Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday, April 13, and will conclude on Easter, April 20. Liturgical celebrations will take place throughout the week at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, 1007 Superior Ave., in downtown Cleveland.
The liturgies listed below will be livestreamed on the diocesan website.
Auxiliary Bishop Michael Woost will celebrate the 11 a.m. Mass on Palm Sunday. This Mass commemorates Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Palms will be distributed and blessed during the liturgy. Other Masses on Palm Sunday will be at 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. The 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. liturgies will not be livestreamed. Bishop Edward Malesic will celebrate the 5:30 Mass.
The annual Chrism Mass will be celebrated at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 15. At this Mass, Bishop Malesic will bless the oil of the catechumens and the oil of the sick as well as consecrating the oil of the sacred chrism. These holy oils are used throughout the diocese during the coming year in the celebration of the sacraments. Bishop Malesic will be the celebrant and homilist at this liturgy, which is attended by many priests from the diocese and includes the renewal of priestly vows.
The sacred triduum begins with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper at 7 p.m. on Holy Thursday, April 17. Bishop Malesic will be the celebrant. This Mass commemorates the Last Supper, during which Christ instituted the sacrament of the holy Eucharist, the sacrament of holy orders (priesthood) and gave us his commandment to love one another. During the liturgy, the bishop will wash the feet of some faithful in remembrance of Jesus washing the feet of his apostles at the Last Supper.
The cathedral will remain open until 11 p.m. for prayer and adoration. Night Prayer will be at 10:45 p.m.
Bishop Malesic will be the celebrant for the Passion of the Lord at 3 p.m. on Good Friday, April 18, with Father Damian Ference, vicar for evangelization, as the homilist. This solemn liturgy commemorates the Passion and death of Jesus Christ. The traditional adoration of the cross will take place during the liturgy. The cathedral will be open 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. that day.
Morning prayer will be at 7:15 a.m. on Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday.
The Easter Vigil will be celebrated at 9 p.m. on Holy Saturday, April 19. This liturgy consists of four components: the service of light, liturgy of the Word, liturgy of baptism and liturgy of the Eucharist. Bishop Malesic will be the celebrant and homilist.
After a reflective and intense period of prayer during Lent, the elect – those who have not been baptized – and the candidates – those who will make a profession of faith in the Catholic Church and will receive the sacraments of confirmation and Eucharist – will become full members of the Catholic Church. These sacraments of initiation also are celebrated at parishes throughout the diocese that night. The cathedral will be open 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. (after the Easter Vigil).
Bishop Malesic also will be the celebrant and homilist at the 11 a.m. Mass on Easter, April 20, to commemorate Jesus’ Resurrection from the dead. This liturgy will be livestreamed. The 8:30 a.m. Mass on Easter will not be livestreamed. Reservations are not needed for Easter Mass at the cathedral. There will be no 5:30 p.m. Mass on Easter. The cathedral will be open 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
In addition to these liturgies, Stations of the Cross will be livestreamed at 5:15 p.m. April 11. They also will be prayed at noon on Good Friday, April 18.
Confessions during Holy Week will be available in the cathedral 6:30-7 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. April 14-16; 7:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. April 17; 7:45-11:45 a.m., 1-2 p.m. and 4:20-5 p.m. April 18 and 7:45-11 a.m. April 19. Extra confessors are available at midday April 14-16.
Weekday Mass will be celebrated at 7:15 a.m. and noon except on Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. The daily noon Mass is livestreamed.
The traditional blessing of the food will take place at 11:15 a.m. on Holy Saturday, April 19.
The normal daily Mass schedule will resume at 7:15 a.m. and noon (livestreamed) on Easter Monday, April 21. The normal weekday confession schedule, 6:30-7 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., also resumes on April 21.
Normal cathedral hours are 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday; 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturdays and 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Sundays.
The cathedral rectory office will be closed on Good Friday and April 21. Normal rectory office hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
For more information about liturgies, confession, or hours at the cathedral, click here.
The Diocese of Cleveland also broadcasts a TV Mass for those unable to attend Mass at a parish because of short-term or long-term health reasons. The broadcast is at 10 a.m. Sundays on WUAB Channel 43 (the CW). Bishop Malesic will be the celebrant for the (taped) Mass on Easter, April 20.
Cox Communications Cable subscribers may select channel 45 to view Mass each week at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Sundays.
In addition, two radio stations air the Mass on Sundays. WINT 1330 AM broadcasts Mass each week at 9 a.m. and WCCR 1260 AM The Rock, airs Mass at 10:30 a.m.
For a Spanish-language Mass, visit Sacred Heart Chapel's YouTube page here.