Pope Leo XIV has authorised a traditional Mass to take place this weekend at the Vatican, easing restrictions that angered conservatives in his latest attempt to heal divisions within the Catholic Church.
The Tridentine, or so-called Latin Mass, was widely used across the Church before being modernised in the 1960s, and was further limited by Pope Francis in 2021.
With Pope Leo’s approval, the Latin Mass will be celebrated in St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday afternoon by ultraconservative US Cardinal Raymond Burke — a vocal critic of the late pontiff.
Conducted in Latin, with the priest facing the altar and featuring incense and Gregorian chants, the Tridentine Mass remains the preferred form of worship for many traditionalist Catholics.
Pope Francis feared, however, that its continued use could undermine the reforms of the Second Vatican Council (1962–65), which aimed to modernise Church practices and make them more accessible.
Francis’ papal decree Traditionis Custodes restricted the Latin Mass and sparked outrage among conservatives who felt excluded.
Analysts say Pope Leo’s decision sends “a strong signal to the conservative fringe” and reflects ongoing tensions within the Church.
Elected on May 8 following Pope Francis’ death, Pope Leo XIV has sought to unify a Church divided over social issues — from the role of women to attitudes toward divorce, LGBTQ+ Catholics, and migrants.
While maintaining Francis’ emphasis on compassion and inclusion, Pope Leo has also extended olive branches to conservatives, including appointing Cardinal Robert Sarah as envoy to a pilgrimage in France.
Historians say reinstating the Latin Mass at the Vatican is “a gesture of appeasement” and an effort to assure all factions that they have a place in the Church.
Pope Leo insists, however, that the traditional rite must not undermine Vatican II’s legacy. “Some have used the liturgy as a pretext to advance other agendas,” he said in a recent interview. “That is very regrettable.”
