Pope Leo XIV Authorizes Traditional Latin Mass at Vatican: Bridging Catholic Church Divisions

Pope Leo XIV addresses crowd during weekly general audience at St Peter's Square in The Vatican

Pope Leo XIV has authorized a traditional mass to take place at the Vatican this weekend, removing restrictions that had frustrated conservative Catholics in his continuing efforts to bridge divisions within the Catholic Church.

The Tridentine Mass, commonly referred to as the Latin Mass, was widely celebrated throughout the Church before modernization in the 1960s and was further restricted by Pope Francis in 2021.

With Leo's approval, ultraconservative US Cardinal Raymond Burke, a vocal critic of the late pontiff, will celebrate this mass in St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on Saturday afternoon.

This traditional ceremony features a priest facing away from the congregation, conducting the service in Latin, with distinctive elements including incense and Gregorian chants, aspects particularly valued by traditionalist Catholics.

Francis had limited its use due to concerns it might undermine the Second Vatican Council (1962-65) reforms designed to modernize the Catholic Church. His decree "Traditionis Custodes" restricting the mass created significant discontent among Catholic conservatives who felt marginalized.

By permitting the mass at the Vatican, Pope Leo sends a "very strong signal to the conservative fringe," according to Francois Mabille, head of France's Geopolitical Observatory of Religion, suggesting "maybe the tensions within the church are stronger than we imagined a few months ago."

Elected on May 8 following Francis's death, Pope Leo faces the challenging task of uniting a church of 1.4 billion followers deeply divided on social issues, from women's roles to the Church's stance toward divorcees, LGBTQ+ faithful, and migrants.

During his 12-year pontificate, Francis frequently frustrated conservatives with his decisions, particularly in the United States. Cardinal Burke, who will lead Saturday's mass, was among the Argentine pope's most outspoken critics.

Leo has continued many of his predecessor's priorities, emphasizing support for the poor and marginalized and environmental protection. The Vatican's welcome of an LGBTQ+ pilgrimage during the Church's Jubilee year in September prompted critics to renew accusations of "ideological drift."

However, Leo has also made concessions to conservatives by appointing Guinean Cardinal Robert Sarah, who views immigration as threatening Europe's Christian identity, as a special envoy to a French pilgrimage.

The return of the Tridentine mass to the Vatican represents "a gesture of appeasement," according to Martin Dumont, historian and secretary general of the Research Institute for the Study of Religions, signaling that "everyone is a part of the Church -- all sides must be accepted and received."

Leo "would like to meet Catholic groups who want this form of rite" to understand their motivations, Dumont added, describing the pope as "a man of peace, attentive to others."

Pope Leo appears to be communicating that the traditional mass has its place, provided it doesn't threaten Vatican II's reform legacy. However, the boundary between liturgy and politics remains contentious.

In a September interview, Leo acknowledged the "very complicated" nature of the mass debate, noting it had become part of the Church's "polarization." He observed, "Some have used the liturgy as a pretext to advance other subjects. It has become a political tool and that is very regrettable."