Cardinal Justin Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia, will celebrate a 12:05 p.m. Mass marking the fifth anniversary of the death of His Holiness, Pope John Paul II. Because the anniversary of the death of Pope John Paul II coincides with Good Friday this year, Pope Benedict XVI has designated Monday as the day of observance.

12:05 p.m.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul
18th Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia


Cardinal Rigali was a close collaborator with the late Pontiff for many years and a concelebrant at his funeral rites at the Vatican. Cardinal Rigali traveled the world with His Holiness on a number of international pastoral visits for the Vatican Secretariat of State. Included among those were Pope John Paul's first two journeys to the United States in 1979 and 1987. The 1979 trip included a historic visit to Philadelphia. Pope John Paul II died on the evening of April 2, 2005 at his Vatican City residence. More than three million people waited in line to say good-bye to their beloved religious leader at St. Peter's Basilica before his funeral on April 8, 2005. Church officials began the process of making John Paul II a saint soon after his death, waving the usual five-year waiting period.

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Editor's Note: An audio and video mult-box feed will be provided in the parking lot of the Cathedral. Please enter on 17th Street, between Race and Vine Streets. Crews will need a bnc connector and a recording deck or a live truck. Television cameras will not be permitted in the Cathedral. Reporters and still photographers will be permitted in the Cathedral.

Contact
Donna Farrell
Director of Communications
215-587-3747