Pope Benedict to preside over Holy Week, Easter liturgies
(April 5, 2006) Just days before the first anniversary of his election, Pope Benedict
XVI will preside over a full schedule of Holy Week and Easter liturgies at the Vatican
and in Rome. The pope will celebrate his 79th birthday on Easter, April 16, and will
mark the first anniversary of his election April 19. Publishing the Holy Week
and Easter schedule April 4, the Vatican also said U.S. Cardinal J. Francis Stafford,
head of the Apostolic Penitentiary, would lead the April 11 celebration of a reconciliation
rite followed by individual confession and absolution in St. Peter's Basilica. The
Vatican's Holy Week and Easter schedule also included: Palm Sunday, April 9: Pope
Benedict will preside over Mass in St. Peter's Square and the local celebration of
World Youth Day. Youths from Germany, who hosted World Youth Day last year, will hand
the World Youth Day cross to youths from Australia, hosts of the 2008 celebration.
Holy Thursday, April 13: Pope Benedict will celebrate the chrism Mass in St. Peter's
Basilica in the morning.In the evening, he will preside over the Mass of the Lord's
Supper in Rome's Basilica of St. John Lateran. Good Friday, April 14: The liturgy
of the Lord's Passion will be celebrated in St. Peter's in the late afternoon. In
the evening, Pope Benedict will preside over the Way of the Cross at Rome's Colosseum.
The Pope has asked Archbishop Angelo Comastri, his vicar for Vatican City State, to
write the meditations for the event. April 15: Celebration of the Easter Vigil
in St. Peter's Basilica at 10 p.m. April 16: Celebration of Easter Mass in St.
Peter's Square, followed by the papal blessing "urbi et orbi" (to the city of Rome
and the world). The Vatican also announced that Pope Benedict would go to the
papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo after the Easter Mass and remain until April
21, except for a return by helicopter for his April 19 weekly general audience.