November 10, 2012: Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday issued the Motu Proprio Latina Lingua,
which establishes the new Pontifical Academy for Latin. The Academy is meant to promote
the knowledge and study of the Latin language and Latin literature, from classical
times to the present day.
“The Latin language has always been held in high
regard by the Catholic Church and the Roman pontiffs,” said Pope Benedict. In fact,
added the Pontiff, since Pentecost the Church has spoken and prayed in all the languages
of men. However, the Christian communities of the first centuries widely used the
Greek and Latin, being the universal languages of the time, thanks to which the novelty
of the Word of Christ met the heritage of Greco-Roman culture. Since then the Church
has made Latin “her own language.”
Pope Benedict XVI also said that, “After
the demise of the Roman Empire, the Church of Rome not only continued to make use
of the Latin language, but also became in a way its guardian and promoter, both in
theology and liturgy, and in formation and the transmission of knowledge.”
The
Pope said a good understanding of Latin is more necessary than ever in the Church,
due to its importance in studying Theology, Liturgy, Patristics, and Canon Law.
He
said a “superficial” knowledge of Latin can be detrimental to the philosophical and
theological training of future priests. However, the Academy is also meant to serve
the wider society.
“in our own times…there is a renewed interest in the Latin
language and classical culture, and not only on those continents that have their cultural
roots from the Greco-Roman heritage,” Pope Benedict writes. “Such interest is all
the more significant because it involves not only the academic world, but also young
people and scholars from very diverse nations and traditions.”
The new Pontifical
Academy will be under the Pontifical Council for Culture, and it replaces the Latin
Foundation established in 1976 by Pope Paul VI.
It’s mandate includes producing
publications, hosting conferences and seminars, and promoting Latin in the new media.