Important Information for Participation in the Jubilee for Priests
Dear Father/Seminarian,
We are truly delighted that you will be participating in the upcoming Jubilee for Priests to be held in Rome on June 1-3, 2016. The following contains important practical details regarding your participation:
1. Upon arrival in Rome, each Group Leader or priest/seminarian who has registered individually must confirm in person their participation in the Jubilee for Priests by visiting the Pilgrimage Information Center which is located on Via della Conciliazione 7. This may be done beginning on Sunday, May 29 between the hours of 7:30-18:30 (daily operating hours), by presenting the voucher that will be emailed to you in the coming days.
2. At the Pilgrimage Information Center, each priest who has registered individually is to present his official celebret. For groups, it is enough for the group leader to present his celebret. The Group Leader will receive for each member of his/her group, as will each person who registered individually: A) the official PASS to participate in each programed event and on which will be indicated the name of the Basilica to which the priest/seminarian has been assigned for the Spiritual Retreat. It must be emphasized that it is necessary to respect this indication and not to change the Basilica, as all participants have been assigned to each of the three Papal Basilicas according to language groupings, as well as in view of simultaneous translation services. N.B. for security reasons, this PASS must be worn during all of the organized events; B) the Concelebration ticket – or in the case of seminarians an entrance ticket - for the Holy Mass on Friday, June 3 which will be celebrated by Pope Francis; C) the booklet which contains a variety of informational details regarding participation in the Jubilee, as well as liturgical aids. When receiving these materials, every group leader or every priest who registered individually will be able to pay the 10 euro solidarity contribution for each participant.
3. Those who have registered to participate only in the Holy Mass on Friday, June 3, need not pay the solidarity contribution. Free tickets for the Mass may be picked up at the Pilgrimage Information Center. However, it is important to note that these are not tickets for Concelebration but general tickets for entrance into St. Peter’s Square.
4. On Wednesday, June 1 from 9:00-16:00, all participants will be able to make a pilgrimage through the Holy Door of St. Peter’s according to the diverse language groups as noted on the program which will be included in the event booklet. During this time, participants may also visit one of the three Jubilee Churches where the Sacrament of Reconciliation will be available and where there will be Eucharistic Adoration. Missionaries of Mercy will be available to hear Confessions in various languages. The Jubilee Churches are:
S. Salvatore in Lauro (Piazza di San Salvatore in Lauro, 15)
S. Maria in Vallicella [Chiesa Nuova] (Piazza della Chiesa Nuova)
S. Giovanni Battista dei Fiorentini (Piazza dell'Oro 1)
5. On Wednesday, June 1 at 17:30, participants will be divided into various churches according to language groups for the catechesis. Immediately after this catechesis, and in the same church, there will be concelebrated Mass in that same languages. Those wishing to concelebrate are to bring an alb and a white stole. The churches are:
Italian:
Chiesa di S. Maria in Vallicella [Chiesa Nuova], Piazza della Chiesa Nuova
Spanish
Basilica dei XII Apostoli, Piazza dei Santi Apostoli, 51
English
Basilica di Sant’Andrea della Valle, Piazza Vidoni, 6
French
San Luigi dei Francesi, Piazza di S. Luigi de' Francesi
Polish
Basilica di S. Marco Evangelista al Campidoglio, Piazza di San Marco, 48
German
S. Salvatore in Lauro, Piazza di San Salvatore in Lauro, 15
Portuguese
Chiesa Santa Monica, Piazza S. Uffizio
6. Thursday, June 2 is the Spiritual Retreat Day preached by the Holy Father to all priests and seminarians.
N.B. Entrance into the Basilicas for the Spiritual Retreat is reserved for priests and seminarians only. Each priest and seminarian will only be allowed entrance into the Basilica noted on the PASS. It is important to keep in mind that June 2 is a public holiday in Italy and, therefore, public transportation will be available with limited services. Some areas of the historic center of Rome could undergo closures due to the military parade along the Via dei Fori Imperiali.
The Holy Father will offer three mediations, one in each of the three Papal Basilicas of San Giovanni in Laterano, Santa Maria Maggiore and San Paolo fuori le Mura. The Retreat has been organized so that when the Holy Father is speaking in one of the above Basilicas, those present in the other two Basilicas will be able to watch live. The mediations will take place at 10:00, at 12:00 and at 16:00.
The Basilica of San Paolo fuori le Mura will welcome all non-Italian speaking priests and seminarians and will provide simultaneous translations in Spanish, English, French, German, Polish, and Portuguese. Those present at San Paolo fuori le Mura will also be provided with a free box lunch.
The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore will welcome Italian priests and seminarians not of the Diocese of Rome. The Archbasilica of San Giovanni in Laterano will welcome all priests – diocesan and religious - and seminarians of the Diocese of Rome and all priests in the service of the Roman Curia.
Immediately following the Holy Father’s third Mediation, there will be concelebrated Masses in the various languages. Priests participating in the Archbasilica of San Giovanni in Laterano and the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore will celebrate in those Basilicas, while those participating in the Basilica of San Paolo fuori le Mura will be divided according to language groups into the following churches:
Spanish and Portuguese
Basilica di San Paolo fuori le Mura
German
Pontificio Oratorio San Paolo, Viale di San Paolo, 12
English
Parrochia S. Maria Regina degli Apostoli, Via Antonino Pio, 75
French
Cripta di S. Maria Regina degli Apostoli, Via Antonino Pio, 75
Polish
Sotto-cripta S. Maria Regina degli Apostoli, Via Antonino Pio, 75
N.B. 1) Those wishing to concelebrate are to bring an alb and a white stole. 2) S. Maria Regina degli Apostoli is a short walk from St. Paul Outside the Walls. Jubilee Volunteers will be present to direct all priests and seminarians. In any case, there will be buses available to arrive at the church.
7. Holy Mass will celebrated by Pope Francis on Friday, June 3 at 9:30 in St. Peter’s Square on the 160th Anniversary of the Institution of the Liturgical Feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. To concelebrate, each priest must bring his own alb and white stole, as well as the appropriate ticket given to him by the Group Leader or which he himself had received at the Pilgrimage Information Center (cfr. n. 2 above). Each priest is asked to enter the Vatican at 7:30 a.m.—through the Petriano Entrance, often referred to as the Holy Office entrance to the Vatican (when facing the Basilica, the Holy Office entrance is located behind the left side of Bernini’s colonnade and is marked by the presence of Swiss Guards in uniform). From there, all priests will be directed to the Paul VI Hall (the Audience Hall of the Pope) where they will vest for Mass. N.B. As all priests must enter through normal security checks, it is absolutely imperative to arrive by 7:30 in order to facilitate the entrance together into the Vatican. All priests, vested for liturgy, will then enter in procession into the Piazza to take their assigned seats.
8. On Friday, June 3 at 18:00 in St. Peter’s Square, all priests and seminarians are invited to join in the praying of the Holy Rosary.
9. All other questions pertaining to the details of the Jubilee for Priests can be answered for you at the Pilgrimage Information Center.