Fra Noi Embrace Your Inner Italian
Holy Week is central to the spiritual lives of Italians on both sides of the Atlantic. Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish and Shrine and the Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii will play their parts from Palm Sunday (March 24) to Easter Sunday (March 31).
OUR LADY OF MT. CARMEL (Melrose Park) will celebrate Mass with the distribution of palms at 7:45 a.m. and noon in English and at 10:30 a.m. in Italian on Palm Sunday; Mass of the Last Supper in English and Italian and the washing of feet at 6 p.m. and adoration of the Altar of Repose from 8 p.m. to midnight on Holy Thursday; confessions from 9 a.m. to noon, a Rosary at 6 p.m. and Liturgy at 7 p.m. on Good Friday; an Easter Vigil at 8 p.m. on Holy Saturday; and Mass at 7:45 a.m. and noon in English and at 10:30 a.m. in Italian on Easter Sunday.
Palms will be presented by the Battenti Madonna del Arco of Associazione Regionale Campania at the 10:30 a.m. Mass on Palm Sunday and a Visitation of the Seven Churches will take place on Holy Thursday. (Buses leave at 7:15 p.m.; bus tickets are $25 and seating is limited; reservations are required.)
Members of more than two dozen patron-saint societies will fill the church on Good Friday. Society banners will be presented to the Blessed Mother before the Good Friday Liturgy, which will be followed by a candlelight street procession featuring the Sicilian Band of Chicago, society banners, and statues of Maria SS. Addolorata, SS. Crocifisso and Jesù Morto. All societies are welcome to participate. (708-344-4140, olmcparish.org)
THE SHRINE OF OUR LADY OF POMPEII (Chicago) will celebrate Mass with the distribution of palms at 8:30 and 11 a.m. on Palm Sunday; Mass of the Lord’s Prayer at 7 p.m. and personal prayer until midnight on Holy Thursday; Stations of the Cross at noon and the Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion at 7 p.m. on Good Friday; Easter Vigil at 9 p.m. on Holy Saturday; and masses at 8:30 and 11 a.m. on Easter Sunday. Check the website for livestreaming options. (312-421-3757, ourladyofpompeii.org)
