Public Masses offered at the Basilica of Saint Mary

Posted on April 30, 2021

Revised April 30, 2021

With Northern Virginia implementing Ralph Northam’s “Forward Virginia” reopening plan, the Basilica of Saint Mary is offering public Masses.

Bishop Burbidge is continuing the dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation. He encourages those who are age 65 or older, as well as those with underlying health conditions, to avoid attending public liturgies. Please refrain from attending public gatherings and liturgical celebrations if you feel sick in any way or are coughing and sneezing frequently.

Mass Attendance Capacity and Responsible Social Distancing Practices

Please follow the instructions from our ushers and the posted signs as you arrive to the church.
Households and families do not need to be socially distant from each other, but they must remain six feet apart from others in the pew.
Attendees age 5 and older are expected to wear a mask while inside the church and Lyceum.
Although the bathroom at the back of the church will be open, please refrain from using it if at all possible.
If the church is full upon your arrival for our Saturday Vigil and Sunday Masses, you are invited to our Lyceum Auditorium at 313 Duke Street to watch a live video stream of the Mass. At Communion time, come to the Basilica and enter through the front doors to wait for your turn in line. After receiving Communion, exit through the Saint Joseph/Confessional side doors and return to the Lyceum to watch the end of Mass.
All public Masses will be live streamed on our website.
Confessions will continue to be held at our regularly scheduled times.

Update April 30, 2021: All of the pews in the Basilica of Saint Mary are now open to sit in. We removed the ropes on April 30, 2021. This allows us to accommodate more people in the church while still complying with state and diocesan COVID-19 mandates. Even with this change, we are still requiring people to adhere to Governor Northam’s mask mandate and households to maintain six feet of social distancing while in the church. We will still have overflow seating in our Lyceum Auditorium at 313 Duke Street. All of our Masses will continue to be live streamed on our parish website for those that are unable to worship with us in person.