Liturgical use of Latin is the practice of performingChristian liturgy inEcclesiastical Latin, typically in theliturgical rites of theLatin Church.

The use of liturgical Latin inWestern Christianity began in North Africa around the late second century underPope Victor I, who introduced Latin alongside the existing liturgical use ofKoine Greek. In the following centuries, Latin increasingly supplanted Greek inRoman liturgies because Latin was avernacular language understood by the congregation. In the seventh century, there was a short-lived return to Greek liturgy, likely due to immigrants from theEast, but Latin was soon reestablished as the Roman liturgical language. Over time, as vernacular languages drifted further from Latin, the use of Latin came to be understood in terms of its role as asacred language.^[1]

Although Catholic scholars had discussed a shift to vernacular languages beforehand,^[2] the 16th-century ProtestantReformation championed the cause of vernacular liturgy and linked it to anti-Catholic sentiments.^[3] In response, the Catholic Church'sCouncil of Trent, while not condemning vernacular liturgy in principle, discouraged its indiscriminate use and defended Latin's suitability for worship.^[3][4] After the council's conclusion,Pope Pius V codified and widely mandated the use of revisedliturgical books of the Roman Rite that continued the tradition of Latin-only ritual.

Latin persisted in use in someProtestant liturgies following theReformation, which had generally valued the use of vernacular liturgies. TheChurch of England's1549Book of Common Prayer was translated into Latin for mostly academic purposes but there was some liturgical usage of that translation among Irish priests who knew onlyGaelic and Latin. The practice of translatingAnglican liturgy into Latin translations continued with the1662 prayer book,^[5][6] as well as the1979Book of Common Prayer of theEpiscopal Church in theUnited States.^[7]

Calls for vernacular liturgy were a hallmark of the condemnedJansenist movement of the 17th century. Although the question of vernacular liturgy for Latin-derivedRomance languages remained contentious,Pope Paul V and subsequent pontiffs authorized limited use of the vernacular in mission territories, including inChina,Georgia, and modern-dayMontreal.^[3][8] InDalmatia and parts ofIstria, the liturgy was celebrated inChurch Slavonic in lieu of Latin, and authorization for use of this language was extended to some other Slavic regions between 1886 and 1935.^[9][10]

Pope John XXIII was a strong proponent of the value of Latin for the liturgy and the entire church. In 1962, he released anencyclical entitledVeterum Sapientia in which he praised Latin for its impartiality, universality, immutability, formative value, historicity, and dignity as an elevated, non-vernacular language.^[11] Later that year, he opened theSecond Vatican Council, which, after John XXIII's death, was continued by his successor,Pope Paul VI. The council, while affirming the primacy of Latin, allowed limited use of the vernacular in its 1963Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (Sacrosanctum Concilium). In 1964, theSacred Congregation of Rites, in implementation of the constitution, authorizedepiscopal conferences to prepare liturgical books with vernacular translations of many parts of the Mass.^[12]

Beginning in 1970, theliturgical books of the Roman Rite were completely revised. This revision included permission to celebrate all rituals entirely in vernacular languages in accord with approved translations of the authoritative Latin texts. These texts allow for theMass of Paul VI to be celebrated in Latin.^[13]

In 1988,Pope John Paul II, in the apostolic letterEcclesia Dei, permitted bishops to authorize the celebration of the pre-conciliar LatinTridentine Mass for groups that requested it. In 2007,Pope Benedict XVI promulgated the apostolic letterSummorum Pontificum which gave broad permission to use the pre-1970s reform Latin-language liturgical books. In 2021,Pope Francis restricted the scope of these permissions with his apostolic letterTraditionis custodes.

In theRoman Rite of theLatin Church, Latin is the language in which thetypical editions of theliturgical books are promulgated. The typical editions are those on which all vernacular translations must be based.^[14]

Even when the primary language of the mass is a vernacular, certain invariable parts of the mass are sometimes recited or sung in Latin, including theGloria,Credo,Sanctus,Pater Noster, andAgnus Dei.^[15]

In 2004, theCongregation for Divine Worship affirmed thatpriests are always permitted to celebrate mass in Latin outside of scheduled vernacular masses.^[16]

Catholic groups that identify as Traditionalist continue to make use of older liturgical books that prescribe rituals predominantly in Latin.^[17]

• Quotations related toLiturgical use of Latin at Wikiquote

• 2nd-century establishments
• Latin language
• Traditionalist Catholicism
• Latin liturgical rites
• Tridentine Mass

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