Holy Week

The Latest

Pope Francis at Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter's Square on March 24, 2024.

Pope Francis prays for victims of Moscow terrorist attack at Palm Sunday Mass

Mar 24, 2024

By Courtney Mares

Pope Francis offered prayers for the victims of the “vile terrorist attack” in Moscow at the end of his Palm... Read more

Holy Week

How to obtain a plenary indulgence during Holy Week 2024

Mar 23, 2024

By CNA Staff

A plenary indulgence is a grace granted by the Catholic Church through the merits of Jesus to remove temporal punishment... Read more

Pope Francis at the Easter Vigil Mass in St. Peter's Basilica on April 8, 2023.

Here is Pope Francis’ schedule for Holy Week and Easter 2024 at the Vatican

Feb 29, 2024

By Courtney Mares

The schedule includes five papal liturgies, Stations of the Cross at the Colosseum, and other traditions to mark the most... Read more

Pope Francis at the Easter Vigil Mass in St. Peter's Basilica on April 8, 2023.

Full Text: Pope Francis’ homily for Easter Vigil 2023 at the Vatican

Apr 8, 2023

By Pope Francis

"The night is drawing to a close and the first light of dawn is appearing upon the horizon as the... Read more

The Liturgy of the Passion of the Lord in St. Peter’s Basilica on April 7, 2023.

Full text: Cardinal Cantalamessa’s homily at the Vatican’s Good Friday 2023 liturgy

Apr 7, 2023

By CNA Staff

"For two thousand years, the Church has announced and celebrated, on this day, the death of the Son of God... Read more

Pope Francis kisses the crucifix at the Liturgy of the Lord's Passion in St. Peter's Basilica on April 7, 2023.

Good Friday at the Vatican: Papal preacher warns against relativism and ‘vortex of nihilism’

Apr 7, 2023

By Courtney Mares

Cardinal Cantalamessa compared Friedrich Nietzsche’s words “God is dead” with the Catholic Church’s proclamation of the death of Christ on... Read more

The flogging of Christ.

Which countries in the Americas do not celebrate Holy Week?

Apr 6, 2023

By Abel Camasca

Many countries declare holidays for the faithful to participate in Holy Week activities, but not all nations in the Americas... Read more

Photo illustration.

Here’s how to make a Seven Churches Visitation on Holy Thursday

Apr 5, 2023

By Katie Yoder, Peter Pinedo

The Thursday before Easter, Catholics around the world practice an ancient Lenten tradition: a Holy Thursday devotion known as the... Read more

Pope Francis greets pilgrims from the pope mobile in St. Peter’s Square on April 5, 2023.

Pope Francis’ advice for Holy Week: Look to the cross, our hope is there

Apr 5, 2023

By Courtney Mares

Pope Francis has offered advice for how to have a fruitful Holy Week, urging people to focus on the essentials... Read more

Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa preaches at the Good Friday liturgy in St. Peter’s Basilica, April 15, 2022.

Papal preacher on Good Friday 2022: From Pilate to the internet age, people have turned their backs on Jesus

Apr 15, 2022

By CNA Staff

Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa was preaching in St. Peter’s Basilica in the presence of Pope Francis. Read more

Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa preaches at the Good Friday liturgy in St. Peter’s Basilica, April 15, 2022.

Full text: Cardinal Cantalamessa’s homily at the Vatican’s Good Friday 2022 liturgy

Apr 15, 2022

By CNA Staff

‘This year we celebrate Easter not to the joyful sound of bells, but with the noise in the ears of... Read more

Pilgrims gather for the Stations of the Cross at the Colosseum in Rome on Good Friday, April 3, 2015.

Full text: Good Friday 2022 Way of the Cross led by Pope Francis

Apr 15, 2022

By CNA Staff

Here is the full text of the Via Crucis at Rome’s Colosseum led by Pope Francis. Read more

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PHOTOS: Catholics around the world celebrate Palm Sunday 2022

Apr 11, 2022

By Hannah Brockhaus

The festive day is traditionally marked by a blessing of palm branches. Read more

Crucifix /

The Good Friday tradition of the ‘Last Words of Christ’

Apr 2, 2021

By CNA Staff

Begun in Peru in the 1600s, the tradition of reflecting on the last words of Christ from the cross is... Read more

From left: Relic of the Lignum Crucis, Holy Shroud, and Holy Chalice.

Three relics of Christ’s Passion housed in Spain

Apr 1, 2021

By CNA Staff

While the Shroud of Turin – believed to be the burial cloth that wrapped the body of Jesus after his... Read more

Pilgrims participate in the Good Friday Via Crucis with Pope Francis March 30, 2018.

Scouts and parish kids write meditations for this year’s Vatican Way of the Cross

Mar 23, 2021

Pope Francis has chosen a scouting group from central Italy and kids from a Roman parish to prepare the meditations... Read more

Pope Francis celebrates the Liturgy of the Passion of Our Lord in St. Peter's Basilica April 14, 2017. Credit: L'Osservatore Romano.

Holy Week 2021: Vatican issues guidelines for Catholics amid ongoing COVID-19 restrictions

Feb 17, 2021

By Courtney Mares

The Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments issued guidelines on Wednesday for the celebration of... Read more

Pope Francis celebrates the Easter Vigil April 11, 2020.

Full text: Pope Francis’ homily at the Easter Vigil

Apr 11, 2020

The full prepared text of the Easter Vigil homily of Pope Francis, delivered April 11 at St. Peter's Basilica.  Read more

Pope Francis celebrates the Easter Vigil April 11, 2020.

Be messengers of life amid death, says Pope Francis at Easter Vigil

Apr 11, 2020

Pope Francis urged Christians to be “messengers of life in a time of death” as he celebrated the Easter Vigil... Read more

Crowds pray the Stations of the Cross at the Colosseum with Pope Francis on Good Friday 2019.

Beauty, drama and pinpoint silence: Easter Triduum memories from Rome

Apr 11, 2020

By Hannah Brockhaus

As Christians reflect on the reality of the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ during these three momentous days,... Read more