'RED MASS' LOOKED A BIT DIFFERENT THIS YEAR.

'RED MASS' LOOKED A BIT DIFFERENT THIS YEAR. HERE'S HOW LEADERS MARKED THE NEW SUPREME COURT TERM

The Catholic service is held every year before the start of the U.S. Supreme Court's fall term.

Author: Zach Merchant
Published: 12:06 AM EDT October 5, 2020


WASHINGTON — Catholic legal professionals gathered Sunday morning at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle to mark the beginning of the U.S. Supreme Court's fall term.

Church leaders said the Red Mass' purpose is to pray for the Justices and others in the legal profession before they begin hearing and deciding cases.

In some ways, this year's mass was unlike any before.

Security was still in place, but attendance was capped at 100 people. The rest were asked to watch via Livestream.

In the past, government officials and some U.S. Supreme Court justices have often attended the mass. They traditionally exit the church together. This year, that was called off. Most attendees opted to arrive and exit by car in an underground parking garage instead.

Masks were ubiquitous. Elbow bumps were common too. Handshakes were not.

The changes were spurred by an effort to decrease the risk of coronavirus exposure. At its core, the mass was still the same.

Catholic professionals, many from the John Carroll Society, gathered on the last Sunday before the court's fall term to pray for justice.

The mass' focus, according to the Archdiocese of Washington's website is to, "invoke God's blessings on those responsible for the administration of justice as well as on all public officials."

"Its name derives from the traditional red color of the vestments worn by clergy during the Mass," according to the website. "Representing the tongues of fire symbolizing the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Still, the alterations to the procedure were hard to miss.

They serve as yet another reminder, living in the year of COVID-19 means living in the year of change.

The mass can be watched at any time here.

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