USCCB - (Office of Media Relations) - Details on Christmas, Jubilee Year Ceremonies from the Holy See Available to Broadcasters

Details on Christmas, Jubilee Year Ceremonies from the Holy See Available to Broadcasters

WASHINGTON (June 10, 1999) -- The Holy See's Pontifical Council for Social Communications has provided information for TV networks interested in rebroadcasting religious ceremonies on the occasion of Christmas, 1999, and during the first months of the Jubilee Year 2000.

Archbishop John P. Foley is President of the Pontifical Council, which issued a bulletin concerning transmission of upcoming ceremonies and events.

Ceremonies which may be rebroadcast in their entirety by TV networks include:

December 24, 1999, Christmas Eve, Opening of the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica, presided over by Pope John Paul II.
December 24, 1999, Christmas Eve, Midnight Mass, celebrated by the Holy Father.
December 25, 1999, Christmas Day, Christmas Message and Blessing "Urbi et Orbi" of the Holy Father.
April 21, 2000, Good Friday, solemn "Way of the Cross" at the Colosseum, presided over by the Holy Father.
April 23, 2000, Easter Sunday, Mass celebrated by the Holy Father in front of the Basilica of St. Peter.
April 23, 2000, Easter Sunday, Easter Greeting and Blessing, "Urbi et Orbi" of the Holy Father.
May 18, 2000, 80th birthday of His Holiness Pope John Paul II, Jubilee of the Clergy, Mass celebrated by the Holy Father in front of St. Peter's Basilica.

Ceremonies for live or delayed broadcast in whole or in part by TV networks include:

December 31, 1999, in St. Peter's Basilica, Vigil of Prayer for the transition to the Year 2000.
January 18, 2000, Opening of the Holy Door of the Basilica of St. Paul's Outside the Walls, Ecumenical Service, to begin the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, or January 25, 2000, ecumenical service to close the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (depending upon which one of the ceremonies involves the participation of the Holy Father).

The bulletin from the Pontifical Council said that further information will be forthcoming about the ceremony scheduled for March 20, 2000, in the Basilica of the Annunciation, Nazareth, involving liturgical celebration and TV linkup with the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome and the principal Marian shrines around the world.

The broadcast of these ceremonies will be accompanied, upon request, by commentaries in English, French, Portuguese and Spanish. Commentary positions will also be available to television organizations.

The bulletin provides information on a combined booking office which has been set up by RAI-Radiotelevisione Italiana and the Vatican Television Center for the events and ceremonies of the Jubilee Year. It also informs broadcasters outside Europe how they can receive the video feed and international sound.

The full text of the Bulletin from the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, with times when these have been determined, and with phone and FAX numbers of persons to be contacted, is available from the Communications Department of the United States Catholic Conference (USCC). It may be found on the Web site of the Catholic Communication Campaign at www.nccbuscc.org/ccc/index.htm.