Pope Leo XIV concludes Vatican II liturgical reform reflections

Pope Leo XIV concluded a series of reflections on the Second Vatican Council's liturgical reforms during a general audience in St. Peter's Basilica on August 26, 2026, emphasizing that the changes were rooted in the Church's living tradition and aimed to foster more active participation among the faithful. The Pope's catechesis focused on the 1963 constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium, the first document promulgated by the council, which introduced significant reforms such as allowing liturgy to be celebrated in vernacular languages and encouraging the faithful to engage more fully in worship.

In his address, Pope Leo XIV explained that the desire for liturgical reform did not emerge suddenly but had been evident in actions and documents from successive popes since the early 20th century. He cited examples including Pope Pius XI's 1928 Apostolic Constitution Divini Cultus, Pope Pius XII's rescheduling of certain Holy Week rites, and Saint John XXIII's 1960 Motu proprio Rubricarum instructum. The Pope stressed that the reform is firmly rooted in the Church's tradition and that a correct understanding of it helps reject abuses that occurred in some sectors of the Church after the...