Cardinal Burke celebrates Latin Mass in St. Peter’s, signaling Pope Leo XIV’s openness to traditionalists after Francis’ 2021 restrictions.
Newsroom (27/10/2025, Gaudium Press ) In a striking gesture of openness toward traditionalist Catholics, Cardinal Raymond L. Burke, a prominent American conservative, celebrated a traditional Latin Mass at the Altar of the Chair in St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday, October 25, 2025. The 2½-hour liturgy, authorized by Pope Leo XIV, drew thousands of pilgrims, many of them young families, who filled the basilica to standing-room-only capacity during the annual Ad Petri Sedem “Summorum Pontificum” Pilgrimage to Rome.
The Mass, rich with incense, Latin hymns, and priests facing the altar in the pre-Vatican II style, marked a significant moment for traditionalists who have felt marginalized since Pope Francis restricted the ancient liturgy in 2021. For many, the event signaled that Pope Leo XIV may be more receptive to their devotion to the 1962 Roman Missal, which was liberalized by Pope Benedict XVI in 2007 but curtailed by Francis’ decree, Traditionis Custodes (“Guardians of the Tradition”).
A Symbolic Celebration
The liturgy, attended by hundreds of priests and lay faithful, was a vivid display of traditional Catholic worship. Women in lace veils and families with young children packed the pews and lined the basilica’s walls, reflecting the vitality of the traditionalist movement. Cardinal Burke, a long-standing advocate for the old rite, delivered his homily in multiple languages—Italian, Spanish, French, and English—emphasizing the continuity of the liturgy with the Apostolic Tradition. He invoked Benedict XVI’s 2007 reform, Summorum Pontificum, which expanded access to the traditional Latin Mass, as a foundation for the church’s ongoing appreciation of its liturgical heritage.
“We are grateful to Pope Leo for his pastoral response to the request for a Traditional Mass in St. Peter’s,” said Joseph Shaw, president of Una Voce International, a federation of Catholics devoted to the pre-Vatican II liturgy. “This celebration symbolizes the unity with the Holy Father so desired by Catholics attached to the ancient rite.”
A History of Liturgical Tension
The celebration comes amid decades-long tensions over the Catholic Church’s liturgy, rooted in the reforms of the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965), which introduced the Mass in vernacular languages. While the old Latin Mass remained available, its use was limited until Benedict XVI’s 2007 decree allowed priests greater freedom to celebrate it. However, in 2021, Pope Francis reversed this policy, citing concerns that the spread of the traditional liturgy was fostering division and being exploited by those opposed to Vatican II’s reforms.
Francis’ Traditionis Custodes restricted the celebration of the old Mass, requiring bishops’ approval and limiting its use in parishes. The decision was informed by a 2020 Vatican survey of bishops, though leaked documents in July 2025 revealed that many bishops had expressed satisfaction with the traditional Mass and cautioned against restrictions, contradicting Francis’ stated rationale.
Despite the crackdown, Francis permitted low-ranking priests to celebrate the Latin Mass in St. Peter’s during the 2021 and 2022 pilgrimages. However, in 2023 and 2024, organizers struggled to secure permission, highlighting the challenges traditionalists faced. Cardinal Burke’s audience with Pope Leo XIV on August 22, 2025, paved the way for this year’s Mass, with the pontiff granting explicit approval.
A Sign of Hope for Traditionalists
For traditionalist Catholics, Saturday’s Mass was a beacon of hope. “I’m very hopeful,” said Rubén Peretó Rivas, an Argentine organizer of the pilgrimage. “The first signs of Pope Leo are those of dialogue and listening, truly listening to everyone.” The event’s scale and the presence of a high-profile figure like Burke underscored a potential shift in the Vatican’s approach under Leo XIV.
Eduard Habsburg, Hungary’s ambassador to the Holy See, attended with his family, navigating the crowds to pass through the basilica’s Holy Door before joining the standing-room-only section. “It’s really nothing like the clichés you hear of traditionalists,” he said. “The reality is families with children.”
A Broader Context
The resurgence of the traditional Latin Mass, particularly in the United States, has coincided with a rise in religiously inspired political conservatism and declining attendance at more progressive parishes. This dynamic fueled Francis’ concerns about church unity but has also galvanized traditionalist communities worldwide.
Cardinal Burke’s homily avoided direct references to Francis or Leo, focusing instead on Benedict XVI’s legacy and the enduring value of the ancient liturgy. “Through Benedict’s reform, the whole church is maturing in an ever deeper understanding and love for the great gift of the sacred liturgy,” he said.
As traditionalists look to Pope Leo XIV for further signs of openness, Saturday’s Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica stands as a potent symbol of their resilience and hope for reconciliation within the church.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from CNA, OSV and AP
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