Dear Participants,
We are truly delighted that you will be participating in the upcoming Jubilee for Deacons to be held in Rome on May 27-29, 2016. The following contains important practical details regarding your participation:
1. Upon arrival in Rome, each Group Leader or anyone who has registered individually must confirm in person their participation in the Jubilee for Deacons by visiting the Pilgrimage Information Center which is located on Via della Conciliazione 7. This may be done from Wednesday, May 25 through Saturday, May 28, between the hours of 7:30-18:30, by presenting the voucher that will be emailed to you in the coming days.
2. At the Pilgrimage Information Center, each deacon who has registered individually is to present an official document/letter attesting to his diaconal state. For groups, it is enough for the group leader to present his document and, in the case that the Group Leader is not a deacon, it is sufficient that he/she is present with one of the deacons from the group in possession of a letter of attestation. The Group Leader will receive, for each member of his/her group (spouses, family and traveling members), 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 church to which the person has been assigned according to language groupings (N.B. for security reasons, this PASS must be worn during all of the organized events); B) the ticket for the Holy Mass on Sunday, May 29 which will be celebrated by Pope Francis; C) the booklet which contains the official program, the list of all churches in which presentations will be given, and the churches in Rome dedicated to Saint Lawrence. When receiving these materials, one will be able to pay the 10 euro solidarity contribution for each participant over sixteen years of age.
3. Those who have registered to participate only in the Holy Mass on Sunday, May 29, need not pay the solidarity contribution. Free tickets for the Mass may be picked up at the Pilgrimage Information Center, also on Sunday morning, after 7:30.
4. The first gathering will take place on Friday, May 27 at 16:00. Participants will be divided into various churches according to language groups to reflect on the theme The Deacon: Image of Mercy for the Promotion of the New Evangelization. The names of the churches will be indicated on the PASSES. The churches are:
- Italian Groups:
a. Chiesa di S. Maria in Vallicella [Chiesa Nuova] (Piazza della Chiesa Nuova)
b. Basilica di Sant’Andrea della Valle (Piazza Vidoni, 6)
- English Groups:
a. Basilica di S. Maria sopra Minerva (Piazza della Minerva, 42)
b. Basilica di S. Giovanni Battista dei Fiorentini (Piazza dell'Oro 1)
- Spanish Groups:
a. Basilica di S. Marco Evangelista al Campidoglio (Piazza di San Marco, 48)
N.B. For all German and Portuguese speaking participants, simultaneous translations will be provided for both the Conference on Friday, May 27 at 16:00, as well as for the Catechesis on Saturday, May 28 at 16:00 at the Basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva.
5. On the morning of Saturday, May 28, from 9:00-14:00, 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 be included in the event booklet. During this time, participants may also wish to visit one of the three Jubilee Churches where the Sacrament of Reconciliation will be available and where there will be Eucharistic Adoration. There will also be a number of Missionaries of Mercy available to hear Confessions. These 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)
Also during this period, all participants are invited to make individual pilgrimages to the churches in Rome dedicated to Saint Lawrence (San Lorenzo), which are noted in the event booklet.
6. On the afternoon of Saturday, May 28 at 16:00 deacons and those accompanying them are to gather for a catechesis in the same church in which they had been present on the previous day, as noted on the PASS.
At 16:30, the French group will have Holy Mass at the Church of the Gesù (Piazza del Gesù), followed by a catechesis in French.
7. Holy Mass will celebrated by Pope Francis on Sunday, May 29, at 10:30 in St. Peter’s Square. Each deacon must bring his own alb, while a special Jubilee stole will be gifted to him. Each deacon, with the special ticket for the Mass in hand, is asked to enter at 7:45 a.m.—through 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 deacons will be directed to the Paul VI Hall (the Audience Hall of the Pope) where they will vest for Mass. N.B. As all deacons must enter through normal security checks, it is absolutely imperative to arrive by 7:45 in order to facilitate the entrance together into the Vatican. All deacons, vested for liturgy, will then enter in procession into the Piazza to take their assigned seats. Regarding wives and family/travelling members, they are to enter through any of the various entrances to the Piazza beginning at the time noted on their special tickets (7:30), where they will pass through the security checks and then be directed to their reserved section.
8. All other questions pertaining to the details of the Jubilee for Deacons can be answered for you at the Pilgrimage Information Center.