Pope Francis' itinerary for Lent and Holy Week revealed

(Reuters/Tony Gentile)Pope Francis waves as he leaves at the end of his general audience at St Peter's Square at the Vatican.

With holy week fast-approaching, the Vatican is gearing up for the annual affairs surrounding the Lenten climax. The city-state has a series of papal trips, Eucharistic celebrations, and Liturgical ceremonies lined up for the season, and the following is the Pope's schedule for the Lenten season.

From Mar. 5 to 10, Pope Francis welcomed the Lent with spiritual exercises alongside members of the Curia in Ariccia, a small town on the outskirts of Rome.

On Mar. 17, the Pope facilitated a penitential service in St. Peter's Basilica, in which several people will submit to confession to the pontiff as part of Pope Francis' yearly "24 Hours of the Lord" ceremony. The observance of the ceremony began in 2014 when the Catholic leader led a worldwide initiative that highlights confession as one of the primary channels to experience God's mercy

On the Feast of Annunciation of the Lord, which is held on Mar. 25, Pope Francis is scheduled to make a daylong pastoral visit to Milan. The pontiff will preside over a mass, visit Milan's cathedral, meet youth who recently acquired confirmation, and stopover at a prison.

Pope Francis will visit Carpi, a northern Italian town, at the beginning of April to commemorate the people who passed away when an earthquake hit the area five years ago.

On Palm Sunday, April 9, Pope Francis will administer Mass in St. Peter's Square. In the course of the Eucharistic celebrations, the World Youth Day Cross will be transferred from Poland to Panama to signal the next location of the event in 2019.

On April 13 at 9:30 a.m., the pontiff will concelebrate the Chrism Mass with the other Catholic officials present in Rome. The Chrism Mass will be celebrated in St. Peter's Basilica. The location of the Holy Thursday liturgy, which involves the traditional washing of feet ceremony, has yet to be declared. The washing of feet tradition is usually held by the pontiff in centers for the sick and disabled or in incarceration facilities.

The next day, Good Friday, urbiPope Francis will offer an afternoon liturgy to honor the Lord's Passion in St. Peter's Basilica. The following evening will see the pontiff celebrating the Easter Vigil at the same Basilica.Pope Francis will preside over a public Mass in St. Peter's Square on Easter Sunday. He will deliver the "Urbi et Orbi" blessing after the Eucharistic celebrations.

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