Una Voce clarifies why traditional Latin Mass pilgrims were denied access to St. Peter’s Basilica. The International Federation Una Voce (FIUV) has issued today a statement correcting misunderstandings surrounding this year’s Summorum Pontificum Pilgrimage to Rome. According to FIUV, the Vatican Secretariat of State rejected the organizers’ request to celebrate the traditional Latin Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica in August. The organizers then sought permission for a collective devotion inside the Basilica, as had been permitted in 2023 and 2024 despite the refusal of Mass. That request was also rejected in a letter dated September 30, which reached the organizers only in October. Thus, pilgrims were denied not only Mass in St. Peter’s, but also permission for organized communal prayer inside the Basilica. Meanwhile, permission was granted for a Pontifical Low Mass at the Basilica of St. Mary Major. Una Voce thanked the Cardinal Archpriest, sacristans, security personnel, and Dominican …

Una Voce clarifies why traditional Latin Mass pilgrims were denied access to St. Peter’s Basilica.

The International Federation Una Voce (FIUV) has issued today a statement correcting misunderstandings surrounding this year’s Summorum Pontificum Pilgrimage to Rome.

According to FIUV, the Vatican Secretariat of State rejected the organizers’ request to celebrate the traditional Latin Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica in August.

The organizers then sought permission for a collective devotion inside the Basilica, as had been permitted in 2023 and 2024 despite the refusal of Mass.

That request was also rejected in a letter dated September 30, which reached the organizers only in October.

Thus, pilgrims were denied not only Mass in St. Peter’s, but also permission for organized communal prayer inside the Basilica.

Meanwhile, permission was granted for a Pontifical Low Mass at the Basilica of St. Mary Major.

Una Voce thanked the Cardinal Archpriest, sacristans, security personnel, and Dominican confessors for their assistance and hospitality.

Other information on the Pilgrimage

Additional details supplement the FIUV statement: Permission for Mass had already been requested in December, during Bishop Athanasius Schneider’s audience with Pope Leo XIV.

The negative response from the Secretariat of State arrived only on August 7. No alternative date was suggested.

On September 8, Father Claude Barthe, the Pilgrimage’s chaplain, asked the Secretariat of State whether pilgrims could enter the Basilica to pray at St. Peter’s tomb: “May we nevertheless, on the coming 24 October, enter the Basilica in procession, pray for the Pope at the Confession, and adore the Blessed Sacrament at the Altar of the Chair? The Basilica’s sacristy informs us that this would be possible at 1 p.m., should Your Excellency grant us the necessary permission.”

The negative response, dated September 30, was sent by post to the Apostolic Nunciature in Paris and reached Father Barthe only on October 12, less than two weeks before the Pilgrimage.

The organizers continued trying in vain to obtain permission for the group to enter the Basilica.

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