Religion: Latin Me That

The Church of Rome conducts its official worship in the ancient Latin language of the Eternal City. To Protestant Christians, who believe that prayer should be in a language that the people understand, the use of Latin in liturgy has long been one of the lesser bars to church reunion. Many Roman Catholics also agree that there is too much Latin in the Mass; the Vatican is aswarm with requests from bishops for permission to have at least the parts of the Mass addressed to the congregation (such as the Epistle and the Gospel) read in the vernacular. But Latin, it seems, is here to stay.

In a special message celebrating the 50th birthday of Rome’s Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music, Pope.’John XXIII noted that “it is a duty to make sure that the Latin language maintains its regal sceptre and its noble dominion in all solemn liturgy.” The Pope encouraged the use of good popular hymns in the vernacular at non-solemn liturgical functions. But Latin, he added, “is permanently connected with the sacred melodies of the Church of Rome, and is a clear and splendid symbol of unity . . . It must continue to maintain its sovereign position to which it has every right.”