Funeral Mass held today for Bishop Emeritus Edward P. Cullen

LehighValleyNews.com | By Stephanie Sigafoos

Published May 19, 2023 at 12:30 PM EDT

1 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

Bishop Alfred Schlert of the Diocese of Allentown, left, prays at the side of Bishop Cullen. Ceremonies of Reception of the Body and Visitation for The Most Reverend Edward Peter Cullen, D.D., third Bishop of Allentown, were held at the Cathedral of Saint Catharine of Siena, Allentown, on Thursday, May 18, 2023. Photography by Donna Fisher

Donna S. Fisher

2 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

Bishop Alfred Schlert officiates the Visitation for the late Bishop Cullen. Ceremonies of Reception of the Body and Visitation for The Most Reverend Edward Peter Cullen, D.D., third Bishop of Allentown, were held at the Cathedral of Saint Catharine of Siena, Allentown, on Thursday, May 18, 2023. Photography by Donna Fisher

Donna S. Fisher

3 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

The late Bishop Cullen is taken to the altar. Ceremonies of Reception of the Body and Visitation for The Most Reverend Edward Peter Cullen, D.D., third Bishop of Allentown, were held at the Cathedral of Saint Catharine of Siena, Allentown, on Thursday, May 18, 2023. Photography by Donna Fisher

Donna S. Fisher

4 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

Ceremonies of Reception of the Body and Visitation for The Most Reverend Edward Peter Cullen, D.D., third Bishop of Allentown, were held at the Cathedral of Saint Catharine of Siena, Allentown, on Thursday, May 18, 2023. Photography by Donna Fisher

Donna S. Fisher

5 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

Donna S. Fisher

6 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

Donna S. Fisher

7 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

A mourner says goodbye to Bishop Edward Cullen. Ceremonies of Reception of the Body and Visitation for The Most Reverend Edward Peter Cullen, D.D., third Bishop of Allentown, were held at the Cathedral of Saint Catharine of Siena, Allentown, on Thursday, May 18, 2023. Photography by Donna Fisher

Donna S. Fisher

8 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

Bishop Alfred Schlert prays Thursday. Ceremonies of Reception of the Body and Visitation for The Most Reverend Edward Peter Cullen, D.D., third Bishop of Allentown, were held at the Cathedral of Saint Catharine of Siena, Allentown, on Thursday, May 18, 2023. Photography by Donna Fisher

Donna S. Fisher

9 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

Donna S. Fisher

10 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

Donna S. Fisher

11 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

Donna S. Fisher

12 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

Bishop Alfred Schlert leads ceremonies Thursday. Ceremonies of Reception of the Body and Visitation for The Most Reverend Edward Peter Cullen, D.D., third Bishop of Allentown, were held at the Cathedral of Saint Catharine of Siena, Allentown, on Thursday, May 18, 2023. Photography by Donna Fisher

Donna S. Fisher

13 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

Donna S. Fisher

14 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

Donna S. Fisher

15 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

Bishop Alfred Schlert leads Visitation ceremonies. Ceremonies of Reception of the Body and Visitation for The Most Reverend Edward Peter Cullen, D.D., third Bishop of Allentown, were held at the Cathedral of Saint Catharine of Siena, Allentown, on Thursday, May 18, 2023. Photography by Donna Fisher

Donna S. Fisher

16 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

Donna S. Fisher

17 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

Donna S. Fisher

18 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

Beverly McDevitt, Allentown Diocesan Music Director, sings Thursday. Ceremonies of Reception of the Body and Visitation for The Most Reverend Edward Peter Cullen, D.D., third Bishop of Allentown, were held at the Cathedral of Saint Catharine of Siena, Allentown, on Thursday, May 18, 2023. Photography by Donna Fisher

Donna S. Fisher

19 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

Donna S. Fisher

20 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

Donna S. Fisher

21 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

Donna S. Fisher

22 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

Members of the Knights of Columbus attend to the late Bishop Cullen. Ceremonies of Reception of the Body and Visitation for The Most Reverend Edward Peter Cullen, D.D., third Bishop of Allentown, were held at the Cathedral of Saint Catharine of Siena, Allentown, on Thursday, May 18, 2023. Photography by Donna Fisher

Donna S. Fisher

23 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

Donna S. Fisher

24 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

A mourner makes her way to the late Bishop Cullen. Ceremonies of Reception of the Body and Visitation for The Most Reverend Edward Peter Cullen, D.D., third Bishop of Allentown, were held at the Cathedral of Saint Catharine of Siena, Allentown, on Thursday, May 18, 2023. Photography by Donna Fisher

Donna S. Fisher

25 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

Donna S. Fisher

26 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

Donna S. Fisher

27 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

Donna S. Fisher

28 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

Donna S. Fisher

29 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

Donna S. Fisher

30 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

Bishop Alfred Schlert says goodbye to Bishop Cullen. Ceremonies of Reception of the Body and Visitation for The Most Reverend Edward Peter Cullen, D.D., third Bishop of Allentown, were held at the Cathedral of Saint Catharine of Siena, Allentown, on Thursday, May 18, 2023. Photography by Donna Fisher

Donna S. Fisher

31 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

Donna S. Fisher

32 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

Donna S. Fisher

33 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

Donna S. Fisher

34 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

Donna S. Fisher

35 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

The late Bishop Edward Cullen at rest. Ceremonies of Reception of the Body and Visitation for The Most Reverend Edward Peter Cullen, D.D., third Bishop of Allentown, were held at the Cathedral of Saint Catharine of Siena, Allentown, on Thursday, May 18, 2023. Photography by Donna Fisher

Donna S. Fisher

36 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

Knights of Columbus members attend to the late Bishop Cullen. Ceremonies of Reception of the Body and Visitation for The Most Reverend Edward Peter Cullen, D.D., third Bishop of Allentown, were held at the Cathedral of Saint Catharine of Siena, Allentown, on Thursday, May 18, 2023. Photography by Donna Fisher

Donna S. Fisher

37 of 37 — Visitation Ceremony For The Late Bishop Edward Cullen

Donna S. Fisher

ALLENTOWN, Pa. – The Catholic community said its goodbyes to Bishop Emeritus Edward P. Cullen during a funeral Mass Friday morning.

Cullen, who served as the third bishop of the Diocese of Allentown, died May 9 at Lehigh Valley Health Network's Cedar Crest campus. He was 90.

Cullen was bishop from 1998 until his retirement in 2009.

Services for the public began Thursday with reception of the body at 4 p.m. at the Cathedral of St. Catharine of Siena, Allentown. It was followed by visitation until 7 p.m., when a vigil service took place.

Additional visitation was held today from 9 to 10:30 a.m., followed by a funeral Mass at 11 a.m., and interment in Resurrection Cemetery, Allentown.

LehighValleyNews.com will have full coverage of the liturgical ceremonies.

Archbishop Nelson Perez of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia celebrated the funeral Mass, and Allentown Bishop Alfred Schlert was homilist.

Services were livestreamed on AD Today, and on the diocesan Facebook page and YouTube channel. The livestream also was available on Service Electric Cable TV. Thursday’s vigil aired on channel 902, and the funeral Mass on Friday aired on channel 50 and channel 550.

Cullen was the predecessor to Bishop John Barres, who led the diocese from 2009 to 2016.

In a statement after Cullen’s death, Barres said Cullen “always had wise, generous and creative counsel. He had a powerful intellect and exuded a radiant compassion.”

The funeral services were steeped in ritual, tradition and symbolism. Cullen was laid to rest in the ceremonial vestments of a bishop, wearing a pectoral cross around his neck and a miter – the pointed hat symbolizing his office.

The vigil and the funeral Mass included Scripture readings and reflections, including from Cullen's brother, John. During Friday’s services, the casket was positioned so that Cullen’s head was facing the altar and his feet nearest to the congregation, a ritual symbolizing that he stood at the front of the church while alive.

Funeral Mass held today for Bishop Emeritus Edward P. Cullen

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