Ash Wednesday -- Lenten Stational Church

St. John Cantius ^ | 9FEB05 | N/A

[StAthanasiustheGreat]

ASH WEDNESDAY

Station—St. Sabina

Remember man that thou art dust, and into dust thou shalt return

If there is any place in Rome where Lent, with its atmosphere of penitential solitude mixes with the reawakening of spring, then it must be along this path which climbs up from the Circus Maximus towards the Aventine, on the top of which stands the Church of St. Sabina.

In God's name then let us go up to the holy mount. Is it not significant that the first Lenten mystery is celebrated on a mount, the Aventine? Already in pre-Christian days this hill was an asylum for refugees, a post of security. To St. Sabina—a martyr, converted to the faith by the prayers, fasts and example of her Christian servant—we entrust ourselves today. To her we have recourse in our sinfulness. She will present her martyrdom and her prayers to God on our behalf and obtain His blessing upon our Christian warfare, so that "we may be converted to God with our whole heart, in fasting and in weeping and in mourning, and rend our hearts and not our garments, and turn to the Lord, our God."

Let us pray: Grant, O Lord, to Thy faithful people that they may begin the venerable solemnities of fasting with becoming piety, and may persevere to the end with steadfast devotion. Through Christ, Our Lord.

Amen.

[StAthanasiustheGreat]

Stational Churches for Lent.

[StAthanasiustheGreat]

Station Church Ping!

[NYer]

Santa Sabina all'Aventino

St Sabina at the Aventine

1 Piazza Pietro d'Illiria

Church dedicated to St Sabina, 2^nd century martyr.

History

The church was built in the 5th century, presumably at the site of the original Titulus Sabinae, a church in the home of Sabina who had been martyred c. 114. The tituli were the first parish churches in Rome. The exact date of the foundation is believed to be 422-423, and it is known that it was founded by an Illyrian priest named Peter.

It was restored in the 8^th and 9^th centuries.

In 1218, the church was given to the Dominicans by Pope Honorius III, who had approved the foundation of the order. They still serve the church, although since 1370 Santa Maria sopra Minerva has been their main church in Rome. The Pope was of the Savelli family, whose palace was next to the church.

St Dominic lived in the adjacent monastery for a period soon before his death in 1221. Among other residents of the monastery is St Thomas Aquinas.

During the Renaissance and Baroque periods, some additions were made. In the 20^th century, most of these were removed to restore the church back to its original state. The restorations took place 1914-1919 and 1936-1938, and were led by A. Muzo and P. Berthier.

The current titular of the church is H.E. Jozef Cardinal Tomko.

Santa Sabina is the station church on Ash Wednesday. Since the time of Pope John XXIII, it is custom for the Holy Father to assist in person in the afternoon Mass on that day, when ashes are distributed.

It is possible to see the rooms of Pope St Pius V and St Dominic at the monastery. Men can visit the Romanesque cloister and the chapter house where St Celsus and St Hyacinth, apostles of Hungary and Bohemia, gave their vows as Dominicans. To visit these places, apply at the monastery.

[StAthanasiustheGreat]

A custom of the Romans is to attend Mass at a different Church each day of Lent. The stational churches are the 40 Churches that comprise the Lenten pilgrimage, visiting sacred sites of various martyrs for the faith.

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

Interesting. I didn't know that. Thanks.

[sassbox]

some more pictures of Santa Sabina