PHILADELPHIA, PA — The spirit of Christmas will be in full swing as Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez officiates the 5:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Vigil Mass on Sunday, December 24, 2023, and the Christmas Day Solemn Mass at 12:00 p.m. on Monday, December 25, 2023. Both services will take place at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul and the Shrine of Saint Katharine Drexel, located at 18th Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia.
The Holy Day of Christmas is a joyous occasion for Catholics in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and the Universal Church, as they come together to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
Faithful throughout the five-county Archdiocese of Philadelphia are cordially invited to celebrate the Nativity of Our Lord at the Mother Church of the Archdiocese. A rich program of Masses and music has been prepared for the occasion.
The 5:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Vigil Mass will feature music by the Cathedral Basilica Schola and Instrumentalists. The Mass will also be streamed live on the Archdiocesan Vimeo website, as well as on the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and Archbishop Pérez’s Facebook pages, starting at 5:00 p.m. (EDT). A live feed for American Sign Language interpretation will be available on the livestream.
A second Christmas Eve Vigil Mass will follow at 7:30 p.m., conducted in both English and Spanish, with music provided by a Cantor and Organist. At 11:00 p.m., the Cathedral Basilica Choir and Instrumentalists will offer Sacred Music and Carols leading up to Midnight Mass.
On Christmas Day, the Solemn Midnight Mass will begin at 12:00 a.m., with Reverend G. Dennis Gill, Rector of the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, serving as the principal celebrant and homilist. Similarly, the Solemn Mass at Noon will be led by Archbishop Pérez. Both Masses will be streamed live on digital platforms and accompanied by music from the Cathedral Basilica Choir and Instruments.
Additional Christmas Day Masses are scheduled for 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. in the Cathedral Basilica, with music provided by a Cantor and Organist, and the Cathedral Basilica Schola respectively. However, there will be no evening Mass on Christmas Day.
This festive occasion offers an opportunity for the faithful to join together in prayer and celebration, embodying the spirit of unity and joy that is synonymous with the Christmas season.
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