The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff has made public the calendar of celebrations that are due to be presided over by the Holy Father Francis in March and April 2014:
MARCH
– Wednesday 5, Ash Wednesday. At 4:30 p.m. in the Basilica of Sant’Anselmo: «statio» and penitential procession. At 5:00 p.m. in the Basilica of Santa Sabina: blessing and imposition of ashes.
– Sunday 9, first Sunday of Lent. Ariccia: beginning of the spiritual exercises of the Roman Curia.
– Friday 14, conclusion of the spiritual exercises of the Roman Curia.
– Sunday 16, 4 p.m., pastoral visit to the Roman parish of Santa Maria dell’Orazione.
– Friday 28, 17 p.m. in the Vatican Basilica: penitential liturgy.
APRIL
– Sunday 6, 4 p.m., pastoral visit to a Roman parish.
– Sunday 13, Palm Sunday and the Passion of the Lord. At 9:30 a.m. in St. Peter’s Square: blessing of palms, procession, and Mass in the Papal Chapel.
– Sunday 17, Holy Thursday. At 9.30 a.m. in the Vatican Basilica: Chrism Mass.
– Friday 18, Good Friday. At 5:00 p.m. in the Vatican Basilica: celebration of the Lord’s Passion. At 9:15pm at the Colosseum: Via Crucis.
– Saturday, 19, Holy Saturday. At 8:30 p.m. in the Papal Chapel of the Vatican Basilica: Easter vigil.
– Sunday 20, Easter Sunday. At 10:15am in St. Peter’s Square, Papal Chapel: Mass. At midday, from the central loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica: «Urbi et Orbi» blessing.
– Sunday 27, second Sunday of Easter (or Divine Mercy Sunday). At 10 a.m., St. Peter’s Square, Papal Chapel: Mass and canonisation of Blesseds Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II.
The Pope will preside over the in Coena Domini Mass on the afternoon of Holy Thursday but, like last year and in previous years in Buenos Aires, he will select a situation of a special nature from a pastoral point of view, which will be communicated when appropriate. There will not, therefore, be a celebration in a Basilica or the possibility of participation by a large number of faithful; the Prefecture of the Papal Household will not distribute tickets for any such celebration.
