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Vatican Curia Drops Latin as Default Working Language

The Pope-approved revision to the Curia’s rulebook lets offices choose their working language, removing Latin as a staffing prerequisite.

Overview

  • Article 50 of the newly published Regolamento Generale now says Curial offices may ordinarily write records in Latin or in another language.
  • The prior preference for Latin in official documents is ended, with Italian remaining the principal working language and most releases issued in English, Italian, Spanish and French.
  • The Office for the Latin Language is retained under the Secretariat of State to support the Roman Curia.
  • Papal teaching documents continue to be published in Latin editions, while papal legal texts no longer need to appear in Latin in the Acta Apostolicae Sedis.
  • The change, approved about six months into Pope Leo XIV’s pontificate, ends the Holy See’s distinction as the only state with Latin as its first official language.