Cardinal Wuerl to celebrate the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter (Feb. 22) and Mass of Thanksgiving for the Pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI (Feb. 24)

Masses to give thanks for Pope Benedict XVI’s papacy and pay tribute to the Holy Father

February 15, 2013

On Friday, February 22, Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington will celebrate Mass at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle on the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter. Cardinal Wuerl will also celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving for the Pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday, February 24 the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

Friday, February 22, 2013
12:10 p.m.
Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle
1725 Rhode Island Avenue, NW, Washington, DC

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Sunday, February 24, 2013
12:00 p.m.
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
400 Michigan Avenue, NE, Washington, DC

(Media, please RSVP)

Cardinal Wuerl is one of 11 U.S. Cardinals who are of voting age (under age 80) and will be part of the conclave to elect a successor to the Chair of Saint Peter. There are currently 118 Cardinals around the world who are under age 80* and will meet after the Pope’s resignation takes effect on February 28, 2013.

The Archdiocese of Washington has created resources entitled, The Keys to the Kingdom. They include educational materials about this time of transition in the life of the Catholic Church to educate the faithful about the Petrine ministry of the Supreme Pontiff.

(*One Cardinal will turn age 80 before the Apostolic See becomes vacant, making the total number who will vote in the conclave to 117.)

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