Vatican publishes list of upcoming papal liturgies

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- As soon as the liturgies of the Christmas season ended, the Vatican published the calendar of public liturgies Pope Francis will preside over in January and February.

First on the list released by the master of papal liturgical ceremonies is the celebration of a morning Mass Jan. 21 for the Sunday of the Word of God, a focus on the importance of the Bible that Pope Francis first celebrated as an annual event in 2020.

The theme for this year's celebration is taken from the Gospel of St. John: "Remain in my Word."

The other liturgies listed on the calendar, which was published Jan. 9, are:

-- Jan. 25: The celebration of evening prayer at Rome's Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls at the close of the Week of Prayer of Christian Unity.

-- Feb. 2: the feast of the Presentation of the Lord: An evening Mass in St. Peter's Basilica with consecrated men and women.

-- Feb. 11: A morning Mass in St. Peter's Basilica for the canonization of Blessed María Antonia de San José, an Argentine popularly known as "Mama Antula."

-- Feb. 14: Ash Wednesday: A late afternoon procession from Rome's Church of St. Anselm to the Basilica of Santa Sabina for Mass and the distribution of ashes.