Anthony Cardinal Bevilacqua, Archbishop of Philadelphia, will celebrate Mass and St. Ann's Solemn Novena at the Basilica of the National Shrine of Saint Ann in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The Novena is a ten day event that honors St. Ann, the mother of Mary. More than 10,000 people per day attend the Novena which begins on July 17 and ends on July 26, the feast of Saint Ann. This is the 75th anniversary of the Solemn Novena. Cardinal Bevilacqua will be the celebrant on

Monday, July 19, 1999
8:00 a.m. Mass
Solemn Novena immediately following Mass
Basilica of the National Shrine of St. Ann
Scranton, PA

American Passionist Priests and Brothers built the monastery in 1905 and dedicated their foundation to St. Ann. The first public Novena was held in 1924. During that very first year, Novena advocates wrote approximately four thousand letters of thanksgiving for favors granted by the prayers of St. Ann. In the 75 years since then, hundreds of thousands of people have prayed the Novena to St. Ann for her help with their special intentions. On St. Ann's Feast Day, more pilgrims visit the National Shrine in Scranton than any other shrine to St. Ann in the world.

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Contact
Donna Crilley
Communications Assistant
215-587-3747