St Mark's Florence, a centre of light, mission and culture


St Mark's in Florence has been serving the English language population of Tuscany and the many visitors to the area for over 132 years. The Sunday Sung High Mass is at the centre of the parish's active liturgical life. But St Mark’s is also home to a thriving and extensive music and cultural scene, with its own choir (St Mark's Cantorum), St Mark's Opera, many concerts performed by visiting choirs and musicians, and literary events.

The parish is promoting a particularly interesting project entitled "Dignity through Art". Through this project, the needs of those in Florence who are marginalised, homeless or needy are given a voice and a platform for their skills to be shared, and for their stories to be heard. Many, whose voices are silenced by their circumstances, are given, through this project, space to recover their dignity as human persons.


On 5 February, I joined the congregation for the feast of Candlemas and administered the sacrament of confirmation to some members. It was a joyful liturgy. Some highlights can be seen in the YouTube clip below, prepared by Bob Blesse, one of the members of the parish. One of the confirmation candidates, who is a portrait artist, had prepared a painting of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which was blessed during the liturgy.


The Chaplain of St Mark's, the Revd William Lister, also looks after the St Peter's, Sienna and Holy Cross, Bologna. 



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