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The Holy Week commences today locally with the procession of Our Lady of Sorrows - Id-Duluri. The procession with the statue of the Virgin Mary of Sorrows is held on the Friday preceding Palm Sunday.
Various parishes organize devoted processions with the Statue of Our Lady of Sorrows following a mass. The processions in most parishes start at 19:00CET and goes around various streets of the Parish. People pace and pray in procession in which many, as the tradition implies, wend through the way barefoot. The people walk barefooted behind the statue as sign of sacrifice and thanksgiving for having received a special grace. Hymns are sung and the Rosary is recited on the way.
This is a very popular feast in the Maltese islands whereby every church has a statue of Our Lady of Sorrows. As every man often faces pain and suffering throughout his life, Malta has chosen Mary, the Mother of God under the title 'Our Lady of Sorrows' to intercede for him during those difficult times.
During Holy Week, the Archbishop Mgr. Joseph Mercieca will lead the liturgical celebrations to be held at St. John Co-Cathedral, Valletta.
On Palm Sunday, Mgr. Mercieca will lead the celebration of the Blessing of Palm and Olive Branches. The function, which includes a procession, will start at 09:00CET. A Stational Mass will be celebrated.
On Wednesday during the Holy Week, the Archbishop will be leading a Via Sagra in Floriana, at 20:00CET.
On Holy Thursday, at 09:15CET Mass of Holy Chrism will be celebrated. Numerous diocesan priests and religious will concelebrate with the Archbishop, who will bless the Holy Oils that will be used in the celebration of the Sacraments of the Anointing of the Sick, Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Orders. All priests will renew the promises that they made on the day of their Ordination.
Also on Holy Thursday, at 18:30CET the Solemn Memorial of the Lord's Supper will be celebrated. After Mass, Mgr. Mercieca will carry the Blessed Sacrament to the Altar of Repose, where it will remain for the adoration of the faithful.
On Good Friday, at 15:30CET the Archbishop will lead the Solemn celebration of the Lord's Passion. During the celebration, the Narrative of the Passion will be read. The Adoration of the Cross will follow and then Holy Communion distributed.
On Holy Saturday, at 20:00CET the Archbishop will lead the celebration of the Easter Vigil. The celebration will commence with the Blessing of the New Fire and will include the Liturgy of the Word, the Liturgy of Baptism and the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
On Easter Sunday, at 09:15CET., the Archbishop will celebrate together with the Cathedral Chapter the Easter Sunday Stational Mass and at the end imparts the Apostolic Blessing with the Plenary Indulgence.
During the Holy Week celebrations all the offices of the Archbishop's Curia in Floriana and those of the Ecclesiastical Tribunal in Valletta will be closed for a whole week from Thursday, 13 April 2006. These offices will open again for the general public on Friday, 21 April 2006.
See also MaltaMedia's special feature:
Holy Week and Easter in Malta and Gozo.
© Copyright 2005 - MaltaMedia Online Network
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