THE FIRST Latin Mass in the diocese in many years was celebrated by the Bishop of Cloyne, Dr John Magee, in Cobh Cathedral yesterday.
The Mass took place in the Cathedral of St Colman in Cobh at noon in accordance with Pope Benedict's decision to relax restrictions on celebrations of the Latin Mass.
A spokesman for the diocese of Cloyne explained that the Easter Tuesday Mass was celebrated in response to a diocesan request.
"In accordance with the norms laid down by the Bishop of Cloyne, following the promulgation of the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum," the spokesman said, "all parish priests will respond to any request from a group of faithful of their parish to have the extraordinary rite of Holy Mass celebrated in their parish.
"This will be done for pastoral reasons."
Dr Magee was assisted by Fr Michael Leamy, administrator of Cobh cathedral, and Fr Robin Morrissey, MC to the bishop.
There was mixed reaction to Pope Benedict's decision last year to ease restrictions on celebrations of the Latin Mass. His motu proprio, or personal document, authorised priests to celebrate Mass in the old rite if they wished.
This means a Latin Mass can now be celebrated without a bishop's permission being sought.
The Latin Mass was largely superseded by the Mass of Pope Paul VI - celebrated in local languages - after the second Vatican Council in the 1960s, although the Tridentine Mass was never banned by the Church.
Some bishops imposed severe restrictions on the use of the Tridentine Mass in their dioceses, while others banned it outright. In Ireland, the old Mass was regularly celebrated with episcopal permission in a number of dioceses.
Last November, the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin, celebrated a Tridentine Mass at St Audoen's church.
However, the bishops of Kerry, Cloyne, Clonfert, Ossory and Dromore had refused to allow the celebration of the old rite.
Meanwhile, in his Easter message, the Bishop of Cork and Ross, Dr John Buckley, said there must be serious concern at the amount of violence and murder that is being perpetrated on our streets and neighbourhoods.
