Brace yourselves for Wimmerfest.

This year's annual Wimmerfest (or Founder's Day) is a big deal because it is our founder, Boniface Wimmer's 200th birthday. Actually, he was born in January, but we're celebrating the whole year.

Usually, we have vespers with all of the St. Vincent community and then a Thanksgiving-style dinner followed by fireworks, the campus light-up and .... Christmas music.

Because of the significance of this year, there is going to be a gigantically huge Mass on Thursday.

From the College's website:

Members of the Saint Vincent Archabbey, College, and Seminary and Parish communities are preparing to close the yearlong celebration of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Founder Boniface Wimmer with a solemn Mass celebrated by His Eminence Cardinal Justin Rigali on Thursday, November 19. The Mass will be held at the Saint Vincent Archabbey Basilica, beginning at 2:15 p.m. with a musical prelude from The Boniface Wimmer Music Collection. The Mass begins at 3 p.m.

Bishops from the dioceses of Greensburg, Altoona-Johnstown, Covington, Erie, Nashville, Savannah and Steubenville; eleven abbots, including the Abbot Primate, Notker Wolf, O.S.B., Rome; the Lady Abbess Franziska Kloss, Eichstätt, Germany; and His Royal Highness Prince Ludwig of Bavaria will be among those attending the Mass. Prince Ludwig, who is a great-great-grandson of the last King of Bavaria, Ludwig III, will receive the Saint Vincent College Presidential Medal of Honor at the conclusion of the Mass.

So, a cardinal, a bunch of bishops (including mine, apparently. I did not know.), abbots, a lady abbess (she's nobility) and a prince. Gigantic. Also, if you remember from last year, Abbot Primate Notker Wolf happens to play guitar in the German Christian rock band, Feedback.

If you're interested:

The concert and Mass will be streamed live via a special website set up in honor of the Wimmer anniversary year, http://www.bonifacewimmer.org.

The music starts at 2:15 PM and Mass at 3:00 (all EST).