Rorate Caeli

Forty Hours Devotion in New York City

The Church of the Holy Innocents in New York City will celebrate the restoration of its "Mural of the Crucifixion" with two Solemn High Masses and a pontifical High Mass.  These traditional Latin Masses will be part of a Forty Hours Devotion at the parish, with Constantino Brumidi's 142 year old mural for all to see.



* On Friday, 1 February, at 6 p.m., there will be a Solemn High Mass.  This will be a Votive Mass of the Blessed Sacrament with Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Procession.  It will be followed by an all-night vigil.

* On Saturday, 2 February, at 1 p.m., there will be a Solemn High Mass.  This will be on the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary (aka Candlemas).  There will be a blessing of candles and procession.  Later, there will be an all-night vigil.

* On Sunday, 3 February, at 10 a.m., there will be a Pontifical High Mass: Coram Sanctissimo.  The Mass will be offered by the Most Reverend James C. Timlin, bishop emeritus of the Diocese of Scranton. The propers will be the Feast of the Dedication of a Church, which is the first Sunday in February at this parish. There will be a procession of the Blessed Sacrament and reposition.  Clergy from the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter, including Fathers Gregory Pendergraft, FSSP, and Benoit Guichard, FSSP, will be among the sacred ministers.

The last Forty Hours Devotion at this church was in December 1928.  According to one expert, this may be the first Pontifical Mass Coram Sanctissimo anywhere in the world since the Second Vatican Council. (Mass Coram Sanctissimo, which is Mass with the Blessed Sacrament exposed, was severely restricted under Pius XII, but remains permitted at the Mass of the third day of a Forty Hours Devotion.)

The Church of the Holy Innocents is at 128 West 37th Street, between Broadway and 7th Avenue in Manhattan.