CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The Archdiocese of Chicago has extended its cancellation of public masses in Cook and Lake counties, and that will mean Easter Sunday, Palm Sunday, and Holy Week services, including the Chrism Mass will not be celebrated publicly.
It will be a very different Lenten season and Easter Sunday. Because of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Archdiocese of Chicago will not have any public masses through Easter and that includes all of Holy Week. Churches are also asked to not pass out palms for Palm Sunday, although priests may bless palms for distribution at a later date.
"Palm Sunday and Holy Week Liturgies will not be celebrated publicly in our parishes. There are not to be any public celebrations, even outside including live Stations of the Cross on Good Friday," the archdiocese said in a note to parishes sent out with the release. "There are not to be any distribution of blessed palms; however, if a priest blesses palms privately, those palms may be reserved for distribution at a later date to be determined by the USCCB and/or Archdiocese of Chicago."
The Chrism Mass will not be celebrated publicly. Cardinal Cupich and the auxiliary bishops will celebrate the Mass in Holy Name Cathedral, which will be live streamed.
The Mass of the Lord’s Supper (without washing of the feet), the Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion, and the Easter Vigil will be celebrated by Cardinal Cupich and the auxiliary bishops in Holy Name Cathedral without a congregation and will be live streamed.
"There should be no communion services currently, nor during Holy Week until the Archdiocese of Chicago is cleared to return for public liturgies," the archdiocese said in a note to parishes sent out with the release. "Holy oils will not be distributed until the current health crisis has abated.
"Please continue to follow the CDC guidelines by allowing no more than 10 people to gather together at one time inside or outside the church, practicing social distancing, and cleaning and disinfecting of churches after use."
The church’s guidelines and liturgical guidance are based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations, church officials said.
Easter sacraments for RCIA candidates and catechumens have also been postponed.
There are some churches that will continue to live stream masses, with no one in the congregation. They include Holy Name Cathedral, Old St. Pat's, St. Sabina, and Our Lady of the Woods churches. Last week, more than 22,000 viewed Holy Name's live streamed mass. More than 28,000 people viewed the live streamed mass from Old St. Pat's.