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Pope Benedict Eases Restrictions on Mass

Pope Benedict XVI has issued his first major reform of the Catholic Church, relaxing restrictions on the use of the old Latin Mass that that was common before the Second Vatican Council 40 years ago.

The return to the Tridentine Mass, as it is known, has already prompted criticism from Jewish leaders who fear a revival of old prejudices.

The pope said his aim was reconciliation within the church.

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Sylvia Poggioli
Sylvia Poggioli is senior European correspondent for NPR's International Desk covering political, economic, and cultural news in Italy, the Vatican, Western Europe, and the Balkans. Poggioli's on-air reporting and analysis have encompassed the fall of communism in Eastern Europe, the turbulent civil war in the former Yugoslavia, and how immigration has transformed European societies.
Robert Smith is a host for NPR's Planet Money where he tells stories about how the global economy is affecting our lives.