Program for the Beatification of John Paul II released by the Vatican
VATICAN CITY (Catholic Online) - It is hard to believe it has been six years since the one whom I call with deep affection, "My Champion", the soon to be Blessed John Paul II, went home to the Father's house. I still feel the pain of loss as do millions around the world. Right before he died, Pope John Paul said, "I am happy. You should be, too. Let us pray together with joy." As I grow older it has become so clear that he is the man who has most influenced my life, shaped my thought and led me to my own vocational response to the Lord.
It is also hard to believe as well that it was two years ago that his
beloved successor, the Servant of the Servants of God, Pope Benedict
XVI, told the Pilgrims gathered in Rome "With you, I pray for the gift
of beatification," during the General Audience in Saint Peter's Square.
Now, that prayer will soon be answered. Tuesday, the Holy See released
the full schedule for the great event. We present the full schedule:
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From the Vatican Information Service
1. The Vigil, 30 April, 2011 (Circus Maximus)
The
celebration will be divided into two parts. The first part will be
dedicated to remembering the words and actions of John Paul II. There
shall then be a solemn procession during which the image of Maria Salus
Populi Romani will be enthroned; this shall be accompanied by
representatives of all the parishes and chaplaincies of the diocese.
Privileged accounts will be given by Joaquin Navarro-Valls and Cardinal
Stanislaw Dziwisz, both of whom worked closely with the Pope, and by Sr.
Marie Simon-Pierre, whose miraculous recovery opened the way for the
beatification process. This first part of the celebrations will be
concluded with the hymn "Totus tuus," composed for the 50th anniversary of John Paul's priestly ordination.
The
second part will focus on the celebration of the Luminous Mysteries of
the Rosary, which were introduced by John Paul II. After the hymn "Open
the doors to Christ", Cardinal Vallini will give an introduction
summarizing the spiritual and pastoral character of John Paul II. The
Rosary will then be recited, with a live connection to five Marian
sanctuaries around the world. Each of the five Mysteries of the Rosary
shall be linked to a prayer intention of importance to John Paul II. In
the Sanctuary of Lagniewniki, Krakow, the prayer intention will take the
theme of youth; in the Sanctuary of Kawekamo, Bugando, Tanzania, the
family; in the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lebanon, Harissa,
evangelisation; in the Basilica of Sancta Maria de Guadalupe, Mexico
City, hope and peace among peoples; and in the Sanctuary of Fatima, the
Church.
To conclude the vigil, Benedict XVI shall recite the
final oration and impart the apostolic blessing to all participants, in
live transmission from the Apostolic Palace.
That night the
following churches shall remain open for the oration: Sant' Agnese in
Agone, Piazza Navona; San Marco al Campidoglio; Santa Anastasia;
Santissimo Nome di Gesù all'Argentina; Santa Maria in Vallicella; San
Giovanni dei Fiorentini; San Andrea della Valle; and San Bartolomeo
all'Isola.
2.The Mass of Beatification, May 1, 2011,
Sunday after Easter or of Divine Mercy (St. Peter's Square, officiated
by the Holy Father).
The solemn liturgy of beatification
shall be preceded by an hour of preparation during which the faithful
shall pray together the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, a devotion introduced
by Saint Mary Faustina Kowalska and dear to the Blessed John Paul II.
The preparation will conclude with an Invocation to Mercy in the world,
with the hymn "Jezu ufam tobie." This will be followed by
Mass, with the texts for the Sunday after Easter. At the end of the rite
of beatification, the unveiling of the tapestry depicting the newly
Blessed shall be accompanied by the Hymn to the Blessed in Latin.
3. Mass of thanksgiving, Monday May 2, 2011 (officiated by Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone, St. Peter's Square)
Mass
on Monday 2 May shall be the first celebrated in honour of the newly
Blessed John Paul II. The texts shall be those of the Mass of the
Blessed John Paul II. Music during the celebrations shall be provided by
the Choir of the Diocese of Rome, with the participation of the Choir
of Warsaw and the Wadowice Symphony Orchestra, Poland.
Fr.
Lombardi explained that in the evening of Friday 29 April the tomb of
the Blessed Pope Innocent XI - currently in the Chapel of St. Sebastian
in St. Peter's Basilica - shall be transferred to the Altar of
Transfiguration, to make way for the body of John Paul II. That morning,
the coffin of John Paul II - which shall not be opened - will be
transferred before the tomb of St. Peter, in the Vatican grotto. On the
morning of 1 May, it will be brought before the Altar of Confession in
the Basilica.
Following the beatification ceremony, the Pope and
the concelebrating cardinals will make their way to the Altar of
Confession in the Basilica and will pray for a moment before the body of
the newly Blessed. From that evening, those who wish to do so may
venerate the remains of John Paul II.
Fr. Walter Insero shall
present the new project, "Digital Sentinels," recalling the polish
Pope's address to the young as "sentinels of the morning" on World Youth
Day 2000 in Rome.
Through the already well-known portal
"Pope2You," provided by the Pontifical Council for Social
Communications, it will be possible to send digital postcards with
phrases, in several languages, extracted from John Paul II's various
addresses to young people. These postcards may be used as invitations to
young people to come to Rome to celebrate the beatification of John
Paul II. Furthermore, through this portal it will be possible to follow
the scheduled celebrations (Vigil, beatification Mass, Mass of
thanksgiving).
This initiative, carried out in collaboration with
Vatican Radio, the Vatican Television Center and the Office for Social
Communications of the Vicariate of Rome, is managed by a group of young
volunteers, several seminarians from colleges in Rome who provide
translations in various languages, and friends from other continents.
In : OLP Newsline
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