Vatican Publishes Holy Week Schedule, No Indication Whether Pope Francis Will Preside over Rites

The following day, Good Friday, the Catholic Church celebrates the passion of the Lord in St. Peter’s Basilica at 5 p.m. In previous years, Pope Francis has participated in the services at St. Peter’s Basilica, but the homily has typically been given by the preacher of the papal household, currently Franciscan Capuchin Father Roberto Pasolini. This is the only day of the year on which there is no consecration as a sign of mourning for the passion of Jesus.

At 9:15 p.m., the traditional Way of the Cross will take place in Rome’s Colosseum, where the 14 stations of the Passion are meditated upon, from Jesus’ condemnation to death to his burial, in one of the most widely followed ceremonies by the faithful in Rome. Last year, the Holy Father, suffering from bronchitis, was unable to attend this event, whose tradition reflects the persecution suffered by early Christians under the Roman Empire.

On Holy Saturday, April 19, the Easter Vigil will be celebrated in St. Peter’s Basilica. In the past, St. John Paul II usually celebrated the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday in the Vatican around 10 p.m., but in the final years of his pontificate, it began to be celebrated a few hours earlier. This year, the ceremony will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the atrium of St. Peter’s Basilica with the brief ceremony of lighting the fire and blessing the paschal candle.

The following day, Easter Sunday, April 20, the Catholic Church will celebrate the day of the Lord’s resurrection with a Mass in St. Peter’s Square at 10:30 a.m. Following this, the solemn urbi et orbi blessing will be imparted to the city of Rome and the entire world.

One week after Easter, on the second Sunday of Easter or Divine Mercy Sunday, a special Mass will be celebrated in St. Peter’s Square at 10:30 a.m. During this ceremony, the canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis, the young Italian millennial known as the “cyber apostle of the Eucharist,” is scheduled to take place.

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This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

As a journalist, Victoria Cardiel has specialized in social and religious news. Since 2013, she has covered the Vatican for various media outlets, including Europa Press and Alfa and Omega, the weekly newspaper of the Archdiocese of Madrid.