This will truly be a very peculiar Christmas we are celebrating this year in the Basilica of Saint Anthony in Padua. The sanitary measures designed to tackle the SARS-Cov-2 pandemic has imposed a small ‘revolution’ even on the sacramental tradition of Christmas celebrations, starting from the most awaited one, the Christmas Eve Mass.
The traditional Christmas Eve Solemn Mass will be brought forward to 6.00 PM (CET) and streamed live from the Basilica’s website.
However, at midnight the Church bells of the Basilica will joyfully celebrate our Savior’s birth so that all may hear the glad tidings of the birth of the Baby Jesus. The bells will also invite devotees to stop in front of their home made Nativity Scenes for a moment of prayer as they unveil the Jesus Child on the manger.
THE SOLISTI VENETI CONCERT
Finally, on Sunday 27 December, the Basilica will host a closed-doors concert by the classical music orchestra “The Solisti Veneti”, which will be streamed live on our website and social media. The orchestra will play music from Giuseppe Tartini, Arcangelo Corelli, Antonio Vivaldi, Franz Xaver Gruber, Johann Sebastian Bach, Sant'Alfonso Maria de’Liguori, as well as classical Christmas songs.
The friars of the Basilica invite devotees to see in these limitations imposed by the pandemic an opportunity to appreciate the essential heart of the Christian faith, which consists in an authentic and always new encounter with God who became Man in the Baby Jesus, and in so doing took upon himself humanity’s poverty and frailty.
Below is the calendar of our celebrations and events at the Basilica (for the timetable of the daily celebrations please consult the ‘Timetables’ link on the Basilica’s website. On Sundays from Christmas to Epiphany Holy Mass will also be celebrated at 12.15 CET.)
CHRISTMAS NOVENA FROM 16 TO 24 DECEMBER
18:00 CET: Holy Mass with meditation on weekdays (web/social live-streaming)
THURSDAY 24 DECEMBER – Christmas Eve
16.00-17.00 CET: Christmas Eve Vespers Masses
18.00 CET: Christmas Eve Solemn Mass (web/social live-streaming)
FRIDAY 25 DECEMBER – Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ
Holy Masses: 6.30 - 8.00 - 9.00 - 10.00 - 11.00 - 12.15 - 16.00 - 17.00 - 18.00 (all CET)
In particular:
11.00: Solemn Mass (web/social live-streaming)
18.00: Holy Mass, sung (web/social live-streaming)
SATURDAY 26 DECEMBER – Saint Stephen
All Holy Masses will follow the Sunday timetable
18.00 CET: Holy Mass in the anniversary of the death of Father Fulgenzio Campello (+ 1998) (web/social live-streaming)
SUNDAY 27 DECEMBER – Christmas Concert
21.00 CET: Solisti Veneti Concert (only via web/social live-streaming)
THURSDAY 31 DECEMBER
18.00 CET: End of Year Thanksgiving Holy Mass with Te Deum song (web/social live-streaming)
FRIDAY, 1 JANUARY 2021 – Mary, Mother of God
World Day of Peace
Opening of the Basilica at 7.30 CET and first Holy Mass at 8.00 CET
18.00 CET: Solemn Holy Mass with Veni Creator song (web/social live-streaming)
WEDNESDAY, 6 JANUARY 2021 – Epiphany of the Lord
11.00 CET: Solemn Holy Mass (web/social live-streaming)
18.00 CET: Solemn Holy Mass and blessing of children on Missionary Childhood Day (TV & web/social live-streaming)