Cardinal Justin Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia, will celebrate Mass and distribute ashes following the Mass on:

Ash Wednesday, February 9, 2005
12:05 p.m.
Cathedral Basilica of Ss. Peter and Paul
18th and Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia

Ash Wednesday signifies the beginning of Lent for Christians throughout the world. Lent is the penitential season of prayer and sacrifice from Ash Wednesday through Holy Thursday, in preparation for Easter. Catholics throughout the archdiocese will visit their parish churches to receive the blessed ashes, which are marked in the sign of a cross on the foreheads of the faithful. The symbolic ashes remind the faithful of their mortality.

In the chapel adjacent to the Cathedral, distribution of ashes will take place during the following Masses: 7:15 a.m., 8:00 a.m., 12:35 p.m. and 5:15 p.m.



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Editor's Note: Television cameras will not be permitted in the Cathedral. An audio and video mult-box feed will be provided in the parking lot of the Cathedral. Crews will need a bnc connector and a recording deck or a live truck. Reporters and still photographers will be permitted in the Cathedral but are asked to remain in the area designated for the media.

Contact
Marie Kelly
Associate Director
215-587-3747