo delle Congregazioni,Piazza Pio XII,Rome,Italy |
| Dicastery executives |
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| Website | www |
TheDicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments (Latin:Dicasterium de Cultu Divino et Disciplina Sacramentorum) is thedicastery (fromGreek:δικαστήριον,romanized: dikastērion,lit. 'law-court', fromδικαστής, 'judge, juror') of theRoman Curia that handles most affairs relating to liturgical practices of theLatin Church as distinct from theEastern Catholic Churches and also some technical matters relating to the sacraments.
Prior to June 2022, the dicastery was officially named theCongregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments (only the first word being different). This former name has often been shortened toCongregation for Divine Worship, further abbreviated asDivine Worship orCDW.[2][3]
| Establishment of status quo | Years in effect | Dicasteries by competency | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pope | Decree | Sacraments | Liturgy | Canonizations of saints | |
| Pope Sixtus V[4] | Immensa aeterni Dei | 1588–1908 | Sacred Congregation of Rites[4] (Sacra Rituum Congregatio) | ||
| Pope Pius X[5] | Sapienti consilio | 1908–1969 | Sacred Congregation for the Discipline of the Sacraments[5][6] (Sacra Congregatio de Disciplina Sacramentorum) | Sacred Congregation of Holy Rites[5] (Sacra Congregatio sacrorum Rituum) | |
| Pope Paul VI[7] | Sacra Rituum Congregatio | 1969–1975 | Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship[7] (Sacra Congregatio pro Cultu Divino) | Sacred Congregation for the Causes of Saints[7] (Sacra Congregatio pro Causis Sanctorum) | |
| Pope Paul VI[6] | Constans nobis | 1975–1984 | Sacred Congregation for Sacraments and Divine Worship[6] (Sacra Congregatio pro Sacramentis Divinoque Cultu,[6] laterSacra Congregatio pro Sacramentis et Cultu Divino[8]) | ||
| Pope John Paul II[8] | Quoniam in celeri | 1984–1989 | Sacred Congregation for Sacraments[8] (Sacra Congregatio pro Sacramentis) | Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship[8] (Sacra Congregatio pro Cultu Divino) | |
| Pope John Paul II[1] | Pastor bonus | 1989–2022 | Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments[1] (Congregatio de Cultu Divino et Disciplina Sacramentorum) | Congregation for the Causes of Saints[4][1] (Congregatio de Causis Sanctorum) | |
| Pope Francis[9] | Praedicate evangelium | 2022–present | Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments[9] (Dicasterium de Cultu Divino et Disciplina Sacramentorum) | Dicastery for the Causes of Saints[9] (Dicasterium de Causis Sanctorum) | |
The Apostolic ConstitutionPastor bonus, issued byPope John Paul II on 28 June 1988, established the congregation's functions:
On 30 August 2011,Pope Benedict XVI transferred jurisdiction over unconsummated marriages and the nullification of ordinations to theRoman Rota to relieve the congregation of administrative burdens and allow it to focus on liturgy, its principal responsibility.[10][11] In 2012, the congregation added an office devoted to liturgical architecture and music.[12]
From 2001 to 2017, the congregation had primary authority over a nation's liturgical translations.[13] On 9 September 2017, Pope Francis weakened the congregation's authority with hismotu proprio titledMagnum principium,[14] ensuring that, starting 1 October 2017,[14] the nation'sConference of Bishops will manage local liturgical translations.[15][14] On 22 October 2017, the Vatican released a letter that Pope Francis had sent to the Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacrament, Cardinal Robert Sarah, clarifying that the Vatican and its departments would have limited authority to confirm liturgical translations recognized by a local Conference of Bishops,[16] thus retracting a commentary which Sarah had published on 13 October 2017.[17]
In March 2021, following Sarah's retirement, Pope Francis chargedClaudio Maniago, leader of the Italian Episcopal Conference's liturgy programs, with undertaking acanonical visitation of the Congregation of Divine Worship in anticipation of the appointment of a new prefect.[18][19][20] Francis then namedArthur Roche prefect on 27 May 2021.[21]
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| Prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments | |
|---|---|
Incumbent since 21 April 2025Vacant | |
| Member of | Roman Curia |
| Appointer | ThePope |
| Term length | Five years (renewable) |
| Constituting instrument | Pastor bonus (1988) Praedicate evangelium (2022) |
| Precursor | Prefect of theS.C. for Divine Worship Prefect of theS.C. for Sacraments |
| Inaugural holder | Eduardo Martínez Somalo |
| Formation | March 1, 1989; 36 years ago (1989-03-01) (as prefecture of the Congregation with the same name) |
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In 2001, the congregation established the Vox Clara Committee, composed of senior bishops from episcopal conferences throughout the English-speaking world. It advises the congregation on English-language liturgical texts and their distribution. It meets in Rome.[22]
[C]onstituimus ut Sacra Congregatio pro Sacramentis et Cultu Divino in duas Congregationes dividatur, quarum altera pro Sacramentis, altera pro Cultu Divino nominetur.[We decree that the Sacred Congregation for Sacraments and Divine Worship is to be divided into two Congregations, one of which is "for Sacraments," the other "for Divine Worship."]
