Vatican officials dismissed leaked documents suggesting widespread episcopal support for the Traditional Latin Mass as incomplete. The documents, reportedly from a 2020 survey, contradict Pope Francis's rationale for restricting the Mass in his 2021 *Traditionis custodes* letter. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni stated the published excerpts were partial and didn't reflect the full decision-making process. The controversy centers around the 2021 papal decree restricting the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, following decades of debate and varying levels of permission for its use.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.