WILMINGTON — The Diocese of Wilmington has announced Bishop Koenig’s schedule for his first Easter season as the bishop. These include the Chrism Mass, Mass of the Lord’s Supper, the Passion of the Lord, the Easter Vigil and the Mass of Resurrection.
Before those, however, Bishop Koenig will spend April 9 with hundreds of youth and adult volunteers from around the diocese for the annual youth pilgrimage. With a theme of “We Walk by Faith,” the group will carry a wooden cross through the streets of Wilmington for a variety of activities that includes a concert, prayer, a visit to Saint Francis Hospital, the sacrament of reconciliation, Stations of the Cross, adoration and Mass at 5 p.m. at St. Elizabeth Church.
On April 10, Bishop Koenig will celebrate Palm Sunday Mass at the Cathedral of St. Peter, Sixth and West streets, Wilmington, at 9:30 a.m. April 11 is Reconciliation Monday in the diocese. The bishop and priests from throughout the diocese will hear confessions at all 56 parish churches from 3-8 p.m.
The Chrism Mass will take place April 12 at Holy Cross Church in Dover. Priests from all over the Diocese of Wilmington will join Bishop Koenig for the 7 p.m. service, at which the oil known as the Sacred Chrism — used for baptisms, confirmations and ordinations — and other oils for ministering to catechumens and the sick will be consecrated. The priests of the diocese will renew their priestly promises at this Mass.
Bishop Koenig returns to the cathedral on Holy Thursday, April 14, for the Mass of the Lord’s Supper at 7 p.m. During this Mass, the celebrant often washes the feet of 12 people, recreating what Jesus did to his Apostles.
On 3 p.m. Good Friday, the bishop will preside at the celebration of the Passion of the Lord at the Cathedral of St. Peter, which commemorates the suffering and death of Jesus.
The Easter Vigil Mass on Holy Saturday features the blessing of fire, water and the Easter candle. In many churches, it also includes the baptism, confirmation and first Communion of individuals who are joining the Catholic Church. Bishop Koenig will be celebrating the vigil at the cathedral beginning at 8 p.m.
The next morning, on Easter Sunday, he will be back at the cathedral to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus at the 9:30 a.m. Mass.
All Masses and services are open to the public. Events at the cathedral will be livestreamed on the Diocese of Wilmington’s YouTube channel.
Bishop W. Francis Malooly, bishop emeritus of the diocese, also will celebrating during Holy Week. He will be at St. Elizabeth Church in Wilmington for Palm Sunday Mass at 9 a.m. On Holy Thursday, he will preside at Holy Thursday Mass at St. Mary Magdalen at 7 p.m. Bishop Malooly will celebrate the Good Friday Passion of the Lord at the Jeanne Jugan Residence in Newark at 3 p.m., and on Easter Sunday he will celebrate the 10:30 a.m. Mass at St. Mary Magdalen.
