Overview
- The new Regolamento Generale, approved by Pope Leo XIV and released about six months into his pontificate, updates the Curia’s language norms.
- Article 50 now states that curial acts are prepared “in Latin or in another language,” replacing Latin as the default.
- Hiring rules drop the requirement for strong Latin skills, mandating proficiency in Italian plus one additional language.
- The Office for the Latin Language remains within the Secretariat of State, and papal teaching documents continue to be issued in Latin.
- The change ends the Vatican’s status as the only state with Latin as its first official language, reflecting daily practice with Italian as the main working language and most communications issued in English, Italian, Spanish and French.