Holy Week in the Vatican from livestream, with no faithful present

On Friday, the Vatican published the official program for the liturgy of Pope Francis' Holy Week, which will be streamed from St. Peter's Basilica without worshipers due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

"Due to the extraordinary situation that arose due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic," said the Vatican in a statement of March 27, "an update was needed in relation to the liturgical celebrations presided over by the Holy Father Pope Francis: both in terms of calendar that of participation. "

"We must communicate that the Holy Father celebrates the rites of Holy Week at the altar of the chair in St. Peter's Basilica, according to the following calendar and without the gathering of people," says the note.

Confirmation of Pope Francis' formal liturgical program for Holy Week and Easter came just two days after the Vatican officially published guidelines for priests from its office for divine worship and the discipline of the sacraments on how to celebrate ceremonies. Holy Week without faithful given the global coronavirus epidemic.

Francis' program for Holy Week is now composed of the digital celebration of Palm Sunday Mass on April 5; Lord's Supper Mass on April 9; the celebration of the Lord's Passion on Good Friday, April 10, at 18:00 local time, and the traditional Via Crucis, which this year will take place in front of St. Peter's Square at 21:00 local time.

On Saturday 11 April, the pope will celebrate the Easter Vigil mass at 21:00 pm local time, and on Easter Sunday he will celebrate the mass at 11:XNUMX am, after which he will offer the traditional blessing of Urbi et Orbi, "to the city and the world".

Generally offered only at Christmas and Easter, the blessing offers plenary indulgence to those who receive.

In a rare, if not unprecedented move, Pope Francis will also offer Urbi and Orbi on Friday during a serial prayer service that will present Francis' reading of the scriptures, adoration and meditation. The event will be streamed on Vatican Media's Youtube channel, on Facebook and on television.

The only event not included in the Pope's Holy Week program is the Chrism Mass, which Pope Francis usually celebrates on Thursday during Holy Week.

According to the guidelines published by the Vatican liturgical office, the Chrism Mass can be postponed since it is not formally part of the Triduum, that is, the three days preceding Easter.

In general, all priests of a specific diocese participate in Mass and renew their priestly promises to the bishop. During the liturgy, all the sacred oils used in the sacraments are blessed by the bishop and then distributed to the priests to bring them back to their parishes.

The Vatican did not specify when the Chrism Mass would take place for the diocese of Rome.