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SACRED CONGREGATION for DIVINE WORSHIP (December 7, 1972)	SACRA CONGREGATIO PRO CULTU DIVINO

Prot. no. 1501/72 DECREE	Prot. n. 1501/72 DECRETUM

WHEN the Church cares for the sick, it serves Christ himself in the suffering members of his Mystical Body. When it follows the example of the Lord Jesus, who “went about doing good and healing all” (Acts 10:38), the Church obeys his command to care for the sick (see Mark 16:18).	Infirmis cum Ecclesia adhibet curas, Christo ipsi deservit in Corporis mystici membris dolentibus, atque, exemplum Domini lesu secuta, qui « pertransivit benefaciendo et sanando omnes »(Act. 10, 38) eius mandato aegros curandi (cf. Mc. 16,18) oboedit.
The Church shows this solicitude not only by visiting those who are in poor health but also by raising them up through the sacrament of anointing and by nourishing them with the eucharist during their illness and when they are in danger of death. Finally, the Church offers prayers for the sick to commend them to God, especially in the last crisis of life.	Quam quidem sollicitudinem Ecclesia ostendit non solum adversa valetudine laborantes invisendo, sed etiam allevando per sacramentum Unctionis, et Eucharistiae sacralnento sive per tempus, quo morbo tenentur, sive cum in mortis periculo versantur reficiendo, ac denique pro iis preces fundendo, quibus eosdem, praesertim in ultimo vitae discrimine positos, Deo commendat.
To make the meaning of the sacrament of anointing clearer and more evident, Vatican Council II decreed: “The number of the anointings is to be adapted to the circumstances; the prayers that belong to the rite of anointing are to be so revised that they correspond to the varying conditions of the sick who receive the sacrament.”(Vat.II, Const. Liturgy, a.75: AAS 56 (1964) 119)	Ut autem sacramenti Unclionis significatio apertior redderetur magisque perspicua, Concilium Vaticanum II haec statuit: « Unctionum numerus pro opportunitate accommodetur, et orationes ad ritum Unctionis infirmorum pertinentes ita recognoscantur, ut respondeant variis condicionibus infirmorum, qui Sacramentum suscipiunt », '
THE Council also directed that a continuous rite be prepared according to which the sick person is anointed after the sacrament of penance and before receiving viaticum. (ibid., a.74: AAS 119)	praecepitque, ut conficeretur Ordo continuus secundum quem Unctio aegroto conferretur post confessionem et ante receptionem Viatici.2
In the Apostolic Constitution Sacram Unctionem infirmorum of 30 November 1972, Pope Paul VI established a new sacramental form of anointing and approved the Ordo Unctionis infirmorum eorumque pastoralis curae. The Congregation for Divine Worship prepared this rite and now issues it, declaring this to be the editio typica so that it may replace the pertinent sections that are now in the Roman Ritual.	Summus igitur Pontifex Paulus VI novam formulam sacramentalem Unctionis per Constitutionem Apostolicam Sacram Unctionem infirmorum die 30 novembris 1972 editam statuit, necnon Ordinem Unctionis infirmorum eorumque pastoralis curae approbavit, quem Sacra Congregatio pro Cultu Divino apparavit et nunc emittit, eius editionem typicam esse declarans, ut is pro titulis huc spectantibus, qui in Rituali Romano usque adhuc vigente exstant, substitueretur.
Anything to the contrary notwithstanding.

GENERAL INTRODUCTION I. HUMAN SICKNESS and its MEANING in the MYSTERY of SALVATION	[PRÆNOTANDA] 1. DE INFIRMITATE HUMANA EIUSQUE SIGNIFICATIONE IN MYSTERIO SALUTIS.

1. SUFFERING and illness have always been among the greatest problems that trouble the human spirit. Christians feel and experience pain as do all other people; yet their faith helps them to grasp more deeply the mystery of suffering and to bear their pain with greater courage. From Christ’s words they know that sickness has meaning and value for their own salvation and for the salvation of the world. They also know that Christ, who during his life often visited and healed the sick, loves them in their illness.	1. Hominum dolores atque infirmitates inter maximas semper habita sunt difficultates, quae eorum conscientiam angerent. Qui vero christianam fidem profitentur, etsi eadem sentiunt et experiuntur, fidei tamen lumine adiuvantur quo altius doloris mysterium percipiant et fortius dolores ipsos perpetiantur. Non solum enim noverunt ex verbis Christi quid pro sua et etiam pro mundi salute infirmitas significet et valeat, sed haud ignorant se infirmos ab ipso Christo diligi, qui in vita sua pluries aegrotos invisit atque sanavit.

2. ALTHOUGH closely linked with the human condition, sickness cannot as a general rule be regarded as a punishment inflicted on each individual for personal sins (cf Jn 9:3). Christ himself, who is without sin, in fulfilling the words of Isaiah took on all the wounds of his passion and shared in all human pain (see Isaiah 53:4-5). Christ is still pained and tormented in his members, made like him. Still, our afflictions seem but momentary and slight when compared to the greatness of the eternal glory for which they prepare us (cf 2 Cor. 4:17).	2. Infirmitas, etsi arcte cum hominis peccatoris condicione conexa, quasi poena plerumque haberi non potest, quae singulis pro peccatis propriis infligatur (cf. Io. 9, 3). Ipse insuper Christus, qui est sine peccato, adimplens quae in Isaia propheta scripta sunt, quaevis in Passione sua vulnera tulit et omnibus hominum doloribus communicavit (cf. Is. 53, 4-5); quin etiam adhuc in membris suis sibi configuratis cruciatur et angitur, quando nos dura patimur; quae tamen momentanea et etiam levia videntur, si referantur ad aeternae gloriae pondus, quod operantur in nobis (cf. 2 Cor 4,17)

3. PART of the plan laid out by God’s providence is that we should fight strenuously against all sickness and carefully seek the blessings of good health, so that we may fulfill our role in human society and in the Church. Yet we should always be prepared to fill up what is lacking in Christ’s sufferings for the salvation of the world as we look forward to creation’s being set free in the glory of the children of God (cf. Col. 1:24; Rom.8:19-21).	3. Est in ipsa divinae providentiae dispensatione positum, ut 2928 homo contra quamvis infirmitatem strenue pugnet et bonum etiam sanitatis sollicita cura quaerat, ut in humana societate et in Ecclesia officio suo fungi possit, dummodo paratus semper inveniatur ad ea implenda quae desunt passionum Christi pro mundi salute, exspectans liberationem ipsius creaturae in gloria filiorum Dei (cf. Col. 1, 24; Rom. 8,19-21).
Moreover, the role of the sick in the Church is to be a reminder to others of the essential or higher things. By their witness the sick show that our mortal life must be redeemed through the mystery of Christ’s death and resurrection.	Insuper in Ecclesia infirmorum officium est testimonio suo tum ceteros monere ne rerum essentialium vel supernarum obliviscantur, tum ostendere vitam hominum mortalem per mysterium mortis et resurrectionis Christi redimendam esse.

4. THE sick person is not the only one who should fight against illness. Doctors and all who are devoted in any way to caring for the sick should consider it their duty to use all the means which in their judgment may help the sick, both physically and spiritually. In so doing, they are fulfilling the command of Christ to visit the sick, for Christ implied that those who visit the sick should be concerned for the whole person and offer both physical relief and spiritual comfort.	4. Nec infirmum tantum decet contra infirmitatem pugnare, sed medici etiam et omnes qui infirmorum quovis modo sunt addicti, ea omnia sibi facienda vel temptanda vel experienda considerent, quae infirmorum animis corporibusque allevandis prodesse videan[14]tur; haec enim facientes, verbum illud Christi adimplent quo ipse infirmos visitandos mandavit, quasi diceret totum hominem visitantibus esse commissum, ut et physicis adiuvarent subsidiis et spiritali confortatione reficerent.

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