The Pope will await the arrival of the Blessed Sacrament in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major
He will celebrate Mass in the Basilica of St. John Lateran
The Pope will await the arrival of the Blessed Sacrament in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major
He will celebrate Mass in the Basilica of St. John Lateran
After celebrating Mass on the Feast of Corpus Christi, Thursday evening, in front of the main entrance to the Basilica of St. John Lateran, Pope Francis is to travel by car to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major where he will await the arrival of the Blessed Sacrament.
A brief communiqué released by Vatican Press Office Director, Father Federico Lombardi SJ, explained that the Pope will not lead the traditional Corpus Christi procession between the two Basilicas, but will be in the Square in front of Saint Mary Major at the conclusion of the procession to impart the solemn Eucharistic Blessing.
The procession, which traditionally features the faithful carrying candles that illuminate an otherwise dark Via Merulana, will be led by Cardinal Agostino Vallini, Vicar General for the diocese of Rome.
Lombardi explained that Pope Francis’s decision to not walk in the procession comes in the run-up to an intense weekend schedule which includes an Apostolic Journey to the southern Italian town of Cassano all’Jonio on Saturday.
Another reason for the decision – he said – is because the Pope does not want to be at the center of attention during the procession, a moment in which the faithful must concentrate solely on the Blessed Sacrament.
Loading...
Leave A Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.