BREAKING Suspect Arrested in Washington DC Before Cathedral Mass for Supreme Court Officials and Legal Professionals

A suspect was arrested by police just before the start of the annual Holy Mass for the administration of justice and on all public officials in Washington, D.C. this Sunday. Cardinal McElroy, the archbishop of Washington, D.C., was the main celebrant and homilist at the 73rd annual Red Mass on Oct. 5, 2025 at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in the nation’s capital. The Red Mass, sponsored by the John Carroll Society of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, invokes God’s blessings on those responsible for the administration of justice and on all public officials.

The clergy wear red vestments at this type of Holy Mass to symbolize the Holy Spirit. Washington Cardinal Robert W. McElroy, at center of the image, celebrates the 73rd annual Red Mass at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, joined by bishops concelebrating the Mass. From left to right are Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia; Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the apostolic nuncio to the United States; Deacon Robert Vince who serves at the cathedral; Cardinal McElroy; Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, who also serves as the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops; and Washington Auxiliary Bishop Juan Esposito. (John Carroll Society photo by Christopher Newkumet)

The Catholic Standard wrote:
The start of the Red Mass was delayed for about 20 minutes due to a security situation outside St. Matthew’s Cathedral. Hundreds of people waited outside before they were allowed to enter the cathedral through a side entrance. The Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, D.C., reported that they had arrested a man who set up a tent on the steps of the cathedral. A police statement noted that during the arrest, “officers observed multiple suspicious items, including vials of liquid and possible fireworks, inside the suspect’s tent.” Members of the department’s Explosive Ordinance Disposal team and the Arson Task Force then searched the suspect’s belongings, and the police reported that “the scene has been secured and there is no threat to public safety,” but the front of the cathedral remained closed as the scene was processed.
Normally several Supreme Court justices attend the annual Red Mass, but as the security situation unfolded, none of the justices attended this year’s Mass.
The congregation filling the cathedral was welcomed by Msgr. Peter Vaghi, the longtime chaplain of the John Carroll Society. The society is named for Archbishop John Carroll, who in 1789 became the nation’s first Catholic bishop, leading the new Diocese of Baltimore which then included the territory of all 13 original states. The John Carroll Society includes nearly 900 men and women from all areas of professional and business life in the metropolitan Washington area, and its members are dedicated to the service of the archbishop of Washington, including as volunteers in pro bono legal and healthcare networks of Catholic Charities. They also participate in spiritual, educational and social activities during the year.
The Mass began with a color guard of Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus marching to the front of the cathedral bearing flags of the United States and of the Vatican, and people in the congregation sang the National Anthem.

MPD Statement on Arrest Outside of St. Matthew’s Cathedral
Sunday, October 5, 2025
Shortly before 6:00 a.m. on Sunday, October 5, 2025, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) members assigned to a detail for the Red Mass at Saint Matthew’s Cathedral engaged an individual who set up a tent on the steps of the Cathedral. Officers determined that the individual was previously barred from the premises of the Cathedral. The individual refused to vacate the premises and was placed under arrest without incident.
During the arrest officers observed multiple suspicious items, including vials of liquid and possible fireworks, inside of the suspect’s tent. Members of MPD’s Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) team and the Arson Task Force responded to the scene to search the suspect’s belongings. The scene has been secured and there is no threat to public safety. The front entrance of the Cathedral and the 1700 block of Rhode Island Avenue, Northwest, remain closed as the scene is processed.
The suspect, identified as 41-year-old Louis Geri of Vineland, New Jersey, is preliminarily charged with Unlawful Entry, Threats to Kidnap or Injure a Person, and Possession of a Molotov Cocktail. The investigation is ongoing in coordination with members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Washington Field Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Sources: https://mpdc.dc.gov/release/mpd-statement-arrest-outside-st-matthew%E2%80%99s-cathedral