BRIGHTON -- As part of the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Archdiocese of Boston, the month of February is devoted to the celebration of consecrated life.

Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley will celebrate Mass in honor of World Day for Consecrated Life at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross on Feb. 3 at 11:30 a.m.

For 200 years, consecrated men and women have given themselves untiringly to prayer and apostolic service in the Archdiocese of Boston. The distinguished histories of so many archdiocesan institutions are rooted in the charisms of the many religious communities that came to Boston. The consecrated life is at the heart of the Church and a decisive element to her mission.

Throughout the month of February, the various religious communities within the archdiocese will be holding prayer services to pray for all the religious communities that have been a part of the history of the archdiocese. A full schedule of times and locations is available at the official bicentennial Web site, www.Boston200.org and the public is encouraged to attend any of the prayer services.

The celebration is intended to help the entire Church to, “esteem ever more greatly the witness of all who have chosen to follow Christ by means of the practice of the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience,” as the late Pope John Paul II described it. At the same time, World Day for Consecrated Life offers an opportunity for all consecrated persons to give thanks to God for their vocations and recommit themselves to the service of the Church.