ROME (AP) — Traditionalist Catholics are celebrating a recent announcement from the Vatican, under the leadership of Pope Leo XIV, granting them permission to hold the old Latin Mass at St. Peter's Basilica during an upcoming pilgrimage. This event is scheduled to take place on October 25, 2023, and will be presided over by U.S. Cardinal Raymond Burke, a prominent figure within the conservative and traditionalist factions of the Catholic Church.

This development is particularly noteworthy, considering that Pope Francis has previously alienated many traditionalists and conservatives through a prolonged crackdown on the ancient liturgy. His reforms significantly restricted the celebration of the old Latin Mass worldwide, including at the Vatican, which intensified opposition to his papacy from conservative groups.

Cardinal Burke, who has emerged as a vocal critic of Pope Francis, has met with Pope Leo XIV at least twice, with their most recent formal audience occurring on August 22, 2023. Burke is believed to have played a crucial role in gathering conservative support during the conclave that elected former Cardinal Robert Prevost as pope.

Pope Leo XIV has expressed intentions to promote unity and reconciliation within the Church. Many conservatives and traditionalists have urged him to address the growing liturgical divisions over the Latin Mass, which have become pronounced, particularly in the United States, throughout Francis's more than twelve-year pontificate.

Una Voce International, an organization that advocates for the Latin Mass, is organizing the pilgrimage to Rome. In a statement, the organization noted that allowing Cardinal Burke to celebrate the Mass at the Vatican serves as a clear indication of Pope Leo XIV's openness to the traditional liturgy. Joseph Shaw, the president of Una Voce International, expressed delight over this decision, emphasizing that it reflects the pope's pastoral heart. He added that while further discussions regarding the traditional Mass's place in the Church are needed, this development signifies a step toward uniting traditionalists with the pope in their shared affection for the ancient liturgy.

The situation is particularly poignant given the frustration felt among conservative factions within the Church following Pope Francis's reimposition of restrictions on the old Mass in 2021. These restrictions were a reversal of the more lenient policies established by Pope Benedict XVI. Although the number of Catholics who regularly celebrate the old rite is relatively small, Pope Francis claimed that the proliferation of the traditional Mass was causing divisions among parishes.

In making his case, Pope Francis stated that he was responding to feedback from bishops around the world, following a Vatican survey. However, recent disclosures from parts of the survey revealed that many bishops actually held a favorable outlook on Benedict's reforms and warned that suppressing or weakening them could lead to harmful consequences, potentially driving traditionalist Catholics to join schismatic groups.

In the year following Pope Francis's crackdown, traditional Latin Mass pilgrims had the opportunity to celebrate their liturgy at St. Peter's Basilica, as they had previously. However, this privilege was rescinded for the years 2023 and 2024, although prayers could still be offered in the basilica.

Overall, the approval for Cardinal Burke to celebrate the old Latin Mass in such a historic and symbolic location as St. Peter's Basilica marks a significant moment for traditionalists in the Catholic Church and appears to signal a shift in the Vatican's approach to liturgical practices under Pope Leo XIV.