Please find below the schedule of Holy Week ceremonies which will take place in the Cathedral of Christ the King and in the parishes of the Diocese of Meath.

All the major Holy Week ceremonies will take place at the Cathedral of Christ the King, Mullingar.

These include the Chrism Mass which will be celebrated by Bishop Michael Smith and all the priests of the Diocese of Meath on Wednesday at 7pm. During that Mass, the Bishop blesses the holy oils that will be used at baptisms, confirmations, ordinations and the anointing of the sick during the year ahead.

Bishop Smith will celebrate at the Mass of the Last Supper in St Mary’s Parish, Navan and the Passion of the Lord on Good Friday, also in Navan.  He will preside at the Easter Vigil in the Cathedral of Christ the King, Mullingar.

Good Friday liturgies take place in virtually every church in the Diocese of Meath.

Outdoor stations of the cross will take place in nine parishes – Bohermeen, Castlepollard, Clara, Collinstown, Drumraney, Longwood, Mullingar, Navan, Slane and Tullamore.

Dawn Masses on Easter Sunday will take place at the following locations in the Diocese of Meath.

Drumraney: Dawn Mass at 6.15am in the old cemetery

Fore Abbey: Dawn Mass at 6.00am

Kingscourt: Dawn Mass at 5.55am at the Mass Rock on Loughanleagh Mountain

Mullingar: Dawn Mass at 6.15am at Lough Ennell

Nobber: Dawn Mass at 6.00am in the old cemetery

Raharney: Dawn Mass at 6.00am

Tullamore: Dawn Mass at 6.00am at the site of the original parish church

The faithful are reminded that the obligation both to fast and to abstain from meat, an obligation observed under a more strict formality by our fathers in the faith, still binds on Good Friday.  That Friday called “Good” because on that day Christ suffered in the flesh and died for our sins.

The norms on fasting are obligatory from age 18 until age 59. When fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal, as well as two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal. The norms concerning abstinence from meat are binding upon members of the Church from age 14 onwards.

Click here for Holy Week and Easter ceremonies in the Diocese of Meath.