Cardinal Robert Sarah, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments.
Photo: CNS Easter liturgies cannot be postponed, says the Vatican
The liturgies of Holy Week and Easter cannot be moved, according to the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments. While conferences and meetings can be postponed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the congregation said these liturgies could not be cancelled in guidelines issued last week.
“Easter is at the heart of the entire liturgical year and is not simply one feast among others,” read the ‘Decree in the Time of Covid-19’.
“The Easter triduum is celebrated over the arc of three days, which is preceded by Lent and crowned by Pentecost and, therefore, cannot be transferred to another time.”
The decree was signed by Cardinal Robert Sarah, prefect of the congregation, and by secretary Archbishop Arthur Roche.
The chrism Mass, they said, is not formally part of the Triduum and therefore a bishop can decide to postpone its celebration.
Where public Masses have been cancelled, the bishops, in agreement with their bishops’ conference, may ensure that Holy Week liturgies are celebrated in churches.
The decree stated that the faithful should be advised of the times for the celebrations, so they could pray at home at the same time.
Christians join Jews and Muslims in common Jerusalem prayer
The leaders of the three Abrahamic religions prayed together in Jerusalem last week amid the global coronavirus pandemic.
The initiative, taken by the Mayor of the Holy City, took place at Jerusalem City Hall and saw the presence of representatives of other faiths, including Druze and Bahai.
Speaking to Vatican Radio, the Franciscan Custodian of the Holy Land, Fr Francesco Patton, explained that every religion was to recite a prayer according to its own tradition.
“We will be together to pray to the Almighty God that this pandemic may stop,” Fr Patton said.
“It is important in itself because we are all believers with the same roots; and thanks to this same root we can express with faith and with confidence our prayer to God the Almighty.”
The city’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre has been closed, meaning Easter celebrations there will take place behind closed doors.
Cardinal Piacenza: indulgences ‘mantle of mercy’ in hour of crisis
The Cardinal Major Penitentiary Mauro Piacenza says the new Indulgences granted in favour of the sick and their caregivers during the coronavirus (Covid-19) published last week are a “mantle of mercy”.
Speaking to the Vatican News, Cardinal Piacenza says the Decree is a “remission before God” which grants special indulgences to those suffering from the virus.
“The extraordinary nature of these times demands extraordinary measures to help,” he says. “For this reason, the Penitentiary, acting in the service of the Pope and with his authority, has issued the decree on indulgences.” A plenary indulgence is offered to all people suffering from the coronavirus.
On being asked of the conditions for receiving the grant of the indulgence, Cardinal Piacenza says they were “very simple”.
“The sick and their caregivers are asked to unite themselves spiritually, wherever possible through the media, to the celebration of the Mass or the recitation of the Rosary or the Stations of the Cross. If this is not possible, they are asked to recite the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, and an invocation to Mary.”