Latin Mass could be restricted at Chartres pilgrimage

The celebration of the Latin Mass at the annual Chartres pilgrimage could face restrictions in 2025, according to recent reports in the French press. French Catholic daily <em><a href="https://international.la-croix.com/religion/major-traditionalist-pilgrimage-under-vatican-scrutiny">La Croix</a></em> has reported that the French pilgrimage is thought to be under Vatican review, as the Dicastery for Divine Worship believes its organisers are not adhering to current regulations for celebrating Mass as set out in <em>Traditionis Custodes</em> (2021). <em>La Croix</em> is often seen as having close ties with the French Bishops' Conference. The annual Chartres pilgrimage, known as the&nbsp;<em>Pèlerinage de Chrétienté</em>&nbsp;– Pilgrimage of Christendom – takes place every year, with pilgrims walking from Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris to Notre-Dame de Chartres, in northern France. While the pilgrimage has medieval roots, Charles Péguy, the French poet and essayist, is credited with reviving its popularity in the early 20th century. The modern pilgrimage, however, owes its resurgence to a small group of Catholics who completed it in 1982. Since then, its popularity has soared. In 2010, 10,000 people joined the pilgrimage; in 2023, the organisers had to close registrations early, limiting attendees to 16,000. This year, the pilgrimage reached a record number of 20,000 pilgrims. The pilgrimage centers around the celebration of the Tridentine Mass, or Traditional Latin Mass, rather than the Mass of Paul VI (the Novus Ordo form), and has long been associated with the Traditionalist wing of the Church. The Society of Saint Pius X conducts a parallel pilgrimage in reverse, starting in Chartres and ending at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, over the same weekend. <em>Traditionis Custodes</em>&nbsp;(2021) requires Vatican approval for celebrating the Traditional Latin Mass and prohibits its use in parish churches or cathedrals without explicit authorization from the Holy See. Thus, the Bishop of Chartres cannot make a final decision on the matter; it must be referred to the Vatican. The restrictions imposed by&nbsp;<em>Traditionis Custodes</em>&nbsp;and the subsequent Papal Rescript (February 2023) have drawn criticism for being out of touch with the growing interest in the Traditional Mass among the faithful. A <a href="https://crisismagazine.com/opinion/the-growth-of-the-latin-mass-a-survey">survey </a>by <em>Crisis Magazine</em> found that attendance at the Traditional Latin Mass in parishes where it is offered increased by 34 per cent between January 2019 and June 2021 in the United States. Over the same period, Novus Ordo Mass attendance declined. Similarly, there is evidence that the Traditional Latin Mass encourages greater participation in the Church’s liturgical life. A <a href="https://fssp.com/latin-mass-among-millennials-study/">survey </a>by the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter focusing on individuals aged 18–39 revealed that 98 per cent of respondents who prefer the Traditional Latin Mass attend Mass weekly, with 35 per cent citing the reverence of the liturgy as their primary motivation. The dates for the 2025 Paris–Chartres Pentecost Pilgrimage are June 7, 8, and 9. Organisers have announced that there “will be Solemn Mass every day in the Traditional Roman Rite”. This will be the first pilgrimage since 2018 to include Mass celebrated inside Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, following five years of restoration work after the 2019 fire. More information on how to participate can be found on the pilgrimage’s official <a href="https://chartres-pilgrimage.com/">website</a>.