First-Ever Catholic Missal in Latgalian Released – Welcomed, but Room for Refinement Remains

For the first time in history, the Catholic Mass book, or Missal, has been published in the Latgalian written language this spring. This means all priests in Latgale must now conduct services using one unified text — previously, each priest translated liturgical texts from Standard Latvian into Latgalian according to their own judgment, causing slight variations between parishes.

The new Missal follows last summer's publication of a new Missal translation in Standard Latvian. The first Latvian-language Missal was published only during the Atmoda (national awakening) period, in 1987, and has been revised several times since. According to representatives of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kurzeme, the need for a new translation arose from an increased number of feast days and saints in the liturgical calendar, as well as the fact that earlier translations did not always precisely match the original Latin text.

Translation Process and New Prayer Book

According to Jākubs Rodions Doļa, provost of the Ludza Catholic parish, translating the Missal into any language requires adherence to the Vatican-approved original Latin reference edition, "Editio typica" — the current, third version was published in the early 2000s. Bishop Jānis Bulis was responsible for the Missal's publication in Latgale. Alongside the Missal, a new prayer book, "Tyvuok pi Dīva," was published in 2025, adapted to the new liturgical texts and, like the Missal, retaining the old orthography introduced in 1929.

Use of the new Missal in parishes became mandatory between August 17 and November 30, 2025, and the transition has not been easy for some believers, as previous texts were deeply familiar. Linguist Anna Stafecka notes that resistance to changes in church language is historically common, citing similar reactions during the spelling reforms of the 1920s.

Assessment and Criticism

Stafecka assesses the translation as generally positive but points to shortcomings, including the frequent use of Standard Latvian word forms instead of genuine Latgalian ones, and the overused, not always justified word "labvēlīgi" (favorably). Provost Doļa acknowledges that changes have affected even well-known prayers, including the "Our Father," and that no translation can be perfect, since the process required extensive interpretation of Latin expressions that cannot be translated literally. He encourages a positive outlook, emphasizing the importance of having achieved a unified text for all of Latgale.