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122. 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.
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.
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 he
passage of time.
Wherefore it has pleased the Fathers to issue the following decrees on
these matters.
123. 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. 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.
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.
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. 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. 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.
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. 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.
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.
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. 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.
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. 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. It is fitting that the use of pontificals be reserved to those
ecclesiastical persons who have episcopal rank or some particular
jurisdiction.
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