C ONGREGATION FOR D IVINE W ORSHIP AND THE D ISCIPLINE

OF THE S ACRAMENTS

Also known as: Congregación para el Culto Divino y la Disciplina de

los Sacramentos (español) /  Congregazione per il Culto Divino e
la Disciplina dei Sacramenti (Italiano)
Address: Palazzo delle Congregazioni, Piazza Pio XII, 10, 00193
Roma, Italy

History

 1588.01.22: Established as Sacred Congregation of

Rites (English) /  Sagrada Congregacíon de Ritos (español) / S.
Congregazione dei Riti (Italiano) /  S. Congregatio de Sacrorum
Rituum (Latin)
 1908.06.29: Branched to create Sacred Congregation of the
Sacraments
 1969.05.08: Renamed as Sacred Congregation for Divine
Worship (English) /  S. Congregazione per il Culto
Divino (Italiano) / S. Congregatio pro Cultu
Divino (Latin) (merged with the suppressed Consilium for
Implementing the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, and
branched to create Sacred Congregation for the Causes of
Saints)
 1975.08.01: Renamed as Sacred Congregation for Sacraments
and Divine Worship (English) / S. Congregatio pro Sacramentis
divinoque Cultu (Latin) (merged with the suppressed Sacred
Congregation for Sacramental Discipline)
 1984.04.05: Renamed as Congregation for Divine
Worship (English) / Congregazione per il Culto
Divino (Italiano) / Congregatio de Cultu (Latin) (branched to
create Congregation for the Sacraments)
 1988.06.28: Renamed as Congregation for Divine Worship and
the Discipline of the Sacraments (English) / Congregación para
el Culto Divino y la Disciplina de los
Sacramentos (español) /Congregazione per il Culto Divino e la
Disciplina dei Sacramenti (Italiano) /  Congregatio de Cultu
Divino et Disciplina Sacramentorum (Latin) (merged with the
suppressed Congregation for the Sacraments)
Present Officials

Prefect (2014.11.24 – ...): Cardinal Robert SARAH (75)

Cardinal-Deacon of S. Giovanni
Bosco in Via Tuscolana
Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus
of Conakry (Guinea)
Secretary (2012.06.26 – ...): Archbishop Arthur 
ROCHE (70)
Member of College for the review of
appeals by clergy accused of 
delicta reservata
Archbishop ad personam
Bishop emeritus of Leeds (England)
Undersecretary (2014.11.05 Fr.Corrado 
) MAGGIONI, S.M.M. (64)

Past Officials

Prefect: Cardinal Antonio CAÑIZARES LLOVERA (74) (2008.12.09 – 2014

Prefect: Cardinal Francis ARINZE (87) (2002.10.01 – 2008.12.09)
Prefect: Cardinal Jorge Arturo MEDINA ESTÉVEZ (93) (1998.02.23 – 200
Prefect: Cardinal Antonio María JAVIERRE ORTAS, S.D.B. (1992.01.24 – 19
Prefect: Cardinal Eduardo MARTÍNEZ SOMALO (93) (1988.07.01 – 1992.
The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the
Sacraments (Latin: Congregatio de Cultu Divino et Disciplina
Sacramentorum) is the congregation of the Roman Curia that handles
most affairs relating to liturgical practices of the Latin Church  and also
some technical matters relating to the Sacraments. Its functions were
originally exercised by the Sacred Congregation of Rites, set up in
January 1588 by Pope Sixtus V.

Responsibilities
The apostolic constitution Pastor bonus, issued by Pope John Paul II on
28 June 1988, established the congregation's functions:

 Regulation and promotion of the liturgy, primarily of the sacraments

 Regulation of the administration of the sacraments, especially
regarding their valid and licit celebration
 Promoting liturgical pastoral activity, especially regarding the
celebration of the Eucharist
 Drawing up and revision of liturgical texts
 Reviewing particular calendars and proper texts for the Mass and
the Divine Office
 Granting the recognitio[clarification needed] to translations
of liturgical books and their adaptations
 Promoting the liturgical apostolate or sacred music, song or art
 Ensuring that liturgical norms are accurately observed, and that abuses
are avoided and eliminated where they are found to exist.
 Examining the fact of non-consummation in a marriage and the
existence of a just cause for granting a dispensation.
 Examining cases concerning the nullity of ordination.
 Regulating the cult of relics, the confirmation of heavenly patrons in
diocese or locality
 The authorisation of Canonical Coronations for venerated Catholic
images
 The elevation of sanctuaries to the title of Minor Basilica.
 Giving assistance to bishops so that the prayers and pious exercises of
the Christian people may be fostered and held in high esteem

On 30 August 2011, Pope Benedict XVI transferred jurisdiction over

unconsummated marriages and the nullification of ordinations to
the Roman Rota to relieve the Congregation of administrative burdens
and allow it to focus on liturgy, its principal responsibility.[1][2] In 2012,
the Congregation added an office devoted to liturgical architecture and
music.[3]
On 9 September 2017, Pope Francis weakened the congregation's
authority with his motu proprio titled Magnum principium,[4] ensuring
that, starting 1 October 2017,[4] the nation's Conference of Bishops will
manage local liturgical translations.[5][4] Since 2001, the Congregation
had greater authority over a nation's liturgical translations.[4] On October
22, 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,[6] thus
retracting a commentary which Sarah had published on October 13, 2017.
[7]