Reginald Foster, Vatican Latinist Who Tweeted in the Language, Dies at 81

A most remarkable figure in Vatican and Latin scholarly history passed away recently:

"A Roman Catholic priest who was considered the foremost Latinist in Rome and, quite possibly, the world, Father Foster was attached to the Office of Latin Letters of the Vatican Secretariat of State from 1969 until his retirement in 2009. ... He served four popes — Paul VI, John Paul I and II, and Benedict XVI — composing original documents in Latin, which remains the Vatican’s official language, and translating their speeches and other writings into Latin from a series of papal languages. (He was also fluent in Italian, German and Greek.)"

Studying under him, according to students lucky enough to have done so, was a matchless experience, this New York Times tribute continues....