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Title: |
Divini Cultus Sanctitatem
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Descr.: |
The Holiness Of Divine Worship
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Pope: |
Pope Pius XI
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Date: |
December 20, 1928
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Venerable
Brethren, Health and the Apostolic Blessing.
Since
the Church has received from Christ her Founder the office of
safeguarding the sanctity of divine worship, it is certainly
incumbent upon her, while leaving intact the substance of the
Sacrifice and the sacraments, to prescribe ceremonies, rites,
formulae, prayers and chant for the proper regulation of that
august public ministry, whose special name is "Liturgy",
as being the eminently sacred action.
For
the liturgy is indeed a sacred thing, since by it we are raised to
God and united to Him, thereby professing our faith and our deep
obligation to Him for the benefits we have received and the help
of which we stand in constant need. There is thus a close
connection between dogma and the sacred liturgy, and between
Christian worship and the sanctification of the faithful. Hence
Pope Celestine I saw the standard of faith expressed in the sacred
formulae of the liturgy. "The rule of our faith," he
says, "is indicated by the law of our worship. When those who
are set over the Christian people fulfill the function committed
to them, they plead the cause of the human race in the sight of
God's clemency, and pray and supplicate in conjunction with the
whole Church."
These
public prayers, called at first "the work of God" and
later "the divine office" or the daily "debt"
which man owes to God, used to be offered both day and night in
the presence of a great concourse of the faithful. From the
earliest times the simple chants which graced the sacred prayers
and the liturgy gave a wonderful impulse to the piety of the
people. History tells us how in the ancient basilicas, where
bishop, clergy and people alternately sang the divine praises, the
liturgical chant played no small part in converting many
barbarians to Christianity and civilization. It was in the
churches that heretics came to understand more fully the meaning
of the communion of saints; thus the Emperor Valens, an Arian,
being present at Mass celebrated by St. Basil, was overcome by an
extraordinary seizure and fainted. At Milan, St. Ambrose was
accused by heretics of attracting the crowds by means of
liturgical chants. It was due to these that St. Augustine made up
his mind to become a Christian. It was in the churches, finally,
where practically the whole city formed a great joint choir, that
the workers, builders, artists, sculptors and writers gained from
the liturgy that deep knowledge of theology which is now so
apparent in the monuments of the Middle Ages.
No
wonder, then, that the Roman Pontiffs have been so solicitous to
safeguard and protect the liturgy. They have used the same care in
making laws for the regulation of the liturgy, in preserving it
from adulteration, as they have in giving accurate expression to
the dogmas of the faith. This is the reason why the Fathers made
both spoken and written commentary upon the liturgy or "the
law of worship"; for this reason the Council of Trent
ordained that the liturgy should be expounded and explained to the
faithful.
In
our times too, the chief object of Pope Pius X, in the Motu
Proprio which he issued twenty-five years ago, making certain
prescriptions concerning Gregorian Chant and sacred music, was to
arouse and foster a Christian spirit in the faithful, by wisely
excluding all that might ill befit the sacredness and majesty of
our churches. The faithful come to church in order to derive piety
from its chief source, by taking an active part in the venerated
mysteries and the public solemn prayers of the Church. It is of
the utmost importance, therefore, that anything that is used to
adorn the liturgy should be controlled by the Church, so that the
arts may take their proper place as most noble ministers in sacred
worship. Far from resulting in a loss to art, such an arrangement
will certainly make for the greater splendor and dignity of the
arts that are used in the Church. This has been especially true of
sacred music. Wherever the regulations on this subject have been
carefully observed, a new life has been given to this delightful
art, and the spirit of religion has prospered; the faithful have
gained a deeper understanding of the sacred liturgy, and have
taken part with greater zest in the ceremonies of the Mass, in the
singing of the psalms and the public prayers. Of this We Ourselves
had happy experience when, in the first year of Our Pontificate,
We celebrated solemn High Mass in the Vatican Basilica to the
noble accompaniment of a choir of clerics of all nationalities,
singing in Gregorian Chant.
It
is, however, to be deplored that these most wise laws in some
places have not been fully observed, and therefore their intended
results not obtained. We know that some have declared these laws,
though so solemnly promulgated, were not binding upon their
obedience. Others obeyed them at first, but have since come
gradually to give countenance to a type of music which should be
altogether banned from our churches. In some cases, especially
when the memory of some famous musician was being celebrated, the
opportunity has been taken of performing in church certain works
which, however excellent, should never have been performed there,
since they were entirely out of keeping with the sacredness of the
place and of the liturgy.
In
order to urge the clergy and faithful to a more scrupulous
observance of these laws and directions which are to be carefully
obeyed by the whole Church, We think it opportune to set down here
something of the fruits of Our experience during the last
twenty-five years. We celebrate not only the memory of the reform
of sacred music to which We have referred, but also the centenary
of the monk Guido of Arezzo. Nine hundred years ago Guido, at the
bidding of the Pope, came to Rome and produced his wonderful
invention, whereby the ancient and traditional chants might be
more easily published, circulated and preserved intact for
posterity - to the great benefit and glory of the Church and of
art.
It
was in the Lateran Palace that Gregory the Great, having made his
famous collection of the traditional treasures of plainsong,
editing them with additions of his own, had wisely founded his
great Schola in order to perpetuate the true interpretation of the
liturgical chant. It was in the same building that the monk Guido
gave a demonstration of his marvelous invention before the Roman
clergy and the Roman Pontiff himself. The Pope, by his approbation
and high praise of it, was responsible for the gradual spread of
the new system throughout the whole world, and thus for the great
advantages that accrued therefrom to musical art in general.
We
wish, then, to make certain recommendations to the Bishops and
Ordinaries, whose duty it is, since they are the custodians of the
liturgy, to promote ecclesiastical art. We are thus acceding to
the requests which, as a result of many musical congresses and
especially that recently held at Rome, have been made to Us by not
a few Bishops and learned masters in the musical art. To these We
accord due meed of praise; and We ordain that the following
directions, as here-under set forth, with the practical methods
indicated, be put into effect.
All
those who aspire to the priesthood, whether in Seminaries or in
religious houses, from their earliest years are to be taught
Gregorian Chant and sacred music. At that age they are able more
easily to learn to sing, and to modify, if not entirely to
overcome, any defects in their voices, which in later years would
be quite incurable. Instruction in music and singing must be begun
in the elementary, and continued in the higher classes. In this
way, those who are about to receive sacred orders, having become
gradually experienced in chant, will be able during their
theological course quite easily to undertake the higher and
"aesthetic" study of plainsong and sacred music, of
polyphony and the organ, concerning which the clergy certainly
ought to have a thorough knowledge.
In
seminaries, and in other houses of study for the formation of the
clergy both secular and regular there should be a frequent and
almost daily lecture or practice - however short - in Gregorian
Chant and sacred music. If this is carried out in the spirit of
the liturgy, the students will find it a relief rather than a
burden to their minds, after the study of the more exacting
subjects. Thus a more complete education of both branches of the
clergy in liturgical music will result in the restoration to its
former dignity and splendor of the choral Office, a most important
part of divine worship; moreover, the scholae and choirs will be
invested again with their ancient glory.
Those
who are responsible for, and engaged in divine worship in
basilicas and cathedrals, in collegiate and conventual churches of
religious, should use all their endeavors to see that the choral
Office is carried out duly - i.e. in accordance with the
prescriptions of the Church. And this, not only as regards the
precept of reciting the divine Office "worthily, attentive
and devoutly," but also as regards the chant. In singing the
psalms attention should be paid to the right tone, with its
appropriate mediation and termination, and a suitable pause at the
asterisk; so that every verse of the psalms and every strophe of
the hymns may be sung by all in perfect time together. If this
were rightly observed, then all who worthily sing the psalms would
signify their unity of intention in worshipping God and, as one
side of the choir sings in answer to the other, would seem to
emulate the everlasting praise of the Seraphim who cried one to
the other "Holy, Holy, Holy."
Lest
anyone in future should invent easy excuses for exempting himself
from obedience to the laws of the Church, let every chapter and
religious community deal with these matters at meetings held for
the purpose; and just as formerly there used to be a
"Cantor" or director of the choir, so in future let one
be chosen from each chapter or choir of religious, whose duty it
will be to see that the rules of the liturgy and of choral chant
are observed and, both individually and generally, to correct the
faults of the choir. In this connection it should be observed
that, according to the ancient discipline of the Church and the
constitutions of chapters still in force, all those at least who
are bound to office in choir, are obliged to be familiar with
Gregorian Chant. And the Gregorian Chant which is to be used in
every church of whatever order, is the text which, revised
according to the ancient manuscripts, has been authentically
published by the Church from the Vatican Press.
We
wish here to recommend, to those whom it may concern, the
formation of choirs. These in the course of time came to replace
the ancient scholae and were established in the basilicas and
greater churches especially for the singing of polyphonic music.
Sacred polyphony, We may here remark, is rightly held second only
to Gregorian Chant. We are desirous, therefore, that such choirs,
as they flourished from the fourteenth to the sixteenth century,
should now also be created anew and prosper especially in churches
where the scale on which the liturgy is carried out demands a
greater number and a more careful selection of singers.
Choir-schools
for boys should be established not only for the greater churches
and cathedrals, but also for smaller parish churches. The boys
should be taught by the choirmaster to sing properly, so that, in
accordance with the ancient custom of the Church, they may sing in
the choir with the men, especially as in polyphonic music the
highest part, the cantus, ought to be sung by boys. Choir-boys,
especially in the sixteenth century, have given us masters of
polyphony: first and foremost among them, the great Palestrina.
As
We have learned that in some places an attempt is being made to
reintroduce a type of music which is not entirely in keeping with
the performance of the sacred Office, particularly owing to the
excessive use made of musical instruments, We hereby declare that
singing with orchestra accompaniment is not regarded by the Church
as a more perfect form of music or as more suitable for sacred
purposes. Voices, rather than instruments, ought to be heard in
the church: the voices of the clergy, the choir and the
congregation. Nor should it be deemed that the Church, in
preferring the human voice to any musical instrument, is
obstructing the progress of music; for no instrument, however
perfect, however excellent, can surpass the human voice in
expressing human thought, especially when it is used by the mind
to offer up prayer and praise to Almighty God.
The
traditionally appropriate musical instrument of the Church is the
organ, which, by reason of its extraordinary grandeur and majesty,
has been considered a worthy adjunct to the liturgy, whether for
accompanying the chant or, when the choir is silent, for playing
harmonious music at the prescribed times. But here too must be
avoided that mixture of the profane with the sacred which, through
the fault partly of organ-builders and partly of certain
performers who are partial to the singularities of modern music,
may result eventually in diverting this magnificent instrument
from the purpose for which it is intended. We wish, within the
limits prescribed by the liturgy, to encourage the development of
all that concerns the organ; but We cannot but lament the fact
that, as in the case of certain types of music which the Church
has rightly forbidden in the past, so now attempts are being made
to introduce a profane spirit into the Church by modern forms of
music; which forms, if they begin to enter in, the Church would
likewise be bound to condemn. Let our churches resound with
organ-music that gives expression to the majesty of the edifice
and breathes the sacredness of the religious rites; in this way
will the art both of those who build the organs and of those who
play them flourish afresh and render effective service to the
sacred liturgy.
In
order that the faithful may more actively participate in divine
worship, let them be made once more to sing the Gregorian Chant,
so far as it belongs to them to take part in it. It is most
important that when the faithful assist at the sacred ceremonies,
or when pious sodalities take part with the clergy in a
procession, they should not be merely detached and silent
spectators, but, filled with a deep sense of the beauty of the
liturgy, they should sing alternately with the clergy or the
choir, as it is prescribed. If this is done, then it will no
longer happen that the people either make no answer at all to the
public prayers - whether in the language of the liturgy or in the
vernacular - or at best utter the responses in a low and subdued
manner.
Let
the clergy, both secular and regular, under the lead of their
Bishops and Ordinaries devote their energies either directly, or
through other trained teachers, to instructing the people in the
liturgy and in music, as being matters closely associated with
Christian doctrine. This will be best effected by teaching
liturgical chant in schools, pious confraternities and similar
associations. Religious communities of men and women should devote
particular attention to the achievement of this purpose in the
various educational institutions committed to their care.
Moreover, We are confident that this object will be greatly
furthered by those societies which, under the control of
ecclesiastical authority, are striving to reform sacred music
according to the laws of the Church.
To
achieve all that We hope for in this matter numerous trained
teachers will be required. And in this connection We accord due
praise to all the Schools and Institutes throughout the Catholic
world, which by giving careful instruction in these subjects are
forming good and suitable teachers. But We have a special word of
commendation for the "Pontifical Higher School of Sacred
Music," founded in Rome in the year 1910. This School, which
was greatly encouraged by Pope Benedict XV and was by him endowed
with new privileges, is most particularly favored by Us; for We
regard it as a precious heritage left to Us by two Sovereign
Pontiffs, and We therefore wish to recommend it in a special way
to all the Bishops.
We
are well aware that the fulfillment of these injunctions will
entail great trouble and labor. But do we not all know how many
artistic works our forefathers, undaunted by difficulties, have
handed down to posterity, imbued as they were with pious zeal and
with the spirit of the liturgy? Nor is this to be wondered at; for
anything that is the fruit of the interior life of the Church
surpasses even the most perfect works of this world. Let the
difficulties of this sacred task, far from deterring, rather
stimulate and encourage the Bishops of the Church, who, by their
universal and unfailing obedience to Our behests, will render to
the Sovereign Bishop a service most worthy of their episcopal
office. All
which has been proclaimed by Us, we declare and sanction,
decreeing that this Apostolic Constitution is and remains always
of full value and efficacy... Let no one then break this
Constitution promulgated by Us, nor contradict it with rash
boldness. Given
at Rome, at St. Peter's, in the fiftieth anniversary of Our
priesthood, on the 20th day of December, 1928, in the seventh year
of Our Pontificate.
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