A short report by a pilgrim:
Saturday marked the climax of the 2016 Summorum Pontificum pilgrimage to Rome.
The day began with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in San Lorenzo in Damaso, in the presence of His Grace Alexander K. Sample, Archbishop of Portland, Oregon. The church was quickly filled with dozens of priests, diocesan and religious, dignitaries of various orders and many faithful of all ages and from all across the world.
Having concluded Adoration, the procession was formed, with the Archbishop amidst many hundreds of clergy and lay faithful, moving from San Lorenzo in Damaso across Ponte Sant'Angelo and past the Castel, all the way along Via Della Conciliazione toward the Basilica of St Peter. As chants and hymns sounded through the streets of Rome, many passersby and tourists watched with great interest. Upon reaching St Peter's Square, the procession intoned the Credo which was kept up through the Holy Door until arrival at the Altar of the Chair of St Peter.
There, Pontifical High Mass at the Faldstool began at 12.00 noon, Mons. Sample being the celebrant, and His Eminence Cardinal Levada (former Prefect of the CDF) giving the homily. Archbishop Pozzo of Ecclesia Dei read the letter from the Secretary of State, Cardinal Parolin, who sent the Holy Father's greetings to the pilgrims. The truly awe-inspiring setting of St Peter's was worthily filled with beautiful music and a thundering organ, making every person (including the many hundreds of tourists) in the Basilica aware of the grandeur of the traditional Roman Rite.
Here, the liturgical programme for Saturday ended, while the priests were invited to a luncheon afterwards.
