Now the language is completely extinct. Latin is no longer the mandatory first official language at the Vatican. This arose from a new set of rules for the administrative apparatus of the Catholic Papal States, which were implemented six months after the new state took office. Pope Leo XIV has been published. Article 50 of the Regolamento Generale now simply states: “The Curia authorities shall, as a rule, write their acts in Latin or another language.”
To this day, it is still stipulated that the authorities of the small Catholic states in the center of Rome “as a rule” must write their documents in Latin. However, at the same time, there is already the possibility of “using other, more common languages at the moment, depending on individual needs”. The most important working language Vatican is Italian.
There has always been debate about mass in Latin
Latin has lost its importance in the Catholic Church over the decades. Trade shows have long been held around the world in their respective national languages. There has always been debate within the church of its 1.4 billion adherents around the world about the ancient Mass in Latin.
Pope Benedict XVI’s death was also announced in Latin
At the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965), Latin was the only language permitted for debate. Papal legal texts no longer have to appear in Latin in the official Vatican gazette. On the other hand, papal teachings continued to be published in Latin. Current terms are also still being translated, for example climate change in climate mutatio.
Pope Leo speaks several languages
Today, official Vatican communications or papal speeches are generally published in English, Italian, Spanish, and French. German and Polish came into use after the death of Pope Benedict XVI. and John Paul II appears less frequently. Pope Leo XIV was the first Pope from America. He speaks English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and also Latin. His election in May was announced with the Latin words “Habemus papam”: “We have a Pope.”
