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Knights and other pilgrims fill the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., for the National Mass of Thanksgiving for the canonizations of St. John XXIII and St. John Paul II May 11.
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n May 11, Knights, their families and other visitors filled the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., for a solemn Mass of thanksgiving for the recent canonizations of St. John XXIII and St. John Paul II. The celebration continued after Mass as pilgrims walked in procession from the basilica to the newly renamed Saint John Paul II National Shrine, which is operated by the Knights of Columbus. Led by more than 100 Fourth Degree Knights along the half-mile pilgrimage route from the basilica, the procession included a reliquary containing St. John Paul II’s blood, which was carried by Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl, archbishop of Washington. The cardinal also served as the principal celebrant and homilist at the Mass.
The day’s ceremonies, which were televised internationally by Catholic networks, took place on the Fourth Sunday of Easter, known as Good Shepherd Sunday. Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson noted that it was also “appropriate that our day of thanksgiving take place on Mother’s Day, a day celebrated by the family,” since Pope Francis described St. John Paul II as the “pope of the family” during the Mass of canonization April 27. TWO GOOD SHEPHERDS At the beginning of the May 11 eucharistic celebration, Msgr. Walter Rossi, rector of the basilica, processed into the Great Upper Church with a relic of St. John XXIII and placed it beside the main altar for veneration. Supreme Chaplain Archbishop JULY 2014
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