Mass at St Peter's

I took that picture this morning at about 7.15am on my way into St Peter's. Back in April 2006, in pre-Summorum Pontificum times, I tried out the Ecclesia Dei rescript without success.

Nowadays, saying Mass in the usus antiquior at St Peter's is not a problem. I turned up with my travelling Missal and waited in line for vestments and a chalice. There was a little wait today because there are a number of priests and Bishops attending the Synod who want to say Mass. The usual thing at St Peter's is that a server will carry the cruets and missal to a free altar, put the cruets on the lavabo tray and then leave. There were at least two or three priests saying Mass in the older form. Nobody seemed to mind or really notice much. It really shows that there was no need for such a fuss all these years.

I was reminded this morning how easy it is to take things for granted in a City so full of history as Rome. I had started Mass before I averted to the fact that I was saying Mass at the altar which holds the mortal remains of Pope Leo I. He was the 5th century Pope who went to meet Attila the Hun to persuade him not to march on Rome. His "Tome" was the standard of orthodoxy in Christology and was accepted basis for the Chalcedonian confession of faith.

The hotel we are staying in is right next to the "Corridor" which links Castel Sant' Angelo with the Vatican. This photo is taken from one of the courtyards of the hotel:

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