Vatican City, Jun 21, 2012 / 11:21 am
Many of the Vatican's events for the forthcoming Year of Faith were announced today as organizers unveiled the official logo in Rome.
Archbishop Rino Fisichella, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization, told CNA June 21 that the "significance of the logo is very simple."
"The boat is the sign of the Church, and you can see this is a moment of movement," he explained, "we also have the cross, and the cross is the sign of love, it's the sign of our faith. And together with the cross there is the sign of the Eucharist, and the Eucharist for us is at the center of our lives, it is the center of the life of faith."
The Year of Faith was announced last fall by Pope Benedict as a means to give momentum to a new evangelization. It will run from Oct. 11, 2012 to Nov. 24, 2013.
The logo was unveiled by Archbishop Fisichella at a June 21 Vatican press conference.
He also announced the creation of a new website www.annusfidei.va, which will soon be available in six languages, including English. It outlines the key religious and cultural events that will mark the year in Rome and will be attended by Pope Benedict XVI.
The opening liturgy will take place in St. Peter's Square on Oct. 11, the 50th anniversary of the beginning of the Second Vatican Council.
"There will be a solemn Eucharistic celebration concelebrated by the Synod Fathers, the presidents of the world's episcopal conferences and by Council Fathers who are still alive," Archbishop Fisichella said. So far 35 bishops who took part in the council have been invited.
The archbishop also announced that Vatican officials recently approved a special "Mass for New Evangelization" as a sign that during the Year of Faith "priority will be given to prayer, and especially to the Eucharist as source and summit of all Christian life."
Another key moment for 2012 will be the canonization of seven martyrs on Sunday, October 21 , as well as two American saints, Blesseds Kateri Tekakwitha and Marianne Cope.
Moving into 2013, Catholic movements, old and new, will gather in Rome on May 18.
On the Feast of Corpus Christi, June 2, the Blessed Sacrament will be adored at the same time all over the world.
Seminarians and novices from across the world will arrive in Rome as they end a pilgrimage to St. Peter's Basilica on July 7.
September 29 will be dedicated to catechists, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church marks its 20th anniversary. To assist with catechesis, a multilingual pastoral guide entitled "Living the Year of Faith" will be published in September 2013.
Finally, the closing celebration of the Year of Faith will take place on November 24.
Archbishop Fisichella said the Church and society are at "a peculiar moment" in history which is "a moment of crisis, a big crisis, and also faith is in a traumatic situation."
He wants the Year of Faith to reach out to all baptized Catholics, including lapsed believers and those who "have the desire of God but cannot find sign of faith."
He is also eager for dioceses and Catholic bodies around the world follow Rome's lead in drawing up a calendar of events.