“Private event” closes Basilica for visitors…
Novus Ordo Priest uses Papal High Altar of St. Peter’s Basilica
“Fr.” Fabio Rosini at the papal high altar on Oct. 2, 2021
This past Saturday, Oct. 2, the Basilica of St. Peter’s in Vatican City was home to an odd sight.
A simple “priest” (Novus Ordo presbyter) from the diocese of Rome offered the “Holy Mass” (Novus Ordo worship service) on the papal high altar as part of a catechetical conference that had essentially “reserved” the entire basilica. The man in question is Fabio Rosini, the diocesan vocations director.
To be clear: This was done with the full knowledge and permission of “Pope” Francis, the Vatican apostate-in-chief. There is no way something as serious as using the (ostensible) Pope’s main altar would be done without his explicit permission, and of course the event had been publicly announced beforehand. More on that shortly.
Here are some screenshots taken from the video of the surreal event:
Meanwhile, visitors to the basilica were not allowed — the largest church in the entire world was reserved for just this more or less “private event”, organized by Italian author and journalist Costanza Miriano for the project Monastero WiFi (“WiFi Monastery”).
The event began at 9:00 am and ended at 4:00 pm. The full 7-hour video is available here:
Of course, there is some background to this.
On Sep. 30, the Italian blog Messa in Latino reported that a notice had been posted on the bulletin board in the sacristy of St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, notifying the presbyters there that the entire church would be closed on Saturday, Oct. 2, for a “reserved” all-day catechetical event. The “Cardinal Archpriest” in charge of the venerable basilica announced that no visitors would be allowed and that all other “Masses” were canceled for that day.
The following is a mostly computerized English translation of the original blog post:
The latest (strange) news from St. Peter’s: on October 2, the Basilica will be closed and the scheduled Masses will be suppressed. The reason? Unbelievable…
Today in the Vatican, the Canons and Priests who access the Sacristy found posted on the bulletin board a notice that is very unbelievable. (We thank, as always, our internal source, always prompt and attentive).
On Saturday, October 2, St. Peter’s Basilica, by order of His Most Reverend Eminence the Cardinal Archpriest, will be “CLOSED TO VISITORS AND HOLY MESSES WILL NOT BE HELD”.
What could be the reason for such a draconian decision? What could have happened? What is so extraordinary that the ENTIRE Basilica will be closed? Major renovations or safety measures? Do they wash the floor and don’t want tourists to leave foot prints? Not at all.
If you read the notice you will be astonished: the Basilica will be reserved for a day of catechesis on the subject of prayer.
We know (see here) that on that date Father Fabio Rosini will celebrate a Holy Mass (incidentally, he will celebrate it at the papal altar, the so-called “Confessional Altar”; on which, at one time, only the pope, or cardinals delegated by him, could celebrate… but that’s another story) and then he will hold a catechesis for his followers. This is an event organized by Costanza Miriano.
There is nothing to say about the goodness of the priest and the journalist but we really remain incredulous to learn that the largest church in the world will be inaccessible because a Holy Mass will be celebrated and a catechesis held (although with a limited number [of people]).
There will certainly be other reasons, unknown to us, why Don Rosini’s Mass will not be celebrated in one of the side chapels of the Basilica (or in another Vatican church/chapel). And it is even more incomprehensible that the catechesis is held in St. Peter’s. But even granting that it is spiritually edifying to stand at Peter’s tomb to hear the teaching “on prayer,” why not reserve a chapel? A transept? and leave the church accessible to visitors and priests to celebrate Masses during the day?
But above all: why close the Basilica for Don Rosini’s Holy Mass and not for the scheduled Masses, then?
Why during the Holy Masses celebrated at the Altar of the Chair [of St. Peter] were visitors allowed to enter, creating an annoying buzz and taking photos disturbing the faithful?It all seems very strange and surreal to us….
(Roberto, “Ultima [strana] notizia da San Pietro: il 2 ottobre la Basilica resterà chiusa e le SS. Messe previste saranno soppresse. Il motivo? Da non credere…”, Messa in Latino, Sep. 30, 2021; translation by DeepL.com, amended.)
It is all very strange and surreal indeed, but then what hasn’t been since Vatican II, and especially since Francis took over the Vatican in 2013?
When the event was first announced, some blogs took notice:
- “Pope to ‘deface’ tradition and allow minor clergy use of Papal Altar in St Peter’s” (Life Site)
- “More hijinx in Saint Peter’s Basilica” (Fr. Z’s blog)
- “Vaticano Papa Francesco, la rivoluzione pop del pontefice: a San Pietro un prete semplice dirà messa sull’altare papale” (Il Sismografo)
This calls to mind what Francis did in October of 2014, when he allowed the Porsche automobile company to use the magnificent Sistine Chapel for a “corporate event”. Remember?
Let us also not forget the day Francis allowed for St. Peter’s to be defiled with heretical-schismatic Anglican worship in 2017, when the adherents of the so-called Church of England performed Evensong (vespers) at the altar of the Chair of St. Peter:
Just two years ago, many will recall, St. Peter’s Basilica was used for pagan Pachamama worship at the conclusion of the Amazon Synod, with the “Pope” himself accepting the bowl of dirt for the earth goddess and directing it to be placed on the high altar. Keeping that in mind, one may argue that what took place on Oct. 2 is actually a step up.
See! Things are improving. 😏
Image sources: youtube.com (screenshots)
Licenses: fair use
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