American cardinal celebrates old Latin Mass in St. Peter's in a sign of change [View all]
Source: AP
By NICOLE WINFIELD
Updated 8:51 AM CDT, October 25, 2025
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Traditionalist Catholics who felt abandoned after Pope Francis restricted the old Latin Mass rejoiced Saturday as they prepared to celebrate the traditional liturgy in St. Peter’s Basilica with the explicit approval of Pope Leo XIV.
Cardinal Raymond Burke, the conservative American figurehead, was to celebrate the old Mass for pilgrims on Saturday during their Holy Year pilgrimage to Rome. Another cardinal, Matteo Zuppi of Italy, celebrated a packed vespers service for them Friday night.
For many traditionalists, the moment was a tangible sign that Leo might be more sympathetic to their plight, after they felt rejected by Francis and his 2021 crackdown on the old liturgy.
Francis had taken action after the spread of the ancient liturgy, especially in the United States, dovetailed with the rise of religiously inspired political conservatism and decline in church attendance at more progressive parishes.
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/vatican-latin-mass-burke-4ab6bcafb6c47cfacbb1ce0b7f35373d
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