2023 New Year’s Day Mass with the Pope in the Vatican: times and how to watch
Pope Francis will address crowds in St Peter’s Square on 1 January as part of the traditional annual Holy Mass.
On Sunday Pope Francis will deliver his annual New Year’s Day message from the Vatican. The Mass for the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God will commence at 10:00am local time (4:00am EST, 1:00am PT) in the Vatican Basilica.
Pope Francis will mark the beginning of a New Year, one day after the death of his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, who passed away on Saturday.
For those who cannot attend in person the Vatican will be livestreaming the mass and then the traditional Angelus blessing from Saint Peter’s Square which will be at 12:00 pm local time (6:00am EST, 3:00am PT).
You can watch Pope Francis deliver the New Year’s Day Mass on the Vatican News YouTube channel live-stream feed. Every year the Pope offers the New Year’s Day Mass at the Vatican starting 10:00am Central European Time, which is 4:00am Eastern Time in the US.
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When will the Pope deliver his annual New Year’s Day message?
After mass the pontiff will go to Peter’s Balcony to deliver the traditional papal blessing to St Peter’s Square, weather permitting. In 2020 he gave the Angelus blessing from the papal library due to poor weather.
After the New Year’s Day celebrations the Pope will conduct the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord on 6 January, with another Holy Mass in St Peter’s Basilica from 10:00am.
The festive events will be concluded on 8 January when he presides over the Mass for the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord from the Sistine Chapel, which is expected to begin at 9:30am. This ceremony will also see the Pope baptize children as part of the Mass.
Pope expected to make reference to Benedict in New Year’s Day address
The Catholic Church on Saturday announced the death of Pope Benedict XVIII, who passed away at the age of 95. He became the longest-living Pope in history when he surpassed the record set by Pope Leo XIII.
Benedict had been forced to step down from the role in 2013 due to his ailing health, becoming the first head of the Catholic Church to resign in nearly 600 years.
In the twilight of his life Benedict became known as Pope Emeritus and continued to live in the Vatican, living a life of quiet study and prayer. He is thought to have remained a key confidant to his successor, Pope Francis, and will likely be honoured in the latter’s New Year’s Day address.