Archbishop Pérez Marks Ash Wednesday in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia as Catholics Throughout the Philadelphia Region Embark on Their Lenten Journey
Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez will be the principal celebrant and homilist at the 12:05 p.m. Ash Wednesday Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul on Wednesday, February 22, 2023.
Blessed Ashes will be distributed to the faithful in over 200 parishes across the five-county Archdiocese throughout the day. This tangible symbol reminds them to repent and believe in the Gospel as the Lenten Season begins. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent for Christians throughout the world. Lent is a 40-day period of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving from Ash Wednesday through Holy Thursday in preparation for the celebration of the Sacred Paschal Triduum.
Wednesday, February 22, 2023
12:05 p.m.
Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul
18th Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Additional Masses will be celebrated at 7:15 a.m. (Chapel) and 5:15 p.m. (Basilica). In addition to the celebration of Mass with the distribution of Blessed Ashes, there will be celebrations of the Word of God and the distribution of Blessed Ashes in the medical facilities within the parish boundaries on Ash Wednesday.
The Bishops of the United States prescribe, as a minimal obligation, that all persons who are fourteen years of age and older are bound to abstain from eating meat on Ash Wednesday, on all the Fridays of Lent and Good Friday. Further, all persons eighteen years of age and older, up to and including their fifty-ninth birthday, are bound to fast by limiting themselves to a single full meal on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, while the other two meals on those days are to be light. Keeping a voluntary fast throughout Lent is encouraged on the part of all.
The Cathedral Parish will offer the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation on weekdays at 11:30 a.m. (Basilica), Saturdays at 4:15 p.m. (Basilica) and Sundays at 9:00 a.m. (Basilica), 12:00 Noon in Spanish (Chapel) and 5:30 p.m. (Basilica). Likewise, individual parishes throughout the Archdiocese may have alternative dates and times for this Sacrament in addition to already scheduled times.
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Editor’s Note: The 12:05 p.m. Ash Wednesday Mass in the Cathedral Basilica will be streamed live on Wednesday, February 22, 2023.
Archbishop Pérez’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ArchbishopPerez
Streaming link: https://vimeo.com/event/2470138
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For Ash Wednesday Mass, a press audio/video mult-box clean feed will be provided in the Cathedral parking lot with multiple HD-SDI video (BNC) and mic/line (XLR) connections. Crews will need a live truck or recording device. Please note that due to construction in the lot beside the Archdiocesan Pastoral Center, media outlets will need longer cords than previous years to plug into the mult-box.
Please contact Daniel Kearns with any technical questions regarding the broadcast at 215-888-0305 (cell).
Contact: Katie Rogers
Communications Assistant
215-587-3747 (office)