Pope’s cemetery visit this November 2 will include graves of stillborn infants

Next few months will include several public liturgies, concluding with World Youth Day at end of January in Panama

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Pope Francis will celebrate Mass at the Roman Laurentino cemetery on November 2, 2018, All Souls Day.

This year, the Sovereign Pontiff chose to go to this cemetery in the south of Rome to celebrate the Mass for the dead. The Laurentino cemetery is the third largest of the Eternal City. Six years ago, a section reserved for stillborn children, called the “garden of angels,” was inaugurated in the heart of its 67 acres.

Last year, the pope visited the American military cemetery of Nettuno, south of the Italian capital.

The next day, on November 3 at 11:30 local time, the Bishop of Rome will preside over the suffrage Mass for cardinals and bishops who have died in the last twelve months. The Eucharistic celebration will take place at the Altar of the Chair in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican.

Read more:
Why do Catholics celebrate Day of the Dead?

Then, on November 18, on the occasion of the 2nd World Day of the Poor, Peter’s Successor will celebrate a Mass at 10:00 am in St. Peter’s Basilica. This day was launched by the Pontiff on November 13, 2016, during the Year of Mercy. The pope established it for every 33rd Sunday of ordinary time.

On December 8 at 4:00 pm, for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, the pope will visit one of the Marian locations in Rome: the Spanish Steps, where there is a statue of the Immaculate Conception atop a large marble column almost 12 meters high. This will be the sixth year in a row that Pope Francis will visit there. In honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patron saint of Latin America, the Argentine Pope will celebrate a Mass at the Vatican Basilica on December 12 at 6:00 pm.

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From the Urbi and orbi to World Youth Day

The pope will celebrate Christmas Eve Mass at 9:30 pm (local time) in St. Peter’s Basilica. The next day, the Pontiff will give the traditional midday Christmas message of peace from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, before giving the Urbi and orbi (“to the city and the world”) blessing.

The head of the Catholic Church will conclude the year 2018 by celebrating the first vespers of the feast of Mary Mother of God on December 31, at St. Peter’s Basilica. Then will follow the traditional thanksgiving hymn for the past year, the Te Deum, composed in the first centuries of the Church.

On the first day of 2019, Peter’s Successor will celebrate the Mass of Mary the Mother of God at St. Peter’s Basilica at 10:00 am. At the end of Mass, he will pray the Angelus prayer at the window of the Apostolic Palace. Then, on the 6th of January, Pope Francis will preside at the Mass of the Solemnity of the Epiphany at St. Peter’s Basilica at 10:00 am. The following Sunday, the Baptism of the Lord, the pontiff will visit the Sistine Chapel to celebrate a 9:30 Mass and to baptize children.

The month of January will end with the apostolic journey to Panama from the 23rd to the 28th, for the 34th World Youth Day.

Read more:
Meet the patrons of the Panama World Youth Day