Why is Latin used in the Mass?
The use of Latin in the offering of the Mass dates back to the second century when the fathers of the Church gathered elements formerly in Hebrew and Greek into a common missal. Even after the use of vernacular Latin died (around the 8th century), the Church continued the use of Latin in the sacrifice of the Mass for the next 1200 years. Some reasons for the decision were: • A common language is source of unity – With the spread of the Church into different cultures using different languages, a common language for the Catholic liturgy provided a common connection between Catholics. This universality allowed any Catholic to walk into any church in any country and assist in the same sacrifice offered in a familiar language. Not only does this provide a geographic connection, but a temporal one as well. One can be assured he is hearing the same prayers and sacramental formulas that touched the ears of thousands of saints throughout the history of the Church. • Latin is a dead language – F
