Cardinal Burke celebrates traditional Latin mass in St. Peter's Basilica

In the presence of hundreds of priests and lay faithful crowded in the pews and standing along the walls, U.S. Cardinal Raymond L. Burke celebrated the traditional Latin Mass at the Altar of the Chair in St. Peter's Basilica.

The Vatican said Pope Leo XIV had authorized the cardinal to celebrate the pre-Vatican II liturgy on Oct. 25 with people attending the annual Ad Petri Sedem “Summorum Pontificum” pilgrimage to Rome.

“Summorum Pontificum” was Pope Benedict XVI's 2007 document that expanded access to the ancient liturgy, giving priests discretion over whether to celebrate it and affirming that the faithful had the right to ask for it.

But, citing concerns about the unity of the church and about the lack of acceptance of the Second Vatican Council, Pope Francis issued “Traditionis Custodes” (“Guardians of Tradition”) in 2021, which significantly limited celebrations of the traditional Latin Mass using the 1962 Roman Missal.

Even so, the Ad Petri Sedem “Summorum Pontificum” pilgrimages of October 2021 and 2022 - after “Traditionis Custodes” - could celebrate the ancient Mass in St. Peter's Basilica. Pope Francis gave the permission, according to Andrea Tornielli, editorial director of the Dicastery for Communication.

When the 2025 Pilgrimage Mass was announced, Joseph Shaw, president of Una Voce International, a federation of Catholic groups faithful to the pre-Vatican II liturgy, stated, «We thank Pope Leo for his pastoral response to the request for a Traditional Mass at St. Peter's. We are grateful to Pope Leo for his pastoral response to the request for a Traditional Mass at St. Peter's. This celebration symbolizes the unity with the Holy Father so longed for by Catholics faithful to the ancient rite of the Mass.».