Italian???

[TradionalWay]

Does all bishops/cardinals speak Italian or some form of Latin?

 

[Cristiano]

For sure not all Bishops are fluent in either Italian or Latin, if that is what you are asking.

 

[TradionalWay]

For sure not all Bishops are fluent in either Italian or Latin, if that is what you are asking.

Not pointing to fluency, just some basic knowledge??

 

[Cristiano]

Bishops are usually well educated individuals and probably most of them spent some time in Rome when they were younger students. However, if you stop using a language you tend to forget it, and so I am quite sure that there are quite a few Bishops that could not read and understand a document written in Latin or Italian. You must also understand that Latin would make sense because it is the official language of the Vatican; however, Italian is used at the Vatican out of convenience.

 

[Rascalking]

That’s a great question and one I’ve thought of before.

I can understand some spoken Russian, but I have an extremely difficult time reading even the most basic Russian written word. It’s because I never get a chance to use it/read it-sadly.Granted, the characters in the Russian alphabet are different, but perhaps…
it’s the same way with some of the Bishops with Italian?

Great question again.

 

[puzzleannie]

Does all bishops/cardinals speak Italian or some form of Latin?

no not at all, but all priests who wish to work or study in Rome must learn Italian. Italian is the official language of the day to day work of the Vatican. Latin is the official language of church documents and teaching.

 

[Filioque]

In times past all Latin Rite priests, (from the ranks of which bishops came) were required to learn Latin in order to read theology, and to pray the Office as well as offer Mass and officiate at other official liturgical functions. Today the requirements for most have been reduced to the point that one or two years of Latin are found as a requirement in many but not all seminaries.