What time is the Easter Urbi et Orbi blessing? Can I watch/hear it from my smartphone?

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PazzoGrande

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I’m trying to make plans for that Saturday night and I want to be sure to catch the Urbi et Orbi blessing. The schedule isn’t up on Vatican Television’s site.

And, can I watch or hear it from my smartphone live?
 
Thanks for the response.

What if I can’t watch the Urbi et Orbi live? It’s going to be in the middle of the night here. Can I still partake in the blessing if I watch a replay?
 
PazzoGrande said:
Thanks for the response.

What if I can’t watch the Urbi et Orbi live? It’s going to be in the middle of the night here. Can I still partake in the blessing if I watch a replay?
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I am fairly sure that it must be live.
 
Joe_Kelley said:
I am fairly sure that it must be live.
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That is my understanding as well.

What if it’s broadcast with a 7-second delay? Or a 30-second delay?

How much delay is permissible before it’s no longer live?
Personally, I’d say if someone is watching the event at the moment the pope gives the blessing, it would count, even if it would be another few minutes before they actually watch that part.
 
Digitonomy said:
That is my understanding as well.

What if it’s broadcast with a 7-second delay? Or a 30-second delay?

How much delay is permissible before it’s no longer live?
Personally, I’d say if someone is watching the event at the moment the pope gives the blessing, it would count, even if it would be another few minutes before they actually watch that part.
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I think the indulgence is now extended to any kind of electronic media, as long as it is watched live. We all know what “live” means, I think - so not a replay. I have done this - often it means getting up at very inconvenient times on holidays! - and it’s really great.
 
Leon_Bloy said:
We all know what “live” means, I think - so not a replay.
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We all think we know what “live” means, but as I alluded, “live” is not always truly “live”. Often delays are built in to allow the broadcaster to censor out obscenities or other disruptions. During the Super Bowl, the delay was not enough for them to act effectively to censor the middle finger one of the performers gave, so I imagine they’ll increase the delay to several minutes next year.

Suppose a broadcaster’s golf coverage runs long, and the papal event is carried in its entirety “live” but actually 10 minutes delayed. Would a blessing during the 20 minute homily be efficacious to a viewer watching it 10 minutes later? I would tend to say yes, but I have no basis for that.
 
mfrances said:
Wow, I did not know a blessing could be recieved via television!
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If you listen to the blessing, the pope will specifically mention those listening or watching on radio or TV. If he doesn’t, then you probably weren’t blessed.

I don’t recall where I’ve heard the rule, or how definitive it is, but it can’t be a recorded blessing. So you can’t make a recording of the blessing, and play it several times a day to get blessings all year long.

I find the practice of broadcast blessings questionable, mainly because of the slippery slope I mentioned above.
 
The indulgence for receiving the blessing over the airwaves applies only to the Urbi et Orbi blessings (only at Christmas and Easter).

Part of this is because, as the name of it indicates, the pope’s blessing goes out “to the City and the Globe” (Urbi et Orbi). So you are being blessed one way or another. But to listen to it live means you are actively receiving it and aware of it, which when it comes to sacramentals (like a papal blessing), is an important part.

There is a plenary indulgence attached if you listen to it and actively receive it live via electronic media, or in person.
 
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