Judges, barristers and solicitors gathered in Westminster Cathedral on 1 October for the annual Red Mass marking the opening of the new legal year. Convened by the Thomas More Society, the votive Mass of the Holy Spirit brings members of the legal profession together to pray for wisdom, justice and integrity in the exercise of their work.
The tradition in England stretches back to the Middle Ages, when the Red Mass was celebrated at Westminster Abbey. Revived in 1891 at the Sardinian Chapel, it was first celebrated at Westminster Cathedral in 1904. Its name recalls both the red vestments worn for a Mass of the Holy Spirit and the scarlet robes of the judges, with members of the judiciary and legal profession still attending in court dress today.
