Decree Celebratio Baptismatis Domini

On the Celebration of the Baptism of the Lord

Issued 7 October 1977
Sacred Congregation of the Sacrements and Divine Worship

The celebration of the Baptism of the Lord has been given a place of honor through the reform of the General Roman Calendar, which has assigned it to the Sunday after Epiphany. This is meant to facilitate observance of the feast by the whole Christian community gathered together on that Sunday, since in the history of salvation and in the liturgical year this feast has highly important doctrinal, pastoral, and ecumenical dimensions.

But in places where the solemnity of the Epiphany is not a holyday of obligation and is therefore assigned to the Sunday falling between 2 January and 8 January, it often happens that the feast of the Baptism of the Lord coincides with the solemnity of the Epiphany and thus cannot be observed.

In consideration of many petitions on this point and with the approval of Pope Paul VI, this Congregation of the Sacraments and Divine Worship decrees:

In places where the solemnity of the Epiphany is to be transferred to the Sunday falling on 7 January or 8 January, with the result that the feast of the Baptism of the Lord would be omitted, this feast is to be transferred to the Monday immediately following that Sunday.

All things to the contrary notwithstanding.