Fr Mark Withoos, who works at the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, normally celebrates Mass at the altar of the Transfiguration at St Peter's at 7am. (Normally - the chap may have to be away once in a while.) Above you can see a plan of the Basilica with the altar circled in red.
To get to the Mass, you will have to be at St Peter's Square early - I suggest at least 15 minutes before Mass starts. The Basilica opens to the public at 7am but you need to go through "airport style" security to get in. Then simply walk down aisle on the left and the altar is in front of you.
If you are a priest visiting Rome, you can celebrate Mass at St Peter's if you get there between 7am and about 8am. If you want to celebrate the usus antiquior, you could ask for the altar of the Transfiguration. If you are lucky enough to get it, there are some framed altar cards and a 1962 missal in the cupboard just off the gospel side of the altar. However it is worth bringing a travelling Missal and some altar cards (you can print some off from my parish website) since about a third of the priests who celebrate private Masses early in the morning at St Peter's nowadays are saying the older form of the Mass. (For lay people, just hang around at the sacristy door - 29 in the plan above - and wait for a priest who has identifying features - biretta, an old missal, altar cards, something like that - and follow him.)
Here is a photo of the altar of the Transfiguration:
The mosaic, a reproduction of Raphael's "deathbed" painting, has two parts. Above is the Transfiguration, below is a boy, possessed by the devil, whose father is seeking help: the scene is one of turmoil. The apostle points upwards to the tranquil contrast of Christ transfigured: He is the only answer to our problems. The woman who is kneeling at the foot of the composition, represents the Church.
11 comments:
I found a news story that referred to Antonio Cardinal Llovera offering EF mass at the high altar in St. Peter's (first time since 1969 according to the article) on Sunday morning (see the bottom). I couldn't locate an independent source, though.
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/universae-ecclesiae-one-priests-story/
Fr. Do you think that the word 'legitimacy' in UE 19 will be used against those of us who prefer the Usus Antiquior Mass who have legitimate concerns about the way that the Novus Ordo is celebrated? Denying it's validity is one thing.... That would be unacceptable . . . . But legitimacy seems so wide open to interpretation . . .
J.R.P. In fact, Cardinal Canizares double-booked himself and another Archbishop will celebrate the Mass. But yes, it is to take place tomorrow.
Dallas - some may try, but the term is specific. You can't say that the Novus Ordo is unlawful but you can say that it is celebrated badly.
Father what do you think will be the litmus test for UE 19?
Will there be sheets of paper in the vestibule to fill out before a TLM and the altar servers will read them and conduct anyone out of the church who is foolish enough to write down that the Novus Ordo is invalid or illicit?
It sounds a little like the bogus test that was put to Archbishop Lefebvre in 1976 when the Vatican sent a messenger to him who said told him if he offered one Novus Ordo Mass everything would be fine!
I don't think there will be a litmus test. If someone writes stuff saying that the new Mass is invalid or that the last real Pope was Cardinal Siri, that would give a Bishop reason to say that they couldn't be organising public Masses in his diocese.
The key phrase is "validitatem vel legitimitatem" - you don't have to say that the new Mass is perfect, just that it is licit to say it, and that it is not invalid in itself.
Thank you for the explanation Father.
I do not foresee your scenario happening thank the Good Lord!
Thank you Father, for your altar cards; however you should perhaps check the Credo for an error!
Please say one for me in Rome.
Father, is it possible for laymen to receive Holy Communion at one of these private Low Masses in St. Peter's, or at Fr. Withoos' Mass specifically? My guess would be that this isn't possible unless the priest knew ahead of time that some laymen were going to be there; is that correct?
Also, I know you have frequently blogged about offering Mass at side altars at St. Peter's; do priests also frequently offer private Masses at the side altars in the other major Roman basilicas (St. Mary Major, St. Paul Outside the Walls, St. John Lateran)?
John - you can receive Holy Communion at any private Mass at St Peter's if you are there before the Offertory. If there is a server, he will look round to see how many there are for Communion, and put the necessary number of hosts on the paten. If the priest is on his own, it might be worth making yourself obvious at the offertory.
I'm not sure about private Masses at the other major basilicas. I imagine that nowadays there would be private Masses first thing in the morning.
Isn't the Altar of the Transfiguration where the Holy Father would say Terce and vest prior to the Solemn Papal Mass in the pre-councilar days? That would be a happy coincidence.
In Christ,
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