FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 26, 2018
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Adriana Rodriguez
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Carolyn Erstad
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DIOCESE OF BROOKLYN MARKS HOLY WEEK WITH NUMEROUS SERVICES IN BROOKLYN AND QUEENS
The Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio, Bishop of Brooklyn, will lead the Catholics of Brooklyn and Queens in numerous services this Holy Week, to celebrate the essence of our faith – the passion, death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
On Tuesday, March 27 at 7:30 p.m., the Mass of Chrism will be held at the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph, 856 Pacific Street, Brooklyn. During the Mass of Chrism, Bishop DiMarzio will lead hundreds of priests and deacons in renewing their promises of service to the Church. He will also consecrate the oils to be used in the diocese for the sacraments during the coming year.
On Holy Thursday, Bishop DiMarzio will celebrate the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, which commemorates the institution of the Holy Eucharist and the priesthood. It will be held at Our Lady of Angels Church, 7320 4th Avenue, Brooklyn at 7 p.m.
On Good Friday, there will be several large events to commemorate the day Jesus Christ died on the cross. The apostolic group Communion and Liberation will sponsor an outdoor procession, “Way of the Cross Over the Brooklyn Bridge” that begins at 10 a.m. at the Cathedral Basilica of St. James, 250 Cathedral Place in Downtown Brooklyn. Timothy Cardinal Dolan and Bishop DiMarzio will offer the opening prayer and reflection. The group will then process over the Brooklyn Bridge to Ground Zero, symbolically walking the path of Jesus toward His crucifixion. Along the way, the marchers will stop and pray the Stations of the Cross.
At 3:00 p.m. Bishop DiMarzio will preside over the Good Friday Service of the Lord’s Passion at St. Athanasius Church, 2154 61st Street, Brooklyn.
At 7:30 p.m., thousands of Catholics will gather at St. Dominic Church, 2001 Bay Ridge Parkway, and begin their procession through the streets of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. The faithful, led by Bishop DiMarzio, will carry crosses and statues, symbolizing Jesus’ walk to Calvary. The procession is organized by the Italian Apostolate, and along the journey, participants will pray in Italian. The walk will end at St. Athanasius Church, located at 2154 61st Street.
On Holy Saturday the Church commemorates the time Jesus spent in the tomb. Then, after sunset, Easter Vigil Services throughout Brooklyn and Queens will celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is the most important liturgy of the year. Services will begin in the dark and dramatically light up to symbolize the Risen Lord. This year, Bishop DiMarzio will celebrate the Easter Vigil at 8 p.m. at St. Michael’s Church, 138-65 Barclay Avenue in Flushing, Queens. That is where 73 candidates will receive the Sacraments of Initiation; 60 will receive Baptism, Confirmation, and Communion; 13 will receive Confirmation and Communion.
On Easter Sunday, churches throughout Brooklyn and Queens will continue to celebrate the Resurrection. Bishop DiMarzio will preside over Mass at 11 a.m. at the Cathedral Basilica of St. James, 250 Cathedral Place in Downtown Brooklyn.