Posted March 18, 2022

Catholics from numerous ethnic and national backgrounds came together in prayer and celebration for the annual Cultural Heritage Mass March 12 at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul. The Mass, led by principal celebrant Archbishop Nelson Perez, was sponsored by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s Office for Pastoral Care for Migrants and Refugees. Read full coverage of the Mass here. (Photos by Sarah Webb)

  • Archbishop Perez leads prayers at the Cultural Heritage Mass, which especially called to mind the suffering from the war in Ukraine, as a poster is displayed next to the flag of Ukraine in the cathedral.

  • A woman proudly proclaims her heritage by displaying the flag of Haiti at the Cultural Heritage Mass.

  • The procession of national and cultural flags preceding the Mass has become a beloved tradition.