Are you headed to Rome for Easter? I hope you have your itinerary planned as it is a very busy time of the year to be in Rome. It can be very exciting despite the crowds!
By the time Holy Week begins there should be a new Pope in place. If you are in Rome during this time enjoy the excitement when the new Pope is selected.
Sunday March 24 is Palm Sunday and Passion of the Lord. This is the start of the Holy Week with a mass at St. Peter’s Square in the morning. This mass is a very long mass and can last about three hours. In Italy the Easter tradition of palm is replaced with olive tree branches.
Holy Thursday is celebrated with two masses in Rome. This first is at St. Peter’s Basilica in the morning and the second mass is at St. John Lateran in the evening. Both masses can last more than two hours.
On Good Friday there is another mass at St. Peters in the evening with the Stations of the Cross. Later in the evening about 9:15pm there is the Way of the Cross, where the Pope traces the Stations of the Cross from the Coliseum to Palatine Hill.
Easter Vigil on Saturday begins at 9pm at St. Peter’s Basilica.
Easter Sunday Mass is celebrated in St. Peter’s Square at about 10:15am.
Tip: Tickets are necessary so I hope you have planned ahead to get yours.
For more information go to this site: http://www.papalaudience.org/papal-mass
Enjoy and write me when you return!
