St Mary’s Cathedral will host veterans, defence personnel and their families on the eve of Anzac Day, with a vigil Mass commemorating the service and sacrifice of Australia’s armed forces.
The Mass in Sydney will be celebrated by Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP on 24 April at 6.30pm.
Held annually, the Anzac Day vigil Mass provides an opportunity for members of the armed forces to reflect on those who have served before them, as well as the sacrifices made in military service.
This year marks 110 years since the first Anzac Day, established in 1916 to honour Australian and New Zealand troops who served in the Gallipoli campaign during World War I.
About 16,000 Australian and New Zealand troops landed at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915 as part of the Allied campaign.
The first commemorations were organised independently across the country, with The Sydney Morning Herald writing at the time that the day “will live on in our hearts and in our history as long as Australia lasts.”
Anzac Day has since become one of the nation’s most significant days of remembrance. Alongside formal commemorations, traditions such as dawn services, marches and games of two-up continue across the country.
Dawn services will be held at major sites including the Cenotaph in Martin Place, the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Anzac Square in Brisbane and the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, as well as at Gallipoli.
In New South Wales, the Anzac Day public holiday will be observed this year despite 25 April falling on a Saturday.
