The early Roman liturgy was celebrated in Greek — so how and why did it become Latin? Dr. Brant Pitre examines what the Church actually teaches about Latin and the vernacular.
Latin and the Vernacular in the Mass: A Fair Look at the History
Vatican II taught that Latin "is to be preserved in the Latin rites," while a "wider use" of the vernacular "may frequently be of great advantage to the people" — and that the faithful should still be able to sing their parts of the Ordinary in Latin (Sacrosanctum Concilium 36, 54). Dr. Brant Pitre lays out the full picture without taking a polemical side. He examines the languages of Jesus and the trilingual title on the Cross (John 19:20), Pentecost (Acts 2), and St. Paul on intelligibility in worship (1 Corinthians 14). He then traces how the Roman liturgy moved from Greek to Latin in the fourth century — Latin itself once the vernacular — and presents the Church's own words across the centuries, including Trent and Benedict XIV, alongside the current General Instruction. This is a map of the history and the documents, not a verdict.
Key passages & sources examined: Matthew 26:26–30; John 19:20; Acts 2:4–6; 1 Corinthians 14:10–19; Sacrosanctum Concilium 36, 54; GIRM 12, 41; Isidore of Seville (three sacred languages); Ambrosiaster; Thomas Aquinas (on 1 Cor 14); Council of Trent (Session 22); Benedict XIV; St. Paul VI, Missale Romanum (1969); scholarship of De Marco, Mohrmann, and Uwe Michael Lang.
Why is the Mass in Latin? Latin became the language of the Roman liturgy in the fourth century — when it was the common tongue of the people. Dr. Pitre traces the shift from Greek to Latin and the reasoning the Church has given.
What does the Church teach about the vernacular in the Mass? The session presents Vatican II and the current GIRM on when and how the vernacular is used, and which parts of the Ordinary the faithful should still be able to say or sing in Latin.
What are the three sacred languages of the Mass? Hebrew, Greek, and Latin — the three languages of the title on the Cross (John 19:20). Pitre explains why tradition holds them sacred.
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I love getting the mass readings/readings explained, every week. Dr Brandt Petrie it’s truly amazing in his knowledge of the Old Testament and the New Testament.!
I’ve subscribed for many years and have shared Brant Pitre’s excellent work as gifts to friends and colleagues around the world. Keep up the good work. Team!
Once logged in, you can access everything by going to 'Membership' in the main menu bar of our website, then 'Mass Readings Explained' and then pick one of the options there. The calendar view works well for finding those Mass Readings that are in the near future and The Mass Explained will take you to videos in that series.
I love getting the mass readings/readings explained, every week. Dr Brandt Petrie it’s truly amazing in his knowledge of the Old Testament and the New Testament.!
I’ve subscribed for many years and have shared Brant Pitre’s excellent work as gifts to friends and colleagues around the world. Keep up the good work. Team!
