Following is the schedule of Holy Week activities to be presided over by 
Pope John Paul II this year: 

SUNDAY, April 4: Palm Sunday and Our Lord's Passion. 
19th World Youth Day on the theme: "We want to see Jesus." At 10:00 a.m. in 
St. Peter's Square, the Holy Father will bless palms and olive branches and, 
at the end of the procession, will celebrate the Mass of the Lord's Passion.

THURSDAY, April 8: Holy Thursday
In St. Peter's Basilica at 9:30 a.m., the Holy Father will preside at the 
concelebration of the Chrism Mass with cardinals, bishops, diocesan and 
religious priests present in Rome, as a sign of the close union between 
the pastor of the universal Church and his brothers in the priestly ministry. 

The Easter Triduum of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection begins in the 
Vatican Basilica at 5:30 p.m. with the Mass of Our Lord's Last Supper. 
The Holy Father will preside at the concelebration of the Mass. After 
the homily, the rite of the washing of the feet of 12 priests will take 
place. During this rite, those present will be invited to give alms for 
sick children in Rwanda and Burundi. The sum collected will be given to 
the Holy Father at the presentation of the gifts. At the end of the 
celebration the Blessed Sacrament will be transferred to the chapel of 
reposition.



FRIDAY, April 9: Good Friday. 
The Holy Father will preside at the celebration of the Passion of Our 
Lord in the Vatican Basilica at 5 p.m. He will lead the Stations of the 
Cross at the Colosseum at 9:15 p.m. and, in conclusion, will speak to 
the faithful and will impart his apostolic blessing.  

This year, the meditations have been entrusted to Fr. Andre Louf of 
Belgian, a Cistercian monk of strict observance who was responsible 
for the publication of the writings of the Flemish mystics. After 35 
years as abbot of the monastery of Notre Dame de Mont-des-Cats, France, 
he retired to a hermitage in the south of France where he currently 
resides, dedicating prayer and study to the Fathers of the Church. 

SATURDAY, April 10: 
The Easter Vigil will begin at 7:00 p.m. in St. Peter's Basilica, when 
the Pope will bless the new fire in the atrium of the church. After 
the entrance procession with the Easter candle and the singing of 
the “Exultet,” he will preside at the Liturgy of the Word and the 
baptismal and eucharistic liturgies, which he will concelebrate 
with the cardinals.

SUNDAY, April 11: EASTER SUNDAY
At 10:30 a.m., John Paul II will celebrate Mass in St. Peter's Square, 
after which he will impart the "Urbi et Orbi" ("to the city and 
the world") blessing.  



ends