The Vatican’s refusal to allow the Ad Petri Sedem pilgrimage to celebrate its pontifical Mass this year according to the traditional Roman rite in St. Peter’s Basilica does not, for now, constitute a veto for future editions. A letter from the Secretariat of State, dated August 7, explicitly states that the organizers are not authorized “this year” to celebrate the pilgrimage Mass there.
The document provides new information after it became known that the main celebration of the XV International Summorum Pontificum Pilgrimage, scheduled in Rome from October 23 to 25, will be moved to the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major. There, Bishop Athanasius Schneider, auxiliary bishop of Astana, Kazakhstan, will celebrate the Mass on Saturday, October 24, at 3:00 p.m., as confirmed by the official pilgrimage program.
Read also: Rome vetoes the traditional Mass in St. Peter’s and forces it to be moved to Saint Mary Major
The refusal refers expressly to this year
The letter, as reported by AdVaticanum, was sent to the organizers through the Apostolic Nunciature and is signed by Monsignor Paolo Rudelli, Substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State.
The wording limits the decision to the 2026 edition. Rome does not communicate a permanent prohibition on celebrating in St. Peter’s to the pilgrimage organizers, but rather indicates that they are not authorized to do so “this year”, leaving open the possibility that a future request could receive a different response.
The pilgrims will indeed enter the Vatican basilica. The official program states that the procession will depart on Saturday, October 24, at 11:00 a.m. from the Basilica of Saints Celsus and Julian. After reaching St. Peter’s Square and passing through security checks, participants will enter the basilica, where they will have a moment of prayer at 1:00 p.m. At 3:00 p.m., the Mass will be celebrated at the main altar of Saint Mary Major.
Several attempts to obtain authorization
Over the past months, the organizers had made several efforts to repeat the 2025 celebration in St. Peter’s. According to the information known about the negotiations, they contacted the Papal Household in December, April, and June, but ultimately did not obtain the requested permission.
After the refusal, they turned to Cardinal Rolandas Makrickas, archpriest of Saint Mary Major, to request the celebration in the Liberian basilica. The Mass will finally be celebrated at its main altar.
The pilgrimage organizers have expressed regret at not being able to return to St. Peter’s this year, although they have thanked the Pope and Cardinal Makrickas for the opportunity to celebrate in Saint Mary Major, where the icon of Salus Populi Romani is venerated. They have also announced that they will pray for “liturgical peace,” an intention they have linked to the first words of peace pronounced by Leo XIV from the loggia of St. Peter’s after his election.
Schneider to celebrate in Saint Mary Major
The pilgrimage will begin on Friday, October 23. At 6:30 p.m., Schneider will preside over pontifical Vespers in the Basilica of Santa Maria ad Martyres, the Pantheon.
On Saturday, after the Rosary in front of the Basilica of Saints Celsus and Julian, the pilgrims will set out in procession toward St. Peter’s. After the prayer inside the Vatican basilica, they will move to Saint Mary Major for the 3:00 p.m. Mass.
The program will conclude on Sunday, October 25, the feast of Christ the King according to the traditional liturgical calendar. At 8:30 a.m., a Mass of thanksgiving will be celebrated at San Giovanni Battista dei Fiorentini; at 11:00 a.m., the closing Mass will take place at the Most Holy Trinity of the Pilgrims; and at 4:00 p.m., another Mass of thanksgiving will be celebrated at Sant’Anna in Laterano.