Exclusive. Cardinal Sarah Asks the Pope to Lift the Ban on “Individual” Masses at St. Peter’s, by di Sandro Magister

By di Sandro Magister, L’Espresso, March 29, 2021

(sm) For a week now, the basilica of St. Peter has been a silent desert. It is no longer enlivened, every morning, by the many Masses celebrated on its numerous altars. And all this on account of an ordinance issued on March 12 by the first section of the secretariat of state – the one that through the substitute has a direct line to the pope – that has banned all “individual” Masses and allowed only collective Masses, no more than four per day and at set times and places.

The order is on letterhead paper, but lacks signature and protocol number. Nor is it addressed to the one who should be its natural recipient, the cardinal archpriest of the papal basilica built on the site of the martyrdom and burial of the apostle Peter. It’s a juridical scrawl.

Yet it has taken effect. But it has also raised authoritative protests.  …

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