On Holy Thursday, April 17, the Mass of the Lord’s Supper will celebrate the institution of the Eucharist and Christ giving the Twelve Apostles and their successors the authority to be ministers of the Sacrament. At the conclusion of Mass, the priest will carry a ciborium containing the Blessed Sacrament to a side altar, which is commonly decorated with flowers, plants and candles. This side altar is called the Altar of Repose. At the Altar of Repose, parishioners keep vigil in silent prayer and adoration, recalling our Lord’s agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.  

Please consider Inviting your family, friends or assemble a group of people from your parish (young adults are encouraged to participate) to visit the Altar of Repose in different churches in your community. Listed below are the churches who submitted their information to us from around the Diocese. Most  of the listed churches will begin with Mass.

Atkinson: St. Anthony, in the Church, from 6 p.m. – 11 p.m.

Bloomington: St. Patrick of Merna, in the Chapel, from 7 p.m. – 11 p.m.

Bloomington: Historic St. Patrick, in the Church, from 7 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Brimfield: St. Joseph, in the main Church, from 7:30 – 10 p.m.

Champaign: Holy Cross, in the church, from 7 p.m. – 12 a.m.

Champaign: St. John Catholic Chapel, in the Chapel, from 7:30 p.m. – 12 a.m.

Champaign: St. Matthew, in the church, from 7 p.m. – 12 a.m.

Chenoa: St. Joseph, in the main Church, from 7 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Chillicothe: St. Edward, in the Church hall, from 5:30 – 9 p.m.

Clinton: St. John the Baptist, in Parish hall library, from 7 – 10 p.m.

Coal Valley: St. Maria Goretti, in the Parish, from 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Colona: St. Patrick, in the church, from 7 – 9:30 p.m.

Dalzell: St. Thomas More, in the Adoration Chapel, from 6 – 10 p.m.

Dallas City: Sacred Heart, in the Church, from 7:30 – 10pm.

Danville: Holy Family, in the Chapel, from 6:30 – 10 p.m.

Delavan: St. Isidore the Farmer Parish, in the church hall from 7 – 10 p.m.

East Moline: St. Anne, in the main Church, from 7 – 10 p.m.

Galesburg: St. Patrick, in the Parish hall, from 8 – 11 p.m.

Geneseo: St. Malachy, in the Parish chapel, from 7 p.m. – 12 a.m.

Granville: Sacred Heart, in the Church hall from 7 – 11 p.m.

Kewanee: Saint John Paul II, in the Church, from 7 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Kickapoo: St. Mary, in the church, from 7 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Lacon: Immaculate Conception, in the Church at the side altar, from 7 p.m. – 12 a.m.

LaSalle: St. Patrick, in the Relic Chapel, from 6:30 p.m. – 12 a.m.

LaSalle: St. Hyacinth, inside the Church on the East side, from 7 p.m. – 12 a.m.

Lexington: St. Mary, in the main Church, from 7  – 10 p.m.

Lincoln: Holy Family, in the Church, from 7 p.m. – 12 a.m.

Macomb: St. Paul, in the Church, from 7 – 10 p.m.

Milan: St. Teresa of Calcutta, in the church, from 7 p.m. – 12 a.m.

Moline: Christ the King, in the Church, 7 p.m. – 12 a.m.

Moline: Sacred Heart, in the Church,  from 7 p.m. – 12 a.m.

Moline: St. Mary, in the gymnasium, from 6:30 p.m. – 12 a.m.

Monticello: St. Philomena, in the Church, from 7:30 – 10 p.m.

Morton: Blessed Sacrament, the left side of the Sanctuary, from 7 – 10:30 p.m.

Normal: Epiphany, in the church, from 7 p.m. – 12 a.m.

Oglesby: Holy Family, in the Church (use north side door), from 7 – 10 p.m.

Altar of Repose, St. Thomas the Apostle, Peoria Heights, Holy Thursday, 2023.

Ottawa: St. Patrick, in the Chapel, from 7 p.m. – 12 a.m.

Pekin: St. Joseph, in the Church, from 7 – 10 p.m.

Peoria: Holy Family, in the Church, from 7  – 10 p.m.

Peoria: St. Jude, in the Church, from 7 p.m. – 12 a.m.

Peoria: St. Mark, in the Church, from 7 p.m. – 12 a.m.

Peoria: St. Philomena, in the Church, from 7 – 10 p.m.

Peoria: St. Vincent de Paul, in the Church, from 7 p.m. – 12 a.m.

Peoria Heights: St. Thomas the Apostle, in the Chapel, from 7:30 – 11 p.m.

Philo: St. Thomas, in the Church, from 7 p.m. – 12 a.m.

Pontiac: St. Mary, in the main church, from 7 p.m. – 12 a.m.

Princeton: St. Louis Church, in Harkrader Hall, from 7 – 11 p.m.

Princeville: St. Mary of the Woods, in the Christ Chapel (use north side entrance), from 7 p.m. – 12 a.m.

Rantoul: St. Malachy, in the main Church at the Holy Family Shrine, from 6:30 – 10 p.m.

Rapids City: St. John the Baptist, in the Church hall, use the side door to enter, from 7 – 10 p.m.

Rock Island: Sacred Heart, in the Church under the statue of St. Joseph, from 7 p.m. – 12 a.m.

Rock Island: St. Pius X, in the Church, from 7 p.m. – 12 a.m.

Streator: St. Michael the Archangel, in the Church, from 7 – 11 p.m.

Urbana: St. Patrick, in Brigid Hall, from 7 p.m. – 12 a.m.

Utica: St. Mary, in the main Church, from 7 – 10 p.m.

Walnut: St. John the Evangelist, in the Church hall (use main church entrance), from 7 – 11 p.m.

Washington: Mary, Mother of God Parish, St. Patrick Church to the left of the sanctuary near the Baptistery, from 7 – 11 p.m.

Wenona: St. Mary, in the Church, from 7 – 9 p.m.

When the Holy Thursday liturgy concludes and the Blessed Sacrament is placed on the altar of repose at the Cathedral of St. Mary on April 17, Bishop Louis Tylka and a busload of young Catholic will begin a journey to some altars of repose with prayerful stops at Blessed Sacrament (Morton), St. Patrick (Washington), and St. Mary (Metamora).

Our Lord will remain upon some altars until midnight, at which time He will then be hidden away in a tabernacle until the Good Friday liturgy. Consider staying awake with our Lord at the Altar of Repose. Pray for our priests, deacons, religious and all the faithful. May this Holy Week bring renewed vigor to all our churches.