The '''Red Mass''' is a [[Washington, D.C.]] tradition at the Cathedral of Saint Matthew the Apostle. The Mass was started in 1952 by the [[John Carroll Society]], a lay [[Catholic]] group of prominent [[lawyers]] and professionals, to celebrate and Bless the legal profession in general and the new session of the [[Supreme Court of the United States]] in particular. <ref>[http://www.johncarrollsociety.org/about/C12/ About the The John Carroll Society]</ref> It is an ancient custom within the [[Roman Catholic Church]]. It is, by tradition held on the Sunday before the start of the Supreme Court's annual opening session on the 1<sup>st</sup> Monday of October.
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The '''Red Mass''' is a [[Washington, D.C.]] tradition at the Cathedral of Saint Matthew the Apostle. The Mass was started in 1952 by the [[John Carroll Society]], a lay [[Catholic]] group of prominent [[lawyers]] and professionals, to celebrate and Bless the legal profession in general and the new session of the [[Supreme Court of the United States]] in particular.<ref>[http://www.johncarrollsociety.org/about/C12/ About the The John Carroll Society]</ref> It is an ancient custom within the [[Roman Catholic Church]]. It is, by tradition held on the Sunday before the start of the Supreme Court's annual opening session on the 1st Monday of October.