There were some doubts flying around regarding the geographical reach of the curial decision which allowed all faithful to anticipate their fast for the Vigil of Christmas (December 24) to the previous day (December 23).
I could not find the whole text of the instruction of the Sacred Congregation of the Council [Council of Trent, that is] online, but I found a very credible reference here, among other details of fast discipline:
I could not find the whole text of the instruction of the Sacred Congregation of the Council [Council of Trent, that is] online, but I found a very credible reference here, among other details of fast discipline:
The decree of December 3 (not 1st), 1959 -- published under John XXIII -- extends to all the faithful only the privilege, previously accorded to the faithful of France (Decree of August 27, 1957), of anticipating to December 23 the fast of the Vigil of Christmas of the following day. [Il decreto del 3 (e non del 1º) dicembre 1959 – sotto Giovanni XXIII – estende solamente a tutti i fedeli il privilegio accordato alla Francia (decreto del 27 agosto 1957) di anticipare cioè al 23 dicembre il digiuno della Vigilia di Natale fissato normalmente al giorno successivo]
The privilege was, therefore, accorded to all the faithful around the world (except it cannot be enjoyed by Sedevacantists, since it was issued by a "false pope"...).
