From Darkness to
Light
At the General Audience in St. Peter's Square on Wednesday, 12 April
2006, the Holy Father commented on the Sacred Triduum and the role of
these holy days in preparing the faithful spiritually for the
celebration of Easter.
Holy
Chrism Mass: God in Us, We in God
On Holy Thursday morning, 13 April 2006, in St. Peter's
Basilica, the Holy Father was the Principal Celebrant at the Chrism
Mass, with more than 1,500 priests us concelebrants. In his homily, the
Holy Father reflected on the mystery of the priesthood, that a mere
human being can "speak with his "I": in persona Christi," so that
Christ exercises his priesthood through the priest.
Mass of
the Lord's Supper: Washing One Another's Feet
On Holy Thursday evening, 13 April 2006, the Holy Father
presided at the Mass of the Lord's Supper in the Basilica of St. John
Lateran. The Pope also performed the traditional "Washing of the Feet",
a concrete sign by Jesus of the meaning of love. "God descends and
becomes a slave, he washes our feet so that we may come to his table. In
this, the entire mystery of Jesus Christ is expressed."
Via
Crucis: Mirror of the Cross
On the evening of Good Friday, 14 April 2006, the Holy Father
led the Way of the Cross at the famed Colosseum of Rome. Afterwards, he
spoke extemporaneously to the faithful present and all joined via
television around the world on the topic of the sufferings of humanity
today that can be seen in the "mirror of the Cross".
Easter
Vigil: I, But No Longer I!
On Holy Saturday evening, 15 April 2006, in St. Peter's
Basilica, the Holy Father celebrated the Mass of the Easter Vigil.
Explaining the significance of Christ's Resurrection, the Pope said that
"this event is not just some miracle from the past.... It is a
qualitative leap in the history of 'evolution' and of life in general
towards a new future life, towards a new world which, starting from
Christ, already continuously permeates this world of ours, transforms it
and draws it to itself".
Urbi et
Orbi: Easter Sunday 2006
On Easter Sunday morning, 16 April 2006, after celebrating Holy
Mass in St. Peter's Square, Pope Benedict XVI imparted to the faithful
the traditional Message and Blessing Urbi et Orbi (to the city and to
the world), broadcast live via television and radio to many nations
across the globe.
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