Chalcogenide glasses doped with various rare-earth ions are extensively studied as potential materials for fiber optic amplifiers operating at 1.3 and 1.5 μm telecommunication windows. The experimental results on optical absorption and photoluminescence of arsenic sulfide glasses and optical fibers doped with rare-earth elements (Pr³⁺, Sm³⁺, Er ³⁺ and Dy³⁺) are presented. Near the absorption edge the rare-earth impurities affect strongly the slope and the magnitude of the week absorption tail. Fluorescence spectra of bulk samples and optical fibers of arsenic sulfide doped with different concentrations of Pr³⁺ and Dy³⁺ indicate on the presence of luminescent band located around 1.3 and 1.5 μm. These bands correspond to the electron transitions from the discrete levels (⁶F_7/2→⁶H_13/2 and ⁶F_5/2→⁶H_11/2 for Dy ³⁺ and ¹G_4/1→³H₆ and ³F₃→³H₄ for Pr³⁺, respectively), and which confirmed the presence of trivalent rare-earth ions in the glass matrix. The observed effects of rare-earth dopants on the As ₂S₃ glass are discussed in connection with the expected behavior of the impurities in the glass.