(ZENIT News / Rome, 03.05.2024).- The “24 Hours for the Lord,” a Lenten initiative of prayer and reconciliation dear to Pope Francis, celebrated every year in dioceses worldwide on the eve of the fourth Sunday of Lent, reaches its eleventh edition.
The theme chosen by the Pope for this edition, which will take place from Friday, March 8th, to Saturday, March 9th, is taken from chapter 6 of the Letter to the Romans: “Walk in newness of life.” In preparation for the Easter Resurrection, on Friday afternoon and throughout the day on Saturday, ecclesial communities are encouraged to provide an extraordinary opening of churches, offering the faithful the opportunity to stop at any time for adoration and the opportunity to confess. This year’s edition is part of the Year of Prayer: the “24 Hours for the Lord” will be an occasion to experience the prayer of forgiveness.
Since last year, to further characterize presence in parish communities, Pope Francis presides over the celebration of the “24 Hours for the Lord” in a parish in the city of Rome. In this edition, the liturgy with the Holy Father will take place on Friday, March 8, 2024, at 4:30 p.m., at the parish of San Pio V (Largo San Pio V, 3). During the celebration, all the faithful who wish may receive the sacrament of reconciliation. Pope Francis will also hear confessions from some penitents.
The open doors of the churches are a symbol of God’s merciful love. To prepare for the “24 Hours for the Lord,” the Dicastery for the Evangelization has published a pastoral aid containing sheets for personal prayer and suggestions for community celebration. In fact, the Dicastery renews the proposal to the dioceses and parishes of Italy and around the world to celebrate the moment of prayer also in their own communities. The aid can be downloaded for free, in Italian, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, and French, from the Dicastery’s website.
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