Parishes across the Diocese of Nashville welcomed more people back to church on Palm Sunday, the first day that Bishop J. Mark Spalding restored the obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days.
At parishes large and small, indoors and out, people gathered for Mass on March 28, eager to experience the first Holy Week liturgy together in person. At the start of the coronavirus pandemic last year, all churches were closed during Holy Week; liturgies were livestreamed as priests celebrated them in private.
For Palm Sunday 2021, church communities were able to celebrate together again.
At Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Springfield, approximately 150 people attended the Palm Sunday 10:30 a.m. Mass in English, which was typical for that Mass. Even more were expected for the Spanish Mass later in the day.
About 600 people attended the 11 a.m. outdoor Mass at St. Henry Church in Nashville, which was also typical attendance in recent weeks. The parish is holding as many Holy Week liturgies as possible outside this week, and taking reservations for indoor Masses. They expect more people to return for Easter Sunday.
