
Vatican allows indigenous elements in the Holy Mass
San Cristobal de las Casas - Indigenous ethnic groups in the Mexican state of Chiapas can now celebrate mass with elements of their own culture: Rome has recognised ritual dances and new services for lay people as part of the mass.
Published on 18.11.2024 at 15:17 –The Vatican has authorised the introduction of indigenous cultural elements into the Mass in Mexico. In addition to a translation of the missal into the Tzeltal language spoken in the Mexican state of Chiapas, special features such as ritual dances and special powers for lay people are also provided for, as can be seen from the decree of the dicastery responsible for worship, dated 8 November. The decree was published by the online service "Aciprensa" and applies to the diocese of San Cristobal de Las Casas.
Ritual dances are now permitted at various points in the service, including during the offertory and thanksgiving after communion. A new liturgical service will be introduced for lay people, who will be responsible for the incense at Mass in line with indigenous traditions. The lay people chosen for this will be selected from the congregation in a spiritual process and appointed by the bishop. Lay people are also given the opportunity to lead prayers at several points during the Mass in order to better involve the faithful in the celebration of the Mass. In addition to the translation into Tzeltal, a Mayan language, the Spanish-language mass liturgy was also adapted for different ethnic groups.
Only the second indigenous liturgy variant
On the diocese's Facebook page , the diocesan bishop emeritus, Cardinal Felipe Arizmendi Esquivel, praised the Vatican's approval: "It is the official recognition of the Church that these adaptations are recognised as valid and legitimate; they are the liturgy of the Church and not just customs and traditions that are viewed with suspicion." Arizmendi was responsible for the liturgical concerns of indigenous believers in the Mexican Bishops' Conference.
According to Arizmendi, the changes do not represent a departure from the Roman rite of the liturgy, but merely the incorporation of other cultural forms. "The content of the mass is not being changed, but the way it is expressed," said the cardinal. The diocese intends to make further adaptations to the text of the liturgy for the individual indigenous ethnic groups. However, the exact changes have not yet been finalised and require approval by the Vatican Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.
In its liturgy constitution, the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) opened up the possibility of adapting the liturgy "to the peculiarities and traditions of peoples". The variants now recognised are only the second cultural adaptation of the liturgy. In 1988, the Vatican authorised a Zairian rite of mass for the church in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo. A cultural adaptation of the service is also being discussed in the Amazon region. (KNA)
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