Diocese of Rome hosts Prayer Vigils ahead of Canonizations

(Vatican Radio) Ahead of Sunday’s Canonization Mass, the Diocese of Rome has prepared churches throughout Rome’s centre for a night of Prayer Vigils and Confessions.

Beginning at 5 pm Rome time, the Papal Basilica of Saint Paul’s outside the Walls is hosting Vespers and a Vigil Mass for Divine Mercy Sunday. The Liturgy will be followed by Eucharistic Adoration until Compline, while in the Basilica’s cloister, pilgrims will be able to visit a display with memorials of Pope John XXIII and the Second Vatican Council.

Across town at the Archbasilica of St John Lateran, a prayer vigil is being held for the faithful from John XXIII’s hometown of Bergamo, Italy.

From 9 pm Rome time, eleven churches in downtown Rome will be open for prayer and confessions, with liturgies and devotions scheduled in seven different languages. English speaking pilgrims will gather at the Church of San Marco al Campidoglio, right next to Piazza Venezia in the heart of the city. Other churches will feature services in Polish, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Arabic, as well as Italian. Below you can find the complete list of participating churches:

S. Agnese in Agone a Piazza Navona POLISH
S. Marco al Campidoglio ITALIAN, ENGLISH
S. Anastasia PORTUGUESE
Santissimo Nome di Gesù all’Argentina ITALIAN, SPANISH
S. Maria in Vallicella ITALIAN
S. Giovanni dei Fiorentini ITALIAN
S. Andrea della Valle FRENCH
S. Bartolomeo all’Isola Tiberina ITALIAN, ARABAIC
S. Ignazio di Loyola in Campo Marzio ITALIAN
Chiesa delle SS. Stimmate ITALIAN
Chiesa dei XII Apostoli ITALIAN
Basilica Sacro Cuore di Gesù ITALIAN

Following Sunday’s Mass of Canonization, the Basilica of Saint Peter will be open from 2 pm to 10 pm to allow pilgrims the opportunity to visit the tombs of the new Saints.

Finally, on Monday, a Mass of Thanksgiving for the Canonizations will be said in Saint Peter’s Square, beginning at 10 am.

With as many as three million people expected for this weekend’s events, the Church of Rome is doing everything they can to make it a spirit, and grace-filled, weekend.

Listen to Christopher Wells’ report: