Cardinal Burke Celebrates Historic Traditional Latin Mass in St. Peter's Basilica
Vatican City — U.S. Cardinal Raymond L. Burke celebrated the traditional Latin Mass at the Altar of the Chair in St. Peter's Basilica on October 25, 2025. The Vatican said Pope Leo XIV had authorized the cardinal to celebrate the pre-Vatican II liturgy with people attending the annual Ad Petri Sedem "Summorum Pontificum" Pilgrimage to Rome.
A few thousand pilgrims, many of them young families with multiple children and the women covering their heads with lace veils, packed the altar area of the basilica to standing room-only capacity.
Cardinal Burke presided over the 2 1/2-hour liturgy, which was rich in hymn, incense and priests bowing to the altar, their backs to the faithful in the pews.
"Summorum Pontificum" was Pope Benedict XVI's 2007 document that expanded access to the old liturgy, giving priests discretion over whether to celebrate it and asserting that the faithful had a right to ask for it
In 2021, Pope Francis issued a motu proprio, "Traditionis Custodes," that significantly curtailed the celebration of the extraordinary form around the world.
During the group's pilgrimages in 2023 and 2024, the Vatican did not allow the celebration of the old Mass in St. Peter's Basilica.
Joseph Shaw, president of Una Voce International, a federation of groups of Catholics attached to the pre-Vatican II liturgy, said,
"We are grateful to Pope Leo for his pastoral response to the request for a Traditional Mass in St. Peter's. This celebration symbolizes the unity with the Holy Father so desired by Catholics attached to the ancient rite of Mass."
Burke, who had an audience with Leo on August 22, gave him a letter requesting permission. Leo phoned the archpriest of St. Peter's, Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, and gave his permission.
In July, leaked Vatican documents undermined Francis' stated reason for having imposed the restrictions in the first place: Francis had said he was responding to "the wishes expressed" by bishops around the world who had responded to a 2020 Vatican survey, as well as the Vatican doctrine office's own opinion.
But the documents suggested that the majority of Catholic bishops who responded to the survey had expressed general satisfaction with the old Latin Mass and warned that restricting it would do more harm.
THE CRUSADER'S OPINION
Pope Leo XIV just reversed Pope Francis's liturgical warfare. After years of Francis crushing the Latin Mass claiming bishops wanted it banned while leaked documents proved they didn't an American pope authorized Cardinal Burke to celebrate the ancient rite in St. Peter's Basilica.
Thousands packed the altar area. Young families with multiple children. Women in lace veils. Standing room only for 2½ hours of hymns, incense, and priests facing God instead of the congregation.
Francis called the Latin Mass divisive and claimed it was exploited by Vatican II opponents. His 2021 crackdown didn't heal divisions—it created orphans. Traditionalist Catholics felt abandoned by a pope who weaponized liturgy against them while leaked documents exposed his justification as fraudulent. Most bishops actually supported the Latin Mass. Francis banned it anyway.
Pope Leo's approval signals what Francis refused: unity doesn't mean forcing everyone into identical worship.
The Latin Mass survived fifteen centuries before Vatican II, connects believers to apostolic tradition, and attracts young families desperate for reverence the modern Mass often lacks.
When the Hungarian ambassador stood an hour to enter, he noted: "It's nothing like the clichés you hear of traditionalists. The reality is families with children."
Christianity's strength lies in preserving what connects generations to Christ, not discarding it for modernization's sake. Pope Leo chose reconciliation over suppression. That's leadership.
TAKE ACTION
Pray for Pope Leo XIV as he navigates liturgical unity in the Church. Pray for healing of divisions created by liturgical restrictions.
Support the Traditional Latin Mass:
- Attend a Latin Mass in your diocese if available
- Request permission from your bishop to establish Latin Mass communities
- Support organizations promoting the traditional liturgy
Contact Your Diocese:
- Request expansion of Latin Mass availability in your area
- Encourage your bishop to take advantage of Pope Leo's openness to traditional liturgy
- Volunteer to help organize Latin Mass communities
Support Organizations Promoting Traditional Liturgy:
- Una Voce International - Federation of traditional liturgy groups
- Coalition for Canceled Priests - Supporting priests who celebrate traditional liturgy
- Institute of Christ the King - Traditional Catholic apostolate
The Latin Mass survived persecution before. It will survive now. Support those fighting to preserve apostolic tradition.
