Easter 2013 In the Extraordinary Form at St. Paul's Philadelphia

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Palm Sunday in the Extraordinary Form 2013

 Once again, St Mary Magdalene de Pazzi, the worship site in the parish of St Paul's Philadelphia, served as the ecclesia collecta for Palm Sunday, with the blessing and distribution of Palm taking place there, followed by the procession of the faithful to St. Paul's a few blocks away.  The procession makes its way each year through the neighborhoods which comprise South Philadelphia's 9th Street Market before culminating in the Traditional Latin Mass at St. Paul's including the chanting of the Passion.  This year members of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre formally participated in the procession.

Feast of St Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary

For the first time in many years, a Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) was held at St Madeline's parish in Ridley Park, PA.  The Mass was held to honor St. Joseph on his feast day.  As part of the Year of Faith declared by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, Father Louis P. Bellopede, pastor of St. Madeline's, desired that his parishioners assist at a Mass in the Extraordinary Form.  The celebrant priest was Father Gerald P. Carey, pastor of St Paul's Church in South Philadelphia.  Father Matthew Phelan, O de M of Our Lady of Lourdes parish in Overbrook, Pa, served as Deacon with Seminarian Christopher Moriconi serving as subdeacon

The setting for the Mass was the Missa de Angelis, sung by St. Madeline's choir.  The church was filled nearly to capacity with the faithful who came to honor St Joseph,  whose feast day held special significance this year since it was chosen as the day for the Inauguration Mass of Pope Francis.

What follows are some photos taken before, during and after the Mass.  You may be able to observe that the statuary of St. Madeline's is shrouded in purple in observation of Passiontide, with the exception of St. Joseph, whose altar is adorned by both candles and food offerings from the faithful.