Thousands Camp Outside Churches In Anticipation Of Black Friday Masses

Hundreds of church-goers stamped into Saint Theresa Parish on Black Friday, 2011, just moments before four are tragically trampled to death.

As anticipated, thousands of church-goers have already camped out in front of churches all across the nation in anticipation of Black Friday Masses. Joseph Evanovich of New Orleans says that an opportunity to get closer to the tabernacle for Mass drove him to forgo traditional Thanksgiving day family gatherings. “I’ve been camped out here since Monday hoping I could get one of those first couple pews I’ve been hearing all about.” Ronald and Rebecca Coen of Las Cruces, New Mexico have been camped out in front of Saint Genevieve Catholic Church since last Friday, and say they would do anything to get their “tongues on one of those newly consecrated hosts.” “Last year they ran out just before we were able to partake,” Ronald Coen told Eye of the Tiber. “We were lucky enough to get some bulletins, though. We gave a few to our parents, a couple to some friends, and one to our daughter…you should’ve seen her face.”

But with all the excitement of this year’s Masses, priests around the nation have warned parishioners against being overly frenzied when church doors open, many saying that a mad rush into churches could lead to more tragedies like one that occurred last year at Saint Theresa Parish in Palm Springs, California, where four people were trampled to death and seven others were injured just moments after the church doors opened.