In the central centuries of the Modern Age, Latin was the official language of the Church of Rome, but from the analysis of bulls, edicts and decrees it emerges that the vernacular was preferred as a vehicular language. While opposing the Lutheran doctrine, which favors the use of the vernacular both in the Scriptures and in the liturgy, and reserving knowledge of the mysteries of the faith to only those able to understand Latin, the bishops and inquisitors of the Peninsula used the vernacular to transmit papal bulls. and conciliar decrees. On what issues was it necessary to be understood? Was there fidelity to the originals or were the margins of interpretation exploited to stem the repressive grip imposed by the post-Tridentine papacy? |