Bambinelli Sunday – This Weekend December 16th & 17th

Bring Your Home’s Infant Child Jesus to Mass for a Special Blessing!

Advent, (from Latin adventus, “coming”), in the Christian church calendar, is the period of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas and also a time of preparation for the Second Coming of Christ. Advent is a time of devout and expectant delight. It is also best described as a time of Waiting, Conversion and Hope!

For the past several years the parishes of St. Frances of Rome and St. Leonard have been encouraging our parishioners to celebrate Bambinelli Sunday. We invite everyone again this year to join in the celebration of this tradition.

Historically within the Roman Catholic Church, the 3rd Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday) has for many years been the day when the children of Rome bring the figurines of Baby Jesus from their family cribs to St. Peter’s Square to be blessed by the Pope during the Angelus. The day is affectionately known as “Bambinelli Sunday.” This weekend was originally instituted by Pope Saint John Paul II during his Papacy and the tradition has grown in popularity across the universal Church.

Everyone is invited to bring your infant child Jesus to the mass you attend that weekend for a special blessing. Then wrap the blessed figurine(s) in Christmas wrapping when you return home. Place Jesus under your Christmas tree, to be opened as the first gift(s) of Christmas; thus encouraging us to make the connection between the gifts we receive on Christmas Day and the greatest gift that any of us can receive, Jesus. This opportunity connects us to our Nativity set at home and the local Church faith community where we worship each weekend