Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments

Historical Details

• Congregation of the Discipline of the Sacraments
  • Latin Name: de Disciplina Sacramentorum
  • Established: 29 June 1908
  • Curial Office
  • Roman Curia

• Congregation for Sacraments and Divine Worship
  • Latin Name: pro Sacramentis divinoque Cultu
  • United: 11 July 1975
  • Curial Office
  • Roman Curia

• Congregation of the Sacraments
  • Latin Name: de Sacramentis
  • Split: 5 April 1984
  • Curial Office
  • Roman Curia

• Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
  • Latin Name: de Cultu Divino et Disciplina Sacramentorum
  • United: 28 June 1988
  • Curial Office
  • Roman Curia
  • Description: does whatever pertains to the Apostolic See concerning the regulation and promotion of the sacred liturgy, primarily of the sacraments, without prejudice to the competence of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. (Pastor Bonus, 62)

Past and Present Ordinaries

• Domenico Ferrata † (26 Oct 1908 Appointed - 2 Jan 1914 Appointed, Secretary of the Congregation of the Holy Office)
• Filippo Giustini † (14 Oct 1914 Appointed - 18 Mar 1920 Died)
• Michele Lega † (20 Mar 1920 Appointed - 16 Dec 1935 Died)
• Domenico Jorio † (20 Dec 1935 Appointed - 21 Oct 1954 Died)
• Benedetto Aloisi Masella † (27 Oct 1954 Appointed - 11 Jan 1968 Retired)
• Francesco Carpino † (7 Apr 1967 Appointed - 26 Jun 1967 Appointed, Archbishop of Palermo)
• Francis John Brennan † (15 Jan 1968 Appointed - 2 Jul 1968 Died)
• Antonio Samorè † (1 Nov 1968 Appointed - 25 Jan 1974 Appointed, Archivist of the Vatican Secret Archive)
• James Robert Knox † (25 Jan 1974 Appointed - 4 Aug 1981 Appointed, President of the Pontifical Council for the Family)
• Giuseppe Casoria † (24 Aug 1981 Appointed - 8 Apr 1984 Retired)
• Paul Augustin Mayer, O.S.B. † (8 Apr 1984 Appointed - 1 Jul 1988 Resigned)
• Eduardo Martínez Somalo † (1 Jul 1988 Appointed - 21 Jan 1992 Appointed, Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life)
• Antonio María Javierre Ortas, S.D.B. † (24 Jan 1992 Appointed - 21 Jun 1996 Retired)
• Jorge Arturo Augustin Medina Estévez † (21 Jun 1996 Appointed - 1 Oct 2002 Retired)
• Francis Arinze (1 Oct 2002 Appointed - 2 Apr 2005 Ceased)
• Antonio Cañizares Llovera (9 Dec 2008 Appointed - 28 Feb 2013 Ceased)
• Robert Sarah (24 Nov 2014 Appointed - 20 Feb 2021 Retired)
• Arthur Roche (27 May 2021 Appointed - 21 Apr 2025 Ceased)

Historical Summary

Affiliated Bishops, Living

• Francis Arinze (Prefect: 1 Oct 2002 to 2 Apr 2005)
• Antonio Cañizares Llovera (Prefect: 9 Dec 2008 to 28 Feb 2013)
• Joseph Augustine Di Noia, O.P. (Secretary: 16 Jun 2009 to 26 Jun 2012)
• Aurelio García Macías (Under Secretary: 27 May 2021 - )
• Corrado Maggioni, S.M.M. (Under Secretary: 5 Nov 2014 to 13 Sep 2021)
• Krzysztof Marcjanowicz (Under Secretary: 31 Jan 2023)
• Albert Malcolm Ranjith Patabendige Don (Secretary: 10 Dec 2005 to 16 Jun 2009)
• Arthur Roche (Secretary: 26 Jun 2012; Prefect: 27 May 2021 to 21 Apr 2025)
• Robert Sarah (Prefect: 24 Nov 2014 to 20 Feb 2021)
• Domenico Sorrentino (Secretary: 2 Aug 2003 to 19 Nov 2005)
• Francesco Pio Tamburrino, O.S.B. (Secretary: 27 Apr 1999 to 2 Aug 2003)
• Vittorio Francesco Viola, O.F.M. (Secretary: 27 May 2021 - )

  ---

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

• Geraldo Majella Agnelo † (Secretary: 16 Sep 1991 to 13 Jan 1999)
• Benedetto Aloisi Masella † (Prefect: 27 Oct 1954 to 11 Jan 1968)
• Francesco Bracci † (Secretary: 30 Dec 1935 to 15 Dec 1958)
• Francis John Brennan † (Prefect: 15 Jan 1968 to 2 Jul 1968)
• Luigi Capotosti † (Secretary: 8 Jun 1914 to 21 Jun 1926)
• Francesco Carpino † (Pro-Prefect: 7 Apr 1967 to 26 Jun 1967)
• Giuseppe Casoria † (Secretary: 9 Apr 1969 to 2 Feb 1973; Pro-Prefect: 24 Aug 1981; Prefect: 3 Feb 1983 to 8 Apr 1984)
• Luigi Dadaglio † (Secretary: 4 Oct 1980 to 8 Apr 1984)
• Domenico Ferrata † (Prefect: 26 Oct 1908 to 2 Jan 1914)
• Filippo Giustini † (Secretary: 20 Oct 1908; Prefect: 14 Oct 1914 to 18 Mar 1920)
• Antonio Innocenti † (Secretary: 26 Feb 1973 to 4 Oct 1980)
• Antonio María Javierre Ortas, S.D.B. † (Prefect: 24 Jan 1992 to 21 Jun 1996)
• Domenico Jorio † (Secretary: 5 Jan 1928; Prefect: 20 Dec 1935 to 21 Oct 1954)
• Lajos Kada † (Secretary: 8 Apr 1984 to 22 Aug 1991)
• James Robert Knox † (Prefect: 25 Jan 1974 to 4 Aug 1981)
• Michele Lega † (Prefect: 20 Mar 1920 to 16 Dec 1935)
• Eduardo Martínez Somalo † (Prefect: 1 Jul 1988 to 21 Jan 1992)
• Paul Augustin Mayer, O.S.B. † (Pro-Prefect: 8 Apr 1984; Prefect: 27 May 1985 to 1 Jul 1988)
• Jorge Arturo Augustin Medina Estévez † (Pro-Prefect: 21 Jun 1996; Prefect: 23 Feb 1998 to 1 Oct 2002)
• Virgilio Noè † (Official: 30 Jan 1982 to 24 May 1989)
• Antonio Samorè † (Prefect: 1 Nov 1968 to 25 Jan 1974)
• Giacomo Violardo † (Secretary: 26 Jan 1965 to 28 Apr 1969)
• Cesare Zerba † (Secretary: 18 Dec 1958 to 22 Feb 1965)

Source(s)

Home | Countries | Religious Men Women | Popes | Holy See | Roman Curia | Cardinals by Rank Bishops: All | Living | Deceased | Youngest | Oldest | Cardinal Electors Dioceses: All | Current Only | Titular | Vacant | Structured View Events: Overview | Recent | by Date | by Year | Necrology Ad Limina | Conclaves | Consistories | Councils Eastern Catholic Churches
About Catholic-Hierarchy		Terminology/Site Help
		Copyright David M. Cheney, 1996-2025 Code: web_d, v3.4.9, 15 Sep 2024; Data: 23 Aug 2025

✠