Cardinal Burke Celebrates Traditional Latin Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica with Papal Approval

Vatican City, October 26, 2025 — In a solemn liturgy attended by hundreds of priests and lay faithful, U.S. Cardinal Raymond L. Burke celebrated the traditional Latin Mass at the Altar of the Chair in St. Peter’s Basilica. The celebration formed part of the annual Ad Petri Sedem “Summorum Pontificum” Pilgrimage to Rome and was held with the approval of Pope Leo XIV.

According to the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV authorised Cardinal Burke to celebrate the pre-Vatican II liturgy on 25 October, drawing pilgrims and clergy from around the world to the heart of the Catholic Church. The Basilica was filled with worshippers, with many standing along the aisles to participate in the sacred rite.

The “Summorum Pontificum” pilgrimage derives its name from the 2007 Apostolic Letter of Pope Benedict XVI, which granted wider access to the traditional Latin Mass. That document allowed priests to decide freely whether to celebrate the older form of the liturgy and affirmed the faithful’s right to request it.

However, in 2021, Pope Francis introduced “Traditionis Custodes” (“Guardians of the Tradition”), a motu proprio aimed at regulating the use of the 1962 Roman Missal. The decree significantly restricted the celebration of the traditional Latin Mass, citing the need to preserve unity within the Church and ensure proper acceptance of the reforms of the Second Vatican Council.

Despite these restrictions, previous Ad Petri Sedem pilgrimages in 2021 and 2022 were also permitted to hold the traditional Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica. According to Andrea Tornielli, editorial director at the Dicastery for Communication, those permissions were personally granted by Pope Francis as pastoral exceptions.

The 2025 celebration marks the first such liturgy under Pope Leo XIV’s pontificate. The decision was welcomed by traditionalist Catholics as a gesture of pastoral inclusion.

Joseph Shaw, president of Una Voce International — a federation representing Catholics devoted to the pre-Vatican II liturgy — expressed gratitude for the papal authorisation. “We are grateful to Pope Leo for his pastoral response to the request for a Traditional Mass in St. Peter’s,” Shaw said. “This celebration symbolises the unity with the Holy Father so desired by Catholics attached to the ancient rite of Mass.”

Cardinal Burke’s celebration of the traditional Latin Mass thus stands as both a continuation of liturgical tradition and a moment of unity within the Church, bridging the faithful’s reverence for the ancient form with the pastoral openness of the modern papacy.

Compiled by Catholic Connect Reporter

Download Catholic Connect App for Daily News Updates: 

Android: Click here to download

iOS: Click here to download