The Seven Churches, & the Watch

Yesterday evening I went to hear the Mass for Maundy Thursday at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Overbrook. Please take a look at the Maundy Thursday photographs, courtesy of my friend John Treat, by clicking on the following link:

Lourdes, Maundy Thursday, 2008

An old Catholic custom is to visit the Blessed Sacrement, at the altars of repose, in seven churches following the Maundy Thursday Mass. This custom probably originated in Rome and the seven churches were the seven churches from which one could gain a plenary indulgence by visitng them on any day of the year. They are: St. John Lateran, St. Peter's, St. Mary Major, St. Paul-without-the-walls, St. Sebastian, St. Cross-in-Jerusalem, & St. Lawrence-without-the-walls). Of course this was much easier back in the day when the Mass of Maundy Thursday was in the morning and churches would be open all night with people staying in shifts for "the watch" before the Blessed Sacrament until the Mass of the Pre-Sanctified the next day. In this day and age, however, making a visit to the Blessed Sacrament in seven churches often requires calling ahead, careful planning, and short visits.

Every year I go with a group of friends to visit seven churches here in Philadelphia. To-night I went with friends Tim and John. Sadly our friend Davida couldn't stick around for it this year. In addition to Our Lady of Lourdes, Overbrook where we attended the Maundy Thursday Mass we also visited (in this order, so as to make their closing times): St. Matthias, Bala; the Cathedral of SS. Peter & Paul, Philadelphia; St. Francis Xavier, Fairmount (the Oratory); St. John the Evangelist, 13th Street; St. Philip Neri, Southwark; and Old St. Joseph's, Willing's Alley. It was very nice to meet the Pastor of St. Philip Neri (Fr. James Oliver) on the way out. Apparently, he stays there for part of the night to do the watch! What I was really amazed to see is that this year there was a larger number of people than usual out making the rounds. I also noticed more than a few teenagers and twenty-somethings making the rounds as well.

Here are some photos of the altars of repose from the various churches courtesy of John Treat:

Our Lady of Lourdes, Overbrook (Mercedarian Friars)

St. Matthias, Bala


Cathedral of SS. Peter & Paul


St. Francis Xavier, Fairmount (The Philadelphia Oratory)


St. John the Evangelist, 13th Street (Capuchin Friars)


St. Philip Neri, Southwark


Old St. Joseph's, Willing's Alley (The Jesuits)

Photos from last year's visit to divers and sundry altars of repose can be seen here:

Altars of Repose 2007