While the New York St. Patrick’s Day Parade will not take place next Tuesday, as it has for over 250 years, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York, will still celebrate a Mass in honor of the patron saint of the archdiocese in St. Patrick’s Cathedral,
However, attendance at the Mass will be limited to the members of the 69th Regiment of the New York State National Guard, as well as the parade Grand Marshal and aides, and the Parade Committee.
The 69th Regiment — the legendary “Fighting 69th” — customarily always leads the line of march in the legendary parade.
The cathedral Mass, which will be on Tuesday, March 17, at 8:30 a.m., will be dedicated to praying for those who are suffering from the coronavirus disease COVID-19, as well as for doctors, nurses, caregivers, and all those who are working to combat the disease.
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced late Wednesday night that this year’s parade will be postponed due to an increasing pandemic of the disease.
The Mass will be broadcast and available on many cable systems via the Catholic Faith Network and its website at www.catholicfaithnetwork.org, live-streamed on the St. Patrick’s Cathedral website, www.saintpatrickscathedral.org/live, and broadcast on radio on The Catholic Channel of Sirius XM (Channel 129).
Late Thursday, the board of the NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade issued a statement saying that it “announces with a heavy heart that at the direction of NY Governor Andrew Cuomo, the 2020 New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade has been postponed due to coronavirus (COVID-19) activity in our region.”
“The health and safety of the Parade’s marchers which includes many members of our armed forces, first responders, schools and colleges, as well as spectators, volunteers, and staff is paramount,” said the statement. “We look forward to working with the Mayor and his staff to celebrate our Irish heritage and legacy in the greatest City in the world, New York City, at a later date.
And today we celebrate...