Pope Francis: Holy Week and Easter Celebrations 2021

Vatican City, March 23, 2021 - The Vatican has released the schedule of Pope Francis´ schedule of celebrations for Holy Week and Easter, which, due to restrictions due to the Covid-19 coronavirus, will be celebrated primarily in St. Peter´s Basilica with a greatly reduced congregation. 

Although Pope Francis is expected to preside at most of the liturgical celebrations, he is not expected to preside at the Mass of the Lord´s Supper scheduled for April 1. According to the Holy See´s official news agency, the Vatican News portal, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, will celebrate the Mass at the Altar of the Chair in St. Peter´s Basilica.

Before the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, Pope Francis had a tradition of celebrating Mass and the ritual of foot washing in a prison or detention center, a refugee center or a rehabilitation center.

[Pope Francis lights the Candle at the Easter Vigil in St. Peter´s Basilica at the Vatican on April 11, 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Holy Week and Easter services at the Vatican will not be open to the general public this year either]

The Vatican did not give a reason for Pope Francis´ absence, which, if he does not celebrate the liturgy elsewhere, would mark the first time he has not presided at the Mass of the Lord´s Supper.

The Vatican also announced that Pope Francis asked two Italian scout troops from Rome and Umbria to prepare meditations for the Stations of the Cross. Young people from two shelters for disadvantaged youth in Rome - "Mater Divini Amoris" and "Tetto Casal Fattoria" - have drawn the illustrations that will accompany the prayer.

The "words and colors of the young people convey the complexity of a world made of small and large crosses, but also of trust and hope in the future," the Vatican said.

Schedule of Holy Week and Easter Celebrations.

This is the schedule of Pope Francis´ liturgical ceremonies for Holy Week, according to Vatican News (times are local - Rome Time):

• March 28, Palm Sunday, 10:30 am celebration of Holy Mass at the Altar of the Chair in St. Peter´s Basilica (4:30 am Texas, Bogota, Quito, Lima, Panama Time).
• April 1, Chrism Mass, 10:00 a.m. at St. Peter´s Basilica (4:00 a.m. Texas, Bogotá, Quito, Lima, Panama Time)
• April 2, Good Friday, Liturgy of the Passion of the Lord at 6:00 pm in St. Peter´s Basilica. (12:00 pm Texas, Bogota, Quito, Lima, Panama Time)
• April 2, Stations of the Cross at 9:00 pm in front of St. Peter´s Basilica. (3:00 pm Texas, Bogota, Quito, Lima, Panama Time)
• April 3, Easter Vigil Mass, 7:30 pm, St. Peter´s Basilica. (2:30 pm Texas, Bogota, Quito, Lima, Panama Time)
• April 4, Easter morning Mass, 10:00 am, St. Peter´s Basilica, followed at noon by the Pope´s blessing "urbi et orbi" (the city and the world) - (4:00 am Texas, Bogota, Quito, Lima, Panama Time)

The calendar for the Major Week (Holy Week) and Easter celebrations will be maintained according to biosecurity considerations and measures due to the Covid-19 coronavirus.