Vernacular Poetry: Dante’s Secret Weapon against Vice

Vernacular Poetry: Dante’s Secret Weapon against Vice

This article was originally published in Vol. 5 No. 2 of our print edition. The bold title of this article may be surprising to some. After all, a non-vernacular sacred language is one of the most treasured patrimonies of nearly every liturgical tradition. Hence, I will begin by affirming the value of non-vernacular languages: they have an important place in our liturgies1 and in our studies of the great books and church fathers. This recognitio…