In the heart of an Australian capital city, amidst the bustling modernity of our liberal society in 2024, I found myself not in a bacchanalian-orgy-type of Romanesque experience, but unexpectedly immersed in a wine-soaked affair of a different kind – a religious service known as the ‘Classical Roman Rite’ or ‘Latin Mass’ – a Catholic mass delivered entirely in Latin. For a member of Generation Z raised on sporadic encounters with lukewarm Anglicanism, such an experience in the post-Christmas season was profoundly and deeply shocking, yet undeniably captivating.

While older generations may view the very existence of this ancient rite with less surprise, its preservation since Vatican II in the 1960s was a revelation to me.

The Latin Mass, dating to the earliest centuries of Christianity, has its roots traced back to the early liturgies of the Church in Rome, where Latin was the language of both the people and the clergy. The Catholic Mass was only changed to local languages due to a decision by the majority of the Bishops at the Vatican Council II in the 1960s.

There was something ethereal and appropriately mysterious about the whole affair. For a start, it began with no Welcome to Country™ and no reminder to turn one’s phone off (or a reminder to look out for thieves and pick-pockets – apparently a common warning before services in the CBD). I can attest that it only got weirder and weirder from there until it became entirely other-worldly (which is perhaps not such a bad thing in a culture where the mainstream secular humanistic culture is soaked in the Woke, fake, and the distasteful).

This was nothing like my previous experiences of contemporary services, many of which were banal, trite and, frankly, cringe-worthy. Here there were young people who – rather than going along with the mainstream culture of the insane – were trying something completely different.

In contrast even to other Western church services which try to remain ‘relevant’ by serving up the political flavour of the day, what struck me most was the presence of a remarkably young congregation that was defying stereotypes. Here were individuals eschewing mainstream cultural norms in favour of an experience rooted in a centuries-old tradition. Some young women wore veils as a symbol of reverence and of femininity, while communion was received kneeling and on the tongue, evoking a sense of solemnity and humility not encountered elsewhere.

In a world saturated with fleeting trends and superficiality, the Latin Mass offered a respite, a journey back in time to a period when art, culture, and faith intertwined to create masterpieces of unparalleled beauty. As I sat amidst the echoes of centuries past, I couldn’t help but marvel at the enduring legacy of beauty from a church that has inspired some of the greatest artistic achievements in Western Civilisation.

This was like visiting a museum, but was more authentic and immersive for there were no signs nor ropes, nor was there any unwelcome risk of being told by the re-contextualises that ‘this work may contain offensive stereotypes’.

This, living and breathing around me, was the very same rite that produced some of the greatest art of Western Civilisation yet to date, works by Raphael, Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Da Vinci, and Velázquez. This rite is what my great-great-great grandfather and his grandmother would have seen. This was certainly no 10 am mass with a guitarist who would be better placed in an out-take audition for Australia’s Got Talent.

The Latin Mass stands as a living testament to the richness of our cultural heritage and a reminder of the profound depths of human expression and spirituality. A Latin Mass offers more than just an escape from the mundane. It invites us to connect with a heritage that spans millennia, to immerse ourselves in rituals that have shaped our ancestors and the course of history. Whether religious or not, it beckons us to transcend the confines of our time and experience something truly timeless.

If you enjoy the worldly, it is easy to stay home and turn on your TV, or Netflix – or if you like, go to a church with conference centre seats. But if you seek to enrich your life with a glimpse into the depths of Western Civilisation’s cultural and spiritual legacy, consider attending a Latin Mass. A journey into the Classical Roman Rite could be an extraordinary escape that you, too, enjoy.