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| Rito Romano | |
|---|---|
| Name | Rito Romano |
| Main classification | Western Christian liturgical rite |
| Orientation | Latin Church |
| Founded date | Antiquity (developed through late antiquity and medieval period) |
| Founded place | Rome |
| Leaders | Pope |
| Liturgical language | Latin; vernaculars post-1960s |
| Scripture | Bible |
| Notable practices | Mass, sacraments, liturgical calendar |
Rito Romano is the principal liturgical tradition of the Latin Church centered in Rome and historically promulgated by the Holy See. It traces development through late antiquity, the medieval papacy, and the centralizing reforms of the Council of Trent and Pope Pius V, later experiencing significant revision after the Second Vatican Council. The rite has influenced and been influenced by other Western rites such as the Ambrosian Rite, the Mozarabic Rite, and the Gallican Rite traditions.
The origins of the rite lie in the liturgical practices of Christian communities in Rome during the period of the Early Church Fathers including figures like Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, and Hippolytus of Rome. Over centuries, rites in Gaul, Lombardy, and other regions intermingled under the influence of the Papacy and the liturgical customs recorded in sacramentaries such as the Gelasian Sacramentary and the Gregorian Sacramentary. During the Carolingian era, interactions with the Frankish Kingdom and the reforms of Charlemagne promoted standardization alongside regional usages like the Gallican Rite. The medieval consolidation of papal authority and the liturgical standardization of the Council of Trent produced a more uniform Roman practice codified in the work of Pope Pius V. The Counter-Reformation context and the later codifications of the Roman Missal and the Rituale Romanum further defined the rite until the 20th-century reforms led by Pope Pius XII and Pope Paul VI following Second Vatican Council decrees.
The rite centers on the celebration of the Mass as articulated in the Roman Missal with a structure of Liturgy of the Word and Liturgy of the Eucharist, incorporating readings from the Lectionary and formularies established by the Holy See. Sacramental rites follow rubrics in the Pontificale Romanum and the Rituale Romanum, including baptism, confirmation (chrismation in some rites), matrimony, holy orders, and the anointing of the sick. The liturgical calendar includes seasons and feasts such as Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, and the feasts of saints like Peter and Paul. Devotional practices integrated into parish life include the Rosary, Eucharistic adoration linked to the Blessed Sacrament, and the Liturgy of the Hours as promulgated in the Breviary.
Distinctives include the particular sequence of the canon of the Mass, the use of the Roman Canon alongside other Eucharistic Prayers, and the authoritative role of the Pope and Roman liturgical books in normative rubrics. Compared with the Ambrosian Rite of Milan and the Mozarabic Rite of Toledo, the rite differs in chants, calendar variances, and ceremonial gestures. Liturgical music traditions like Gregorian chant are closely associated with the rite, whereas regional uses preserve chant traditions such as Ambrosian chant or Mozarabic chant. The rite’s sacramental disciplines and liturgical lexicon have been shaped by juridical instruments like papal decretals and ecumenical councils including the Council of Trent.
After the Second Vatican Council, reforms under Pope Paul VI led to a revised Roman Missal (typified by the Mass of Paul VI), vernacular translations authorized by the Congregation for Divine Worship became widespread, and new editions of the Liturgy of the Hours and sacramental books were promulgated. The motu proprio of Pope Benedict XVI and later directives from Pope Francis have addressed permissions for earlier editions of the missal, generating ongoing discussion in the contexts of liturgical pluralism and ecclesial communion. Contemporary practice ranges from parishes celebrating the revised Mass in local languages to communities attached to the Extraordinary Form using the pre-1970 missal, with supervision by diocesan bishops and the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.
Vestments commonly used include the alb, chasuble, stole, maniple (historically), and cincture as prescribed in the rubrics of the Roman Pontifical and traditional liturgical manuals. Music is dominated by Gregorian chant traditions codified in sources like the Liber Usualis and the Graduale Romanum, while polyphonic repertoires by composers such as Palestrina, Tallis, Byrd, Victoria, and Mozart have been integral to solemn liturgy. Ritual objects include the chalice, paten, ciborium, thurible, aspergillum, and the liturgical books: Roman Missal, Lectionary, Pontifical, and Rituale Romanum.
Historically centered in Rome and the Italian Peninsula, the rite spread throughout Western Europe via the influence of the Papacy, monastic orders such as the Benedictines, and missionary activity of religious congregations like the Franciscans and Jesuits. Today it is the predominant rite of the Latin Church across continents including Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Oceania, practiced in dioceses under the jurisdiction of local bishops and the Holy See. Specific communities preserve older usages in chapels attached to basilicas such as Saint Peter's Basilica and in personal parishes established for particular liturgical preferences.
Category:Latin Rite liturgies