Rome (Italy). During Lent 2021, the Episcopal Conferences of Europe are promoting a network of prayer and Eucharistic Celebrations to remember the victims from Covid-19 and to support families, the sick, health care workers, volunteers, and all those who are giving themselves to tackle the pandemic.
The initiative is a sign of communion and hope with which the Bishops of Europe, on the way to Easter, join the words of Pope Francis to concretely express the support of the Church: “The Lord challenges us and, in the midst to our storm, invites us to awaken and activate solidarity and hope capable of giving solidity, support, and meaning to these hours in which everything seems to be floundering. The Lord awakens to awaken and revive our Easter faith”. (Message of 27 March 2020)
Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, President of the Council of European Episcopal Conferences (CCEE) explains the initiative, which involves all the Conferences of the continent:
“We evaluated together the opportunity, indeed the duty, to remember in the Holy Mass the many victims of the pandemic . Each Episcopal Conference of Europe has committed itself to organizing at least one Mass. It will be like creating a chain of prayer, a Eucharistic chain in memory of and in suffrage for many people. In this prayer we also want to remember the families who have suffered loss and grief, and all those who are still affected by the disease at this moment and are uncertain about their lives”.
Each nation celebrates Holy Mass on a day of Lent according to the proposed calendar. The day for Italy is March 4, 2021 in which the Secretary General of the CEI, Msgr. Stefano Russo, will celebrate Holy Mass in the chapel of the Italian Episcopal Conference in Rome.
