ARCHBISHOP GOMEZ TO CELEBRATE HOLY WEEK MASSES AND SERVICES AT THE CATHEDRAL OF THE LADY OF THE ANGELS
March 20, 2024  |  By:   |  Press Releases  |  

The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels and Catholic parishes across the Archdiocese of Los Angeles will celebrate Holy Week Masses and services starting on March 24, 2024, when Archbishop José H. Gomez will celebrate Palm Sunday Mass in English at 10 a.m. at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. The Mass will be livestreamed on facebook.com/olacathedral, youtube.com/olacathedral, and lacatholics.org/holyweek/. Additionally, many parishes across the Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara counties will livestream their Masses on their digital and social platforms.

“Beginning with Passion Sunday, we will travel the final steps of our Lord’s journey to the cross. It is a road of sorrow that we know leads to his death. But on this road every sorrow is turned to joy because we know we will stand at his empty tomb of Easter Sunday,” said Archbishop Gomez.

“Jesus Christ died so that we could live. And in this Holy Week, everything becomes clear. Why did he come down from heaven. What he meant to teach us while he was on earth. Over and over in the Gospels, Jesus tells us that he came not to do his will but to do the will of his Father. Even in the darkest hour, on the night before he died, he prayed for the strength to be obedient to God’s will: ‘Not my will, but your will be done.’ I am praying that this Easter will be a time of obedience, joy and peace for you and your family.”

The Holy Week Masses and liturgies at the Cathedral schedule follows:

  • Palm Sunday – Sunday, March 24: Masses in English at 7:30 a.m., 10 a.m.; Spanish

12:30 p.m.

Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday, when we celebrate the triumphant entry of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, into Jerusalem, riding a donkey. On that day, the people laid palms before Him, a gesture reserved for triumphant leaders. Palms will be distributed to the faithful and blessed by Archbishop Gomez and the other Mass celebrants before each of the Masses at the Cathedral’s Plaza before proceeding inside.

  • Holy Thursday or Mass of the Lord’s Supper: Thursday, March 28 – Bilingual (English/Spanish) Mass with washing of feet at 7 p.m.

The Mass of the Lord’s Supper is celebrated on the evening of Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday. It inaugurates the Easter Triduum (three days before Resurrection Sunday) and commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus with his disciples, more explicitly than other celebrations of the Mass. It includes the traditional washing of the feet with 12 members of the Cathedral participating this year.

  • Good Friday or Passion of the Lord: Friday, March 29 – Stations of the Cross at 11 a.m.; services in English at 12 p.m. (noon) and 3 p.m.; Spanish at 7 p.m.

During the solemn liturgy, the Lord’s passion from the Gospel of John will be proclaimed, and a special prayer will be dedicated to the catechumens or brothers and sisters who will be baptized and welcome into the Catholic Church on Easter Vigil. As in previous years, the faithful will have an opportunity to venerate the cross. The noon service will be the only one livestreamed.

  • Holy Saturday or Easter Vigil – Saturday, March 30: Bilingual Vigil Mass at 8p.m.

The Easter Vigil Mass, which celebrates Christ’s Resurrection from the dead, will begin outside with the blessing of the fire at the Easter Fire Hearth on the Cathedral Plaza. The vigil consists of a brief candlelight service and a service of the Word. The Paschal Candle for this year will be lit for the first time. Dating from at least the mid-second century, this is one of the oldest Christian celebrations. The Vigil is a culmination of the entire Church year, an encapsulation of the Paschal Mystery and a rehearsal of salvation history in word and song.

  • Easter Sunday – The Resurrection of the Lord – Sunday, March 31: Masses in English at 7:30 a.m., 10 a.m.; Spanish at 12:30 p.m.

The Feast of the Resurrection of Christ is the oldest and most important Christian celebration. Christians believe that, by rising from the dead, Jesus demonstrated his power over sin and death, manifesting his divinity as the Son of God. The 10:00AM Easter Sunday Mass will be livestreamed and will also be available as a live broadcast through localish channel ABC 7.2. Radio listeners can also tune in on Sirius XM 129, the Catholic Channel.

For more information, visit olacathedral.org/events and lacatholics.org/holyweek/. For resources and guidelines, visit lacatholics.org/liturgical-lent-resources/.

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