The former Personal Secretary to Pope Benedict XVI, Archbishop Georg Gänswein, has said the Pope had “pain in his heart” when he was read Traditionis Custodes, with the Archbishop now calling for the removal of the prohibitions.

Archbishop Gänswein told Italian publication Il Giornale in a July 7 interview that Pope Benedict XVI liberalised the restrictions on the Traditional Latin Mass through his 2007 motu proprio Summorum Pontificum to remove the existing rift in the liturgy. He stated that the Pope was “convinced that this motu proprio of his was a beginning” and that such a rite celebrated for so many centuries could not fail to be revived.”

“He had great faith in young people, above all,” the Archbishop declared.

Currently the Apostolic Nuncio to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, Archbishop Gänswein served as Prefect of the Papal Household from 2012 to 2023 and Personal Secretary of Pope Benedict XVI.

“He was also happy for the activity of the former Ecclesia Dei institutes which are an alternative to those who, otherwise, would go or remain in the Society of St Pius X,” he said.

Traditional seminaries have grown in popularity in recent years, expanding their capacity as many national seminaries report declining admissions.

Many of the provisions for the celebration of the old rite allowed for in Summorum Pontificum were effectively reversed in Pope Francis’ 2021 motu proprio Traditionis Custodes, which required priests to now seek permission – in the case of those ordained after its publication, it required permission from the Apostolic See.

Archbishop Gänswein noted the increasing popularity of the Paris-Chartres pilgrimage as an example of how popular the Traditional Latin Mass has become with young Catholics.

“These young people are nourished by the beauty of the liturgy; they are not at all opposed to the Second Vatican Council. It is not true that those who have a traditional liturgical sensibility and participate in the Tridentine Masses are anti-conciliar, those who affirm it are moved only by ideology,” he said.

Archbishop Gänswein’s comments come as Cardinal Antonio María Rouco Varela, Archbishop Emeritus of Madrid, said he welcomed Summorum Pontificum and called for “understanding for those who want the old rite.”