Why did Pius XII allow evening masses?

Pope Pius XII authorized evening masses as part of a broader effort to revise and liberalize the liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church.1

These changes were rooted in the Liturgical Movement, a 19th- and 20th-century initiative that sought to make church rites more relevant to modern life and to encourage the active, intelligent participation of the laity. By making evening masses possible, the church aimed to better accommodate the needs of the faithful in a changing world. This move was consistent with other reforms under Pius XII, such as shortening the period of fasting required before receiving Communion and initiating revisions to the rites of Holy Week.21