M
malphono
Guest
The word in Aramaic is “keepha” (or “keepho” depending on the dialect). The “e” vowel is long and the terminal “s” is a Hellenization.
- Status
D
Damase
Guest
Have you ever heard the stories of demons responding to exorcists only when the exorcists addressed them in Latin? The book Vatican Facts and Papal Curiosities contains an anecdote from Fr. Gabriele Amorth that he was confronting a possessed person—a young and not particularly well-educated Roman girl—whose demon would only respond in Latin; Fr. Amorth would respond and the demon would actually scornfully correct his grammar!Oy vey. The ‘angelus’ Gabriel certainly wouldn’t have communicated with the simple Jewish village maiden Mary in anything but her own language - Aramaic. Assuming he used any human language at all - angels are spirits, after all, and for all we know may be able to communicate without language.
Not to meniton Raphael of course - how did that particular ‘angelus’ communicate with Tobias and Sarah in language that hadn’t even been invented yet? And wouldn’t be for hundreds of years? Let alone the other angels?
Seriously, there is absolutely no reason for not equally asserting that English is the language of the angels.
So certainly the devil knows Latin. Et demonibus utentis, quid ni utuntur angeli?
S
StTommyMore
Guest
Could it be that Latin is a sacral language because it is used by the Church, and not that Latin is intrinsically holy? Doe not the Church make things holy by association?
A
At_Trent
Guest
I know, thanks for actually reading the text of my posts
A
At_Trent
Guest
I just concern myself with the common phrases.Hey, I bothered learning it. So I can tell you it is not (1) particularly precise, (2) much more beautiful than plenty of other languages, (3) unchanging, or (4) sacred. I thought about this when I saw a motet by Palestrina the other day (I think it was also set by Victoria and others and comes from the -]Song of Songs/-] Canticum Canticorum), called Trahe Me Post Te. Sounds lovely, I’m sure, if all you know is “ooh, Palestrina” and “in Latin!” – but to me it has all the glorious beauty of its English equivalent: “Drag me after you”!
The more Latin you learn, the more stuff starts to sound like this. And there is no such thing as an “Ecclesiastical Latin” that is more sacred and beautiful; that’s just plain old regular Latin with some degenerate mediaeval grammar and additional vocab related to certain ecclesiastical topics. Latin is really a very -]workaday/-] quotidian language.
But not that big an issue, or you wouldn’t prefer the Tridentine misquotation with “mysterium fidei” to the corrected version in which it has been moved outside the Words of Institution proper. Right?
“And there is no such thing as an “Ecclesiastical Latin” that is more sacred and beautiful; that’s just plain old regular Latin with some degenerate mediaeval grammar and additional vocab related to certain ecclesiastical topics.”
Wonderful post Mark.
A
At_Trent
Guest
They are good friends to have as wellI think you can tell by “At Trent”'s username that he is a pure Romantic.He was using a poetic phrase to convey his belief that angels are sacred, holy, timeless beings that watch over us by the command of God. Their holy power received from the Lord is akin to the power exuded by the Latin language over our friend; I’m sure that’s his point.
Oratio ad Sanctum Michael
Sancte Michael Archangele, defende nos in proelio, contra nequitiam et insidias diaboli esto praesidium. Imperet illi Deus, supplices deprecamur: tuque, Princeps militiae coelestis, Satanam aliosque spiritus malignos, qui ad perditionem animarum pervagantur in mundo, divina virtute, in infernum detrude. Amen.
Here is an article you may enjoy
Not a Catholic view, but interesting.attica-langues.com/why-do-angels-speak-latin-part-ii-angels-speaking-latin.php
And “part 1”
watchman-news.warn-usa.com/zao-mirror/why-do-angels-speak-latin-part-i/
I believe they speak Latin.
A
At_Trent
Guest
Latin simply had not been revealed yet !Not to meniton Raphael of course - how did that particular ‘angelus’ communicate with Tobias and Sarah in language that hadn’t even been invented yet? And wouldn’t be for hundreds of years? Let alone the other angels?
Seriously, there is absolutely no reason for not equally asserting that English is the language of the angels.
English is the language of those inferior to the Irish and Scots. Latin is the language of Angels to be sure. Go to any Latin Mass with a choir and you can hear them sing with the choir if you listen closely
You may even get a glimpse of a few angels !
M
malphono
Guest
Unless, of course, one happens to be a Maronite or a Syriac or a Chaldean, who will hear the angles when Syriac is used. Or a Copt who will hear them when Coptic is used. Or an Ethiopian when Ge’ez is used. Or a Greek Byzantine when Greek is used. Or a Slav Byzantine when Old Church Slavonic is used.Latin is the language of Angels to be sure. Go to any Latin Mass with a choir and you can hear them sing with the choir if you listen closely
Don’t get me wrong: it’s well known in these parts that, when it comes to the Latin Rite, I happen to prefer Latin, but let’s face it: the nine choirs of angels are not monolingual.
C
ConstantineTG
Guest
Abraham must be very good at Latin then because he understood what the angel said. Otherwised he would have sacrificed Isaac. 
S
StTommyMore
Guest
I am sorry, but you are completely out of your tree if you think that Latin, a HUMAN language, is the result of divine revelationLatin simply had not been revealed yet !
English is the language of those inferior to the Irish and Scots. Latin is the language of Angels to be sure. Go to any Latin Mass with a choir and you can hear them sing with the choir if you listen closely
A
At_Trent
Guest
I’ll buy thatUnless, of course, one happens to be a Maronite or a Syriac or a Chaldean, who will hear the angles when Syriac is used. Or a Copt who will hear them when Coptic is used. Or an Ethiopian when Ge’ez is used. Or a Greek Byzantine when Greek is used. Or a Slav Byzantine when Old Church Slavonic is used.
Don’t get me wrong: it’s well known in these parts that, when it comes to the Latin Rite, I happen to prefer Latin, but let’s face it: the nine choirs of angels are not monolingual.
A
At_Trent
Guest
No one said angels spoke Latin onlyAbraham must be very good at Latin then because he understood what the angel said. Otherwised he would have sacrificed Isaac.
A
At_Trent
Guest
Some things just are Carl. One does not have to be Divine to reveal something
M
mick321
Guest
Do you believe that ANYTHING is the result of divine revelation?
S
StTommyMore
Guest
Of course I do. It would be difficult not to and be Catholic.
M
mick321
Guest
Evidence?
P
ProVobis
Guest
Our EF Mass tonight with a half-Spanish, half-English sermon turned out pretty well. Drew a lot more than our regular Sunday EF. Communion lasted over 20 minutes as there was a single priest but everyone seemed to be okay with that. Hopefully this will be the way of the future in bilingual and trilingual parishes where hostilities can run high.
S
StTommyMore
Guest
Why do I need to give you a discourse on my spirituality. This line of discussion is (at best) uncharitable, as you are implying that my faith is superficial. Welcome to my ignore list.
S
Seamus_L
Guest
There are something’s in this world that are better experienced than explained. Last night at the EF for the Immaculate Conception, while kneeling, I turned and whispered to my girlfriend, while pointing back at the choir loft “I need this.” She just smiled back because she understood. It’s strange, but a person could be a Traditional Catholic from London, Warsaw, Buenos Aires etc, and understand exactly what I meant, and yet I have a family member I live with, who does not.
M
mick321
Guest
- Status