Main events in May rites
for John Paul II's beatification
Translated from
February 18, 2011
The beatification of the Venerable John Paul II will be a great Church celebration with five main events:
1. The Preparatory Vigil will take place on Saturday evening, April 30, from 8:00-10:30 p.m. at Rome's Circo Massimo, organized by the Diocese of Rome, which had the future Blessed as its Bishop.
The vigil will be led by Cardinal Agostino Vallini, Vicar General of Benedict XVI for the Diocese of Rome. The Holy Father will join the vigil through a video link.
2. The beatification rite itself will take place on Sunday, May 1, in St. Peter's Square, starting at 10 a.m., The Holy Father will preside at the Mass and rites.
Attendance at the Mass does not require any tickets or passes, but access to the Square and adjacent zones will, as usual, be under the supervision of Italian public security.
3. Veneration of the remains of the new Blessed will be possible fro all the faithful on May 1, shortly after the Mass of beatification and will continue until all pilgrims have been accommodated. For this purpose, the remains of the late Pope will be on view in front of the main altar of St. Peter's Basilica.
4. A mass of Thanksgiving is planned for Monday, May 7, and will be celebrated by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone in St. Peter's Square, starting at 10:30 a.m.
5. This will be followed by the interment of the new Blessed's remains in the Basilica's chapel of St. Sebastian in a private ceremony.
More details about each of these events will subsequently be released by the Vatican offices concerned.
Question: Will the late Pope's remains be 'open' as when he lay in state before the funeral, or will it simply be the casket?
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 18/02/2011 15:17]