Latin liturgy
Encyclopedia
A Latin
liturgy
is a ceremony
or ritual
conducted in the Latin language
. Generally, the term 'Latin liturgy' is used in conjunction with the Christian
religion
, and especially in association with a Catholic
Mass
, which may conducted in Latin or another language. If the Mass was conducted in Latin, it would be referred to as a Latin Mass
.
The Traditional (as opposed to the Novus Ordo) Latin Mass is also referred to as the Tridentine Mass
. However, the two terms are not interchangeable. The Tridentine Mass is so named because it is the form of Mass set down for the Church
after the Council of Trent
, a town
in northern Italy
, whose name
in Latin is "Tridentum". The Council lasted from 1545 to 1563, with intermissions. In September of 1562 the doctrine
of the Mass was determined. By decree of the Council, the actual reform
of the Mass rite
was left to the Pope
, then Pius IV, and his successors.
The term Latin Rite, or Roman Rite
, is also sometimes employed to refer to one or more of the forms of the Latin liturgy. The Catholic Encyclopedia
, New Advent Version, defines the Roman Rite as: "the manner of celebrating the Holy Sacrifice
, administering Sacraments, reciting the Divine Office
, and performing other ecclesiastical functions (blessings, all kinds of Sacramentals, etc.) as used in the city
and Diocese
of Rome
. The Roman Rite is the most widespread in Christendom
."
A liturgical form of this type generally has two components, a spoken element and a music
al element.
A translated segment of the Latin Mass (Novus Ordo but not the Tridentine) (the Introduction) follows:
Greeting:
Priest: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit
.
Congregation: Amen.
Greeting: (in Latin)
Priest: In nòmine Patris, et Fìlii,
et Spìritus Sancti.
Congregation: Amen.
Priest: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy
Spirit be with you all.
Congregation: And also with you.
Priest: (in Latin) Gràtia Dòmini nostri Jesu Christi,
et càritas Dei, et communicàtio Sancti Spìritus
sit cum òmnibus vobis.
Congregation: Et cum spiritu tuo.
in the Church. Numerous books and homilies have been written to address this issue, and it is one that is still in contention for many Roman Catholic Christians. Opinions range from employing an all-Latin ritual, an all-Greek ritual, an all-local-language ritual, or even a mix of these languages.
The use of the Latin Liturgy began to see diminished use in the latter half of the twentieth century as certain bishops and priests considered it more beneficial to conduct ceremonies in modern languages, so as to render the content of the liturgies more understandable by the congregations. Such a strategy contradicted the Vatican II document on the liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, which clearly states that Latin liturgy should be norm. Further, John XXIII's Apostolic Constitution, which carried the highest papal authority, affirmed the importance of Latin in the Church.
Many Churchgoers consider the use of Latin in the Church liturgy as having greater solemnity and inspirational qualities. The use of the Latin liturgy is currently experiencing a resurgence in many Catholic congregations, and various organizations are actively promoting this reform within the Church, such as Adoremus, Una Voce
and the Latin Liturgy Association.
Many consider Latin to be the Church's traditional language of worship
, and they espouse the use of this language in liturgy for various reasons. For example, they say that the consistent use of Latin in all countries, and across the centuries, can be considered a symbol
of Church unity. Also, many consider Latin to be a sacral
language, associated with the worship of God
. The use of a sacral language is a feature of many world religions: classical Arabic in Islam
, Sanskrit
in Hinduism
and Hebrew
in Judaism
. In addition, for many, the use of a sacral language lends solemnity and otherworldliness to religious proceedings; use of an original liturgical language can also be considered to overcome limitations of time
and of place, linking modern-day worshippers with their earlier counterparts. Finally, the proponents of Latin liturgy say that the use of Latin further enhances the rendering of certain liturgical music
of the Church, such as Gregorian chant
ing, which is also referred to as plain chant, or plain song.
No issues related to liturgical change have affected the Eastern Orthodox Church, which did not experience a reformation
. There have been no councils to modify form and music. The Eastern Church still consistently uses the early Christian forms and includes the use of the Greek language
consistently in its liturgical forms. This practice has contributed to a high level of uniformity in the liturgies offered in the Eastern Orthodox congregations.
, for he also went on to state that: "they will no longer be two opposing ways of being a Christian, but rather two riches which belong to the same Catholic faith
."
He then encouraged fellow Roman Catholics to not be overly concerned or worried about the existence of the two parallel liturgies by stating that "Such anxieties and fears must cease! If in the two forms of celebration the unity of the faith
and the unicity of the mystery
should appear clearly, that could only be a reason to rejoice and thank the Good Lord
. In the measure to which all of us believers live and act according to these motivations, we can also persuade the bishop
s that the presence of the old liturgy does not trouble or harm the unity of their diocese, but is rather a gift
destined to build up the Body
of Christ
, of which we are all the servants."
Cardinal Ratzinger's Speech on the Liturgy (full text):
Latin Liturgy Association: http://www.latinliturgy.com/
Una Voce: http://www.unavoce.org/
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
liturgy
Liturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
is a ceremony
Ceremony
A ceremony is an event of ritual significance, performed on a special occasion. The word may be of Etruscan origin.-Ceremonial occasions:A ceremony may mark a rite of passage in a human life, marking the significance of, for example:* birth...
or ritual
Ritual
A ritual is a set of actions, performed mainly for their symbolic value. It may be prescribed by a religion or by the traditions of a community. The term usually excludes actions which are arbitrarily chosen by the performers....
conducted in the Latin language
Language
Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
. Generally, the term 'Latin liturgy' is used in conjunction with the Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
, and especially in association with a Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
Mass
Mass
Mass can be defined as a quantitive measure of the resistance an object has to change in its velocity.In physics, mass commonly refers to any of the following three properties of matter, which have been shown experimentally to be equivalent:...
, which may conducted in Latin or another language. If the Mass was conducted in Latin, it would be referred to as a Latin Mass
Latin Mass
The term Latin Mass refers to the liturgy of the Roman Catholic Mass celebrated in Latin.The term is frequently used to denote the Tridentine Mass: that is, the Roman-Rite liturgy of the Mass celebrated in accordance with the successive editions of the Roman Missal published between 1570 and 1962...
.
The Traditional (as opposed to the Novus Ordo) Latin Mass is also referred to as the Tridentine Mass
Tridentine Mass
The Tridentine Mass is the form of the Roman Rite Mass contained in the typical editions of the Roman Missal that were published from 1570 to 1962. It was the most widely celebrated Mass liturgy in the world until the introduction of the Mass of Paul VI in December 1969...
. However, the two terms are not interchangeable. The Tridentine Mass is so named because it is the form of Mass set down for the Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
after the Council of Trent
Council of Trent
The Council of Trent was the 16th-century Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. It is considered to be one of the Church's most important councils. It convened in Trent between December 13, 1545, and December 4, 1563 in twenty-five sessions for three periods...
, a town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in northern Italy
Northern Italy
Northern Italy is a wide cultural, historical and geographical definition, without any administrative usage, used to indicate the northern part of the Italian state, also referred as Settentrione or Alta Italia...
, whose name
Name
A name is a word or term used for identification. Names can identify a class or category of things, or a single thing, either uniquely, or within a given context. A personal name identifies a specific unique and identifiable individual person, and may or may not include a middle name...
in Latin is "Tridentum". The Council lasted from 1545 to 1563, with intermissions. In September of 1562 the doctrine
Doctrine
Doctrine is a codification of beliefs or a body of teachings or instructions, taught principles or positions, as the body of teachings in a branch of knowledge or belief system...
of the Mass was determined. By decree of the Council, the actual reform
Reform movement
A reform movement is a kind of social movement that aims to make gradual change, or change in certain aspects of society, rather than rapid or fundamental changes...
of the Mass rite
Rite
A rite is an established, ceremonious, usually religious act. Rites in this sense fall into three major categories:* rites of passage, generally changing an individual's social status, such as marriage, baptism, or graduation....
was left to the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
, then Pius IV, and his successors.
The term Latin Rite, or Roman Rite
Roman Rite
The Roman Rite is the liturgical rite used in the Diocese of Rome in the Catholic Church. It is by far the most widespread of the Latin liturgical rites used within the Western or Latin autonomous particular Church, the particular Church that itself is also called the Latin Rite, and that is one of...
, is also sometimes employed to refer to one or more of the forms of the Latin liturgy. The Catholic Encyclopedia
Encyclopedia
An encyclopedia is a type of reference work, a compendium holding a summary of information from either all branches of knowledge or a particular branch of knowledge....
, New Advent Version, defines the Roman Rite as: "the manner of celebrating the Holy Sacrifice
Sacrifice
Sacrifice is the offering of food, objects or the lives of animals or people to God or the gods as an act of propitiation or worship.While sacrifice often implies ritual killing, the term offering can be used for bloodless sacrifices of cereal food or artifacts...
, administering Sacraments, reciting the Divine Office
Liturgy of the hours
The Liturgy of the Hours or Divine Office is the official set of daily prayers prescribed by the Catholic Church to be recited at the canonical hours by the clergy, religious orders, and laity. The Liturgy of the Hours consists primarily of psalms supplemented by hymns and readings...
, and performing other ecclesiastical functions (blessings, all kinds of Sacramentals, etc.) as used in the city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
and Diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. The Roman Rite is the most widespread in Christendom
Christendom
Christendom, or the Christian world, has several meanings. In a cultural sense it refers to the worldwide community of Christians, adherents of Christianity...
."
A liturgical form of this type generally has two components, a spoken element and a music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
al element.
A translated segment of the Latin Mass (Novus Ordo but not the Tridentine) (the Introduction) follows:
Greeting:
Priest: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit
Trinitarian formula
The trinitarian formula is the phrase "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit" , or words to that form and effect referring to the three persons of the Christian Trinity.- Biblical origin :...
.
Congregation: Amen.
Greeting: (in Latin)
Priest: In nòmine Patris, et Fìlii,
et Spìritus Sancti.
Congregation: Amen.
Priest: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy
Spirit be with you all.
Congregation: And also with you.
Priest: (in Latin) Gràtia Dòmini nostri Jesu Christi,
et càritas Dei, et communicàtio Sancti Spìritus
sit cum òmnibus vobis.
Congregation: Et cum spiritu tuo.
Words of dissent
The language used in the liturgy has often been a source of spirited debateDebate
Debate or debating is a method of interactive and representational argument. Debate is a broader form of argument than logical argument, which only examines consistency from axiom, and factual argument, which only examines what is or isn't the case or rhetoric which is a technique of persuasion...
in the Church. Numerous books and homilies have been written to address this issue, and it is one that is still in contention for many Roman Catholic Christians. Opinions range from employing an all-Latin ritual, an all-Greek ritual, an all-local-language ritual, or even a mix of these languages.
The use of the Latin Liturgy began to see diminished use in the latter half of the twentieth century as certain bishops and priests considered it more beneficial to conduct ceremonies in modern languages, so as to render the content of the liturgies more understandable by the congregations. Such a strategy contradicted the Vatican II document on the liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, which clearly states that Latin liturgy should be norm. Further, John XXIII's Apostolic Constitution, which carried the highest papal authority, affirmed the importance of Latin in the Church.
Many Churchgoers consider the use of Latin in the Church liturgy as having greater solemnity and inspirational qualities. The use of the Latin liturgy is currently experiencing a resurgence in many Catholic congregations, and various organizations are actively promoting this reform within the Church, such as Adoremus, Una Voce
Una Voce
Una Voce is an international federation of Catholic lay organizations attached to the Tridentine Mass....
and the Latin Liturgy Association.
Many consider Latin to be the Church's traditional language of worship
Worship
Worship is an act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity. The word is derived from the Old English worthscipe, meaning worthiness or worth-ship — to give, at its simplest, worth to something, for example, Christian worship.Evelyn Underhill defines worship thus: "The absolute...
, and they espouse the use of this language in liturgy for various reasons. For example, they say that the consistent use of Latin in all countries, and across the centuries, can be considered a symbol
Symbol
A symbol is something which represents an idea, a physical entity or a process but is distinct from it. The purpose of a symbol is to communicate meaning. For example, a red octagon may be a symbol for "STOP". On a map, a picture of a tent might represent a campsite. Numerals are symbols for...
of Church unity. Also, many consider Latin to be a sacral
Sacred
Holiness, or sanctity, is in general the state of being holy or sacred...
language, associated with the worship of God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
. The use of a sacral language is a feature of many world religions: classical Arabic in Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
in Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
and Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
in Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
. In addition, for many, the use of a sacral language lends solemnity and otherworldliness to religious proceedings; use of an original liturgical language can also be considered to overcome limitations of time
Time
Time is a part of the measuring system used to sequence events, to compare the durations of events and the intervals between them, and to quantify rates of change such as the motions of objects....
and of place, linking modern-day worshippers with their earlier counterparts. Finally, the proponents of Latin liturgy say that the use of Latin further enhances the rendering of certain liturgical music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
of the Church, such as Gregorian chant
Gregorian chant
Gregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainchant, a form of monophonic liturgical music within Western Christianity that accompanied the celebration of Mass and other ritual services...
ing, which is also referred to as plain chant, or plain song.
No issues related to liturgical change have affected the Eastern Orthodox Church, which did not experience a reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
. There have been no councils to modify form and music. The Eastern Church still consistently uses the early Christian forms and includes the use of the Greek language
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
consistently in its liturgical forms. This practice has contributed to a high level of uniformity in the liturgies offered in the Eastern Orthodox congregations.
Opinion of the pope
Regarding the parallel use of two liturgical languages in the Roman Catholic Church, the then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger noted in a speech concerning the liturgy he gave in 1998 that, "the Council did ordain a reform of the liturgical books, but it did not forbid the previous books." His position is apparently to allow for both the new and the old liturgies to co-exist within the Church, with the approval of the VaticanHoly See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
, for he also went on to state that: "they will no longer be two opposing ways of being a Christian, but rather two riches which belong to the same Catholic faith
Faith
Faith is confidence or trust in a person or thing, or a belief that is not based on proof. In religion, faith is a belief in a transcendent reality, a religious teacher, a set of teachings or a Supreme Being. Generally speaking, it is offered as a means by which the truth of the proposition,...
."
He then encouraged fellow Roman Catholics to not be overly concerned or worried about the existence of the two parallel liturgies by stating that "Such anxieties and fears must cease! If in the two forms of celebration the unity of the faith
Faith
Faith is confidence or trust in a person or thing, or a belief that is not based on proof. In religion, faith is a belief in a transcendent reality, a religious teacher, a set of teachings or a Supreme Being. Generally speaking, it is offered as a means by which the truth of the proposition,...
and the unicity of the mystery
Sacred Mysteries
The term sacred mysteries generally denotes the area of supernatural phenomena associated with a divinity or a religious ideology.-Pre-Christian religious mysteries:...
should appear clearly, that could only be a reason to rejoice and thank the Good Lord
Lord
Lord is a title with various meanings. It can denote a prince or a feudal superior . The title today is mostly used in connection with the peerage of the United Kingdom or its predecessor countries, although some users of the title do not themselves hold peerages, and use it 'by courtesy'...
. In the measure to which all of us believers live and act according to these motivations, we can also persuade the bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
s that the presence of the old liturgy does not trouble or harm the unity of their diocese, but is rather a gift
Gift
A gift or a present is the transfer of something without the expectation of receiving something in return. Although gift-giving might involve an expectation of reciprocity, a gift is meant to be free. In many human societies, the act of mutually exchanging money, goods, etc. may contribute to...
destined to build up the Body
Body
With regard to living things, a body is the physical body of an individual. "Body" often is used in connection with appearance, health issues and death...
of Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
, of which we are all the servants."
External links
Adoremus: http://www.adoremus.org/Cardinal Ratzinger's Speech on the Liturgy (full text):
- http://www.latin-liturgy.org.uk/News/RatzingerArticle.html
Latin Liturgy Association: http://www.latinliturgy.com/
Una Voce: http://www.unavoce.org/