By Michael Gryboski, Editor Wednesday, October 08, 2025

A man arrested outside a church before it was set to hold a “Red Mass” worship service, traditionally attended by U.S. Supreme Court justices, was found to have 200 explosive devices in his possession. 

Louis Geri, a 41-year-old resident of New Jersey, was arrested Sunday outside of the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle hours before the service was scheduled to begin.

According to a D.C. Metropolitan Police Department press release, Geri, who had been previously barred from the cathedral grounds, decided to set up a tent near the church building.

While Geri was arrested without incident after refusing to leave the property, authorities discovered “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,” stated D.C. police.

Authorities charged Geri with possession of a Molotov cocktail, threats to kidnap or injure a person, and unlawful entry. The investigation is ongoing and includes personnel from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Joint Terrorism Task Force.

Geri was eventually found to have had around 200 explosive devices at the tent, according to The Washington Post, including Molotov cocktails and bottle rockets.

Court records indicate that Geri expressed negative opinions about U.S. Supreme Court justices, the Catholic Church, Jewish individuals, and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

While Catholic members of the Supreme Court were initially slated to attend the mass, the incident prevented them from attending the service, which took place as scheduled.

A judge on Monday ordered Geri to be held without bond.

The Red Mass is an annual observance at St. Matthew’s Cathedral held in honor of those who practice law and is typically scheduled shortly before the opening of the Supreme Court’s term.

According to the Archdiocese of Washington, the Red Mass tradition “dates back many centuries” and derives its name from “the color of the liturgical vestments worn by the celebrants and the color of fire, a symbol of the Holy Spirit.”

The John Carroll Society, a D.C. metropolitan-area organization that ministers to Catholic legal professionals, co-hosts the religious gathering alongside the archdiocese.