Pope Francis’ schedule for Holy Week 2022 at the Vatican unveiled

By Samantha Allen

Published: March 21, 2022 | 7:35 PM GMT

Pope Francis’ schedule for Holy Week 2022 at the Vatican unveiled.

Pope Francis celebrates Palm Sunday in St. Peter’s Square, April 14, 2019. / Vatican Media.

Vatican City, Mar 21, 2022 / 12:23 pm (CNA).

After two years of pandemic restrictions during Holy Week, Pope Francis will once again return to the Colosseum to preside over the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday.

The Vatican has published the pope’s schedule for Holy Week and Easter, confirming that he will preside over large liturgical celebrations in St. Peter’s Square for the first time since 2019.

On Palm Sunday, Pope Francis will offer Mass in St. Peter’s Square on April 10 at 10 a.m. local time. The last time that this liturgy was held in St. Peter’s Square, the Vatican said that more than 40,000 people attended.

In the past two years, papal liturgies during Holy Week were kept very small due to the COVID-19 pandemic with many events moved to inside St. Peter’s Basilica with extremely limited attendance.

The current Vatican schedule for 2022 does not list the pope’s participation in the Vatican’s Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper. In past years, Pope Francis has chosen to visit a local prison to offer this Mass.

The pope will preside over the Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday at 9:30 a.m. in St. Peter’s Basilica.

On Good Friday, the pope will preside over the liturgy for the Passion of the Lord in St. Peter’s Basilica at 5 p.m. before heading over to Rome’s Colosseum to lead the Stations of the Cross beginning at 9 p.m.

The pope will offer the Easter Vigil Mass on April 16 in St. Peter’s Basilica at 7:30 p.m. and will also celebrate the Easter Sunday Mass outside in St. Peter’s Square at 10 a.m. after which he will offer the traditional Urbi et Orbi blessing.

Pope Francis will also offer Mass on April 24 for Divine Mercy Sunday in St. Peter’s Basilica.

With the pope’s schedule, the Vatican also confirmed that the canonization of Blessed Charles de Foucauld, Titus Brandsma, and eight others will take place in St. Peter’s Square on May 15 at 10 a.m.

About Samantha Allen

Samantha Allen is a seasoned journalist and senior correspondent at TDPel Media, specializing in the intersection of maternal health, clinical wellness, and public policy. With a background in investigative reporting and a passion for data-driven storytelling, Samantha has become a trusted voice for expectant mothers and healthcare advocates worldwide. Her work focuses on translating complex medical research into actionable insights, covering everything from prenatal fitness and neonatal care to the socioeconomic impacts of healthcare legislation. At TDPel Media, Samantha leads the agency's health analytics desk, ensuring that every report is grounded in accuracy, empathy, and scientific integrity. When she isn't in the newsroom, she is an advocate for community-led wellness initiatives and an avid explorer of California’s coastal trails.