Section I: Of Sacred Places

Sacred places are those which are deputed to divine worship or to the burial of the faithful by the consecration or blessing which approved liturgical books prescribe for this.

§ 1. The consecration of any place, although belonging to regulars, pertains to the Ordinary of the territory in which the place itself is found, provided that the Ordinary is marked by episcopal character, but not to the Vicar General without a special mandate, with the right of Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church to consecrate the church and altars of their title remaining firm.

§ 2. The Ordinary of the territory, although he lacks episcopal character, can give permission to any Bishop of the same rite to perform consecrations in his territory.

The right of blessing a sacred place, if this belongs to the secular clergy or to a non-exempt religion, or to a lay one, pertains to the Ordinary of the territory in which the place is found; if to an exempt clerical religion, to the major Superior; but either can delegate another priest for this.

Notwithstanding any privilege, no one can consecrate or bless a sacred place without the consent of the Ordinary.

Concerning a consecration or blessing that has been performed, a document is to be drawn up, of which one copy is to be preserved in the episcopal Curia, the other in the archive of the church.

§ 1. The consecration or blessing of any place, provided that no harm is done to anyone, is sufficiently proved even by one witness above every exception.

§ 2. If it is legitimately established concerning it, neither the consecration nor the blessing can be repeated; in doubt, however, it is to be performed as a precaution.

Sacred places are exempt from the jurisdiction of civil authority, and in them the legitimate authority of the Church freely exercises its jurisdiction.