Several parishes in the LA area are preparing to kick off a jubilee year marking the 250th anniversary of the founding of Mission San Gabriel Arcángel, considered the birthplace of Christian faith in Los Angeles, with 40 hours of consecutive Eucharistic Adoration and the opening of a special jubilee “Holy Door.”
The festivities begin the evening of Sept. 8 at Mission San Gabriel, where Los Angeles Archbishop José H. Gomez will preside an outdoor prayer service at 7 p.m. accompanied by more than 40 priests and the auxiliary bishops of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, as well as civic leaders and representatives of the first peoples of the land, including Chief Anthony Morales of the Gabrielino San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians and Chin Ho Liao, mayor of San Gabriel.
According to a news release from the archdiocese, the service will “feature music from the mission era performed by a choir and orchestra, along with projections and lighting on the mission buildings.”
The next day, Sept. 9, 22 designated “pilgrimage parishes” around the archdiocese will host 40 hours of eucharistic adoration starting at 6 p.m. that evening and ending at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 11. Faithful “are invited to pray for spiritual renewal in our local Church” during adoration and can register to pray at the location and time of their choice at forwardinmission.com/adoration.
Then, on Saturday, September 11, Archbishop Gomez will preside a Jubilee Opening Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels at 11 a.m. Mass will begin with the Rite of the Opening of the Holy Door on the Cathedral Plaza. The event will be live streamed via forwardinmission.com/live-stream and youtube.com/lacatholics.
Finally, on Sunday, Sept. 12, each of the 22 pilgrimage parishes will host a special Mass and opening of their respective “Holy Door” to mark the start of their participation.
