Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship

Roman Catholic Church

Also known as: Congregation of Rites

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July 13, 2026

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The Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship was a department within the Roman Curia of the Roman Catholic Church. Its primary role was to oversee and regulate the liturgy and sacraments of the Church. This congregation was involved in the reforms that followed the Second Vatican Council, particularly those concerning the use of the vernacular in services and the revision of liturgical rites. The movement to make liturgy more accessible and participatory, known as the Liturgical Movement, significantly influenced the work of this congregation. In 2022, Pope Francis reorganized the Roman Curia, and this congregation was merged into the new Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

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church year
Roman Catholic Church
…saints are controlled by the Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship (formerly the Congregation of Rites). Certain feasts, in addition to all Sundays, are designated “holy days of obligation,” when all the faithful must attend mass. In the United States these are: Christmas Day (December 25), the Feast of St. Mary…
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…saints are controlled by the Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship (formerly the Congregation of Rites). Certain feasts, in addition to all Sundays, are designated “holy days of obligation,” when all the faithful must attend mass. In the United States these are: Christmas Day (December 25), the Feast of St. Mary…
Read More

church year
Liturgical colours
In 1868 the Congregation of Rites allowed the use of gold vestments in place of white, red, and green. Medieval English uses showed much variation, but the predominant principle was use of the finest vestments, of whatever colour, on great feasts, and others on lesser days of importance.…
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In 1868 the Congregation of Rites allowed the use of gold vestments in place of white, red, and green. Medieval English uses showed much variation, but the predominant principle was use of the finest vestments, of whatever colour, on great feasts, and others on lesser days of importance.…
Read More