Albanian Cardinal Ernest Simoni Troshani, a 97-year-old priest who spent nearly two decades in prison under Albania’s communist regime for his Catholic faith, recited an exorcism prayer during a Traditional Latin Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica this weekend, according to LifeSiteNews.
The Pontifical High Mass was celebrated on October 25 by Cardinal Raymond Burke as part of the 14th annual Summorum Pontificum Pilgrimage, drawing thousands of pilgrims from around the world. During the liturgy, Cardinal Simoni offered Pope Leo XIII’s Exorcism against Satan and the Apostate Angels, invoking St. Michael the Archangel.
According to LifeSiteNews, Cardinal Simoni, an exorcist and survivor of 18 years of imprisonment and forced labor for his public profession of the faith, prayed aloud:
“Beseech the God of Peace to crush Satan under our feet, that he may no more be able to hold men captive and to harm the Church. Offer our prayers in the sight of the Most High, so that the mercies of the Lord may quickly come to our aid, that thou mayest seize the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan. We cast you out, every unclean spirit, every satanic power, every onslaught of the infernal adversary, every legion, every diabolical group and sect, in the name and by the power of our Lord Jesus + Christ!”
The moment carried special resonance, coming just weeks after an “LGBT pilgrimage” organized by the pro-LGBT group La Tenda di Gionata processed through the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica. The pilgrimage, approved by the Vatican, included members of Father James Martin’s Outreach ministry, some of whom carried rainbow flags and crosses.
LifeSiteNews reported that critics described the event as “blasphemous” and called for public acts of reparation. Bishop Athanasius Schneider told the outlet that the procession “was a blasphemous event in one of the most holy places of Christianity … used as a promotion for legitimizing sodomy and other connotations with the tacit consent of the Holy See.” He added, “This is so grievous that it cannot be left without asking God for forgiveness and reparation and expiation.”
Cardinal Simoni’s exorcism prayer followed years of controversy surrounding the use of St. Peter’s Basilica for events viewed by some Catholics as irreverent. In 2019, a bowl of plants representing the Andean fertility figure “Pachamama” was placed on the papal altar and blessed by Pope Francis during the closing Mass of the Amazon Synod, an act that several prelates — including Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò — condemned as idolatrous and called for reparation.
The October 25 Mass marked the first Traditional Latin Mass celebrated inside St. Peter’s Basilica in three years. It was held with the permission of Pope Leo XIV, who succeeded Pope Francis earlier this year. The event comes amid growing speculation that Pope Leo may revisit or even reverse Traditionis Custodes, the 2021 motu proprio that restricted the celebration of the Tridentine Mass.
LifeSiteNews editor-in-chief John-Henry Westen reacted to the event on social media, writing:
“So you’re telling me that in Saint Peter’s Basilica, which was profaned by the Pachamama Idol and the LGBT abomination, a heroic cardinal just recited an exorcism?!”
For many Catholics, Cardinal Simoni’s act was seen as a moment of profound spiritual symbolism, a visible reminder of resistance against evil and of the enduring power of faith forged through persecution.
Cardinal Ernest Simoni’s public recitation of Pope Leo XIII’s exorcism prayer inside St. Peter’s Basilica, the first such Traditional Latin Mass there in years, carried deep spiritual and historical meaning. His actions, following both the 2019 Pachamama controversy and the recent Vatican-approved LGBT pilgrimage, underscored ongoing tensions over sacred space, liturgical tradition, and fidelity to Catholic teaching.
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