The refusal to allow the Ad Petri Sedem pilgrimage to celebrate its pontifical Mass this year in St. Peter’s Basilica was communicated to the organizers by the Secretariat of State. This was confirmed by Joseph Shaw, president of the International Una Voce Federation (FIUV) and of the Latin Mass Society of England and Wales, in an interview with Timothy Flanders, editor-in-chief of OnePeterFive, published on October 9.
“The message came to us from the Secretariat of State. What do they have to do with this?”, Shaw wondered, whose federation is part of the Coetus Internationalis Summorum Pontificum, the entity organizing the pilgrimage. His words coincide with what InfoVaticana published on September 11: a letter dated August 7 and signed by Monsignor Paolo Rudelli, Substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State, indicates that the organizers are not authorized “this year” to celebrate in the Vatican basilica.
The Mass had returned to the Altar of the Chair in 2025, presided over by Cardinal Raymond Burke, after two editions without authorization. Shaw described the dealings with St. Peter’s as “incredibly” complicated due to the number of bodies involved and acknowledged that, when the response is negative, “it is impossible to know why.”
From Gambetti to Viola
The president of Una Voce recalled that the organizers dealt “for a long time” with Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, whom Leo XIV transferred to the Archdiocese of Chieti-Vasto on October 3. “Maybe next year everything will be completely different. Maybe it was all his doing, but I don’t know”, he stated.
Shaw spoke without knowing the name of the successor. One day after the interview was published, the Pope appointed Monsignor Vittorio Francesco Viola, O.F.M., until now Secretary of the Dicastery for Divine Worship, from which he has accompanied the implementation of Traditionis custodes since 2021, as Archpriest of St. Peter’s, Vicar General for Vatican City and President of the Fabric. It will be Viola who will be in charge of the basilica in the event of a new request from the organizers.
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Regarding the Pontiff, Shaw was more explicit: “I think Pope Leo is aware of all this. And he has allowed it to happen”, he said, before qualifying that it may be due “to all kinds of reasons.” He asked not to fall into conspiratorial readings. He stressed that the authorization to celebrate in Santa Maria Maggiore indicates that “the message is not entirely negative” and assured that in 2025 the authorities of the Vatican basilica moved the Mass of another pilgrimage outside to facilitate the entry of traditional faithful.
“To be welcomed as Catholics”
Shaw insisted that the faithful linked to the traditional liturgy are “very united to the papacy,” although he defined that bond as “a rather unrequited affection.” “What we want is to be welcomed as Catholics, and we do not set preconditions”, he pointed out.
He then made a comparison: “LGBT people are allowed to do this, that and the other. So maybe we could be allowed something similar.” He asked traditional faithful to be “the kind of people who can be taken seriously” and added: “I hope the hierarchy does not pay attention to the crazies on social media.”
The XV International Summorum Pontificum Pilgrimage will be held in Rome from October 23 to 25. According to Shaw, pilgrims will be able to enter St. Peter’s as a group at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday the 24th to venerate the tomb of the Apostle. The pontifical Mass, presided over by Monsignor Athanasius Schneider, will take place at 3:00 p.m. in Santa Maria Maggiore.