Many of us have never witnessed these nine days of funerals/mourning.
Beginning with the Solemn Funeral Mass and Entombment of the Holy Father, funeral rites for Pope John Paul II will be celebrated by different communities on 9 consecutive days. With the exception of Day One, these Liturgies will take place in St. Peter's Basilica at 5 p.m. Rome time, 11 a.m. Eastern. This period of official mourning is called the Novemdiales. |
Day 1 - Funeral Mass and Entombment of the Supreme Pontiff
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Day 2 - Saturday 9 April. For the faithful of Vatican City.
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Day 3 - Sunday 10 April. For the Church of Rome.
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Day 4 - Monday 11 April. For the Chapters of the Patriarchal Basilicas.
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Day 5 - Tuesday 12 April. Papal Chapel.
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Day 6 - Wednesday 13 April. For the Roman Curia.
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Day 7- Thursday 14 April. For the Oriental Churches.
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Day 8 - Friday 15 April. For members of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.
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Day 9 - Saturday 16 April. Papal Chapel.
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Hmmm, I wonder where EWTN is getting their information from. I was mistaken and thought that the nine days of mourning began with his death, but then I received the newsletter from the Vatican Information Service which said:
SCHEDULE FOR NOVENDIALI, NINE DAYS OF MOURNING FOR POPEVATICAN CITY, APR 7, 2005 (VIS) - Archbishop Piero Marini, master of the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff, has published a note on the "novendiali" or period of nine days of official mourning for the late Pope John Paul II, explaining the background and indicating the dates, times and principal celebrants of each of the nine Masses.
The communique states that "according to an ancient custom, for nine consecutive days there are special Eucharistic celebrations for the repose of the soul of the deceased Roman Pontiff, starting with the funeral Mass which is determined by the Congregation of Cardinals (cf. Universi Dominici gregis, n. 13 and 27)."
"Each day the celebration is open to everyone. It is, however, entrusted each day to a different group, taking into account that group's links with the Roman Pontiff. This variety of the congregation shows in a certain way both the milieu of the Supreme Pastor as well as the universality of the Church of Rome (Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontifici, n. 133)."