Year of Faith: Official calendar of Events

August 04, 2012: With just over two months to go, the Vatican has published the full official calendar of events pertaining to the upcoming Year of Faith. Pope Benedict XVI has called the Year of Faith to strengthen Catholics who go to Church, reach out to those who have left but still yearn for God in their lives, offer a response to those who are searching for meaning and help those who think they do not need God.
And as was revealed back in June, there’s a special hymn, a logo and a prayer card as well as a full calendar of special “Year of Faith” events.
The Year itself begins on 11th October 2012 with a Mass presided by Pope Benedict XVI in St. Peter's Square. It will be concelebrated by bishops and theologians who served as members or experts at the Second Vatican Council.
Many of the Pope's traditional appointments, like the 25th January celebration marking the end of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and the 2 February Prayer with religious are incorporated into the Year of Faith.
But other events have been added such as the October 6th “Courtyard of the Gentiles” meeting in the Umbrian town of Assisi.
One highlight is represented by the Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the theme of New Evangelization from 7th to 28th October.
The wide-ranging calendar includes the canonization of six martyrs of the faith on 21st October; a World Congress for Catholic teachers from 26th to 30th October; an International Conference for Health Care workers on the theme “the Hospital, a place of evangelization: a human and spiritual mission” from 15th to 17th November.
An exhibition of the Year of Faith is due to be inaugurated on 20th December at Castel Sant’Angelo. It will remain open until 1st May 2013.
Pope Benedict is then due to preside at the celebration for the World Day for Consecrated Life on 2nd February, followed by Palm Sunday on 24th March.
The month of April also foresees the Day of Seminaries, a Day of Study dedicated to Vatican II documents, and a celebration on 28th April. On 2nd June, the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ in most countries, the pope will lead the solemn adoration of the Eucharist. The 29th September is the Day for Catechists and it will be celebrated in the presence of Benedict XVI.
Pope Benedict is scheduled to conclude the Year of Faith on 24th November 2013
Meanwhile, the Vatican has launched a website - www.annusfidei.va – with information about the Year of Faith and its full calendar of special events.