VATICAN INSIDER TRAVELS TO THE LENTEN STATIONS CHURCHES OF ROME

VATICAN INSIDER TRAVELS TO THE LENTEN STATIONS CHURCHES OF ROME

In place of the interview segment his week on Vatican Insider, I present a special on the Lenten Station Churches of Rome, a marvelous, unique-to-Rome story!  This follows the News segment and a Q&A on how the date is set for Easter – it is, after all, a movable feast.

Every year in Lent, on both my blog and my weekly radio program, Vatican Insider, I offer a mini-pilgrimage of sorts as we visit some of the Lenten Station churches in Rome, very special churches that tell a beautiful story over the 40 days of Lent, a story found only in Rome. Lenten Station Churches are a Roman tradition dating back to the 4th century, where the faithful gather daily at a specific church (a “station”) for Mass and prayer, often visiting a new church each day during the 40 days of Lent to create a communal pilgrimage toward Easter.

Every year on Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent, Popes process from the Benedictine church of Sant’Anselmo on the Aventine Hill to the nearby Dominican basilica of Santa Sabina, thus renewing this centuries-old Roman tradition of celebrating Mass at what are known here as Lenten station or stational churches. At Sant’Anselmo, there is always a moment of prayer, followed by the penitential procession to the basilica of Santa Sabina. Traditionally joining the Pope in the procession are cardinals, archbishops, bishops, and many faithful.

The practice of station churches had its origins in the first centuries of Christianity when most of the early Popes celebrated the liturgy on special days at special churches in the Eternal City. This eventually became principally a Lenten devotion. In his liturgical reform, Pope St. Gregory the Great, who reigned from 590 to 604, established a station church for each day of Lent, thus making the whole season a pilgrimage on the path to conversion while preparing for Easter. The first Station Church every year is always St. Sabina where the Pope celebrates Ash Wednesday Mass.

If you are in Rome during Lent and wish to attend some of these station church Masses, the 2026 calendar of Masses can be found here: The Roman Station Liturgy – Pontifical North American College. The North American College, our seminary in Rome, has celebrated and participated in this tradition for years and their website might be just be the very best one to visit for information on each daily station church. If you can’t come to Rome, visit the site in any case, set aside some time for prayer and add wonderful value to your Lent.

Today’s Mass was celebrated at The Most Holy 12 Apostles (Santissimi Apostoli) as you can see on the calendar. The relics of Saints James and Philip are preserved here.

The following photos are from https://www.walksinrome.com/church-of-santi-apostoli-rome.html

ENJOY!

HOW TO LISTEN TO VATICAN INSIDER: IN THE U.S. you can listen to Vatican Insider (VI) on a Catholic radio station near you (https://www.ewtn.com/radio/affiliates-map) or on channel 130 Sirius-XM satellite radio. OUTSIDE THE U.S., Go to ewtn.com, click the two lines, the equal (=) sign in the upper right corner, click LISTEN, scroll through the images and click on the image for Vatican Insider. VI airs at 5am and 9pm ET on Saturdays and 6am ET on Sundays. ALWAYS CHECK YOUR OWN TIME ZONE! For VI ARCHIVES: https://www.ewtn.com/radio/podcasts/vatican-insider

 

 

 

 

THERE’S ALSO THIS….

THERE’S ALSO THIS….

POPE LEO XIV TO MAKE APOSTOLIC JOURNEYS TO AFRICA, SPAIN AND MONACO

The Holy See Press Office announces Pope Leo XIV’s upcoming Apostolic Journeys: ten days in Africa, between Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea, in April; one day in the Principality of Monaco at the end of March; and six days in Spain, between Madrid, Barcelona, and the Canary Islands archipelago, in June. Pope Leo XIV to make Apostolic Journeys to Africa, Spain and Monaco – Vatican News

POPE SENDS MEDICINE AND HEATERS TO UKRAINE

As Ukraine endures its fourth brutal winter of war, Pope Leo XIV has stepped in to answer a desperate plea from local bishops, sending a truckload of critical medical supplies and electric heaters to those most in need.  Pope sends medicine and heaters to Ukraine – Vatican News

IN LENTEN MEDITATION, BISHOP ERIK VARDEN ADDRESSES ABUSE, CORRUPTION

Bishop Erik Varden of Trondheim, chosen by Pope Leo XIV to deliver the 2026 Lenten spiritual exercises to the pope and senior members of the Roman Curia, on Wednesday offered a searing reflection on the duty of Church leaders to face the ongoing crisis of abuse and coverup squarely and unstintingly. In Lenten meditation, Bishop Erik Varden addresses abuse, corruption | Crux

LENTEN RETREAT: BISHOP VARDEN ON ‘THE FALL OF THOUSANDS’

Bishop Erik Varden delivers his sixth reflection at the Spiritual Exercises in the Vatican for Pope Leo XIV, Cardinals residing in Rome, and heads of Dicasteries, focusing on the theme: “The Fall of Thousands.” The following is a summary of his reflection.  Lenten Retreat: Bishop Varden on ‘the fall of thousands’ – Vatican News

 

 

 

FRANCIS’ LIFE WAS RADICALLY CHANGED ON FEBRUARY 24

I arrived Assisi on a very auspicious day, it seems from the story that follows. I got here this afternoon, February 24, exactly 818 years to the day that Francis’ life was radically changed!  A nice bit of history!  And tomorrow morning, more history as I will venerate his relics, his bones, in the lower basilica in this Jubilee Year marking the 800^th birthday of his death. Reserving a time to venerate Francis is mandatory for the month-long period of veneration.

I checked into my hotel on Via San Francesco and went to have a late lunch. When I saw that one of my favorite places in Assisi was only yards away from the cafe, I rejoiced and went to say a rosary in the Oratorio di Pellegrini – the Pilgrims’ Oratory. This dates to the 15^th century and is a stunningly frescoed, very small chapel that begs you to come in and pray before the Blessed Sacrament! No photos are allowed which I absolutely understand but it also breaks my heart just a bit not to share the beauty of this extraordinary prayer room!

I took some photos this afternoon and sent them from my phone to my laptop over an hour ago (7 pm) and they have not yet arrived – the wifi is ultra slow! I’ll go to dinner and see what awaits me afterward and post this column if possible!

A BIT LATER…Walking home from dinner, a car was coming up this quiet street and I moved to one side (no sidewalk) when the car slowed down and I heard the driver call my name! What are the odds of my meeting the one and only person I know in Assisi, Msgr. Tony Figueiredo, at that precise moment on a quiet dark street in this Umbrian hill town! Maybe the odds are as good as getting back a stolen wallet!

PS The photos arrived via email but were either upside down or sideways (!) so cannot post them here. Will post this now and then the photos – hope everything makes sense!

FRANCIS’ LIFE WAS RADICALLY CHANGED ON FEBRUARY 24

He finally discovered his mission in life after hearing the priest recite the Gospel at daily Mass.

After renouncing his former way of life, St. Francis of Assisi began actively discerning what God wanted him to do. Initially he thought God was calling him to physically rebuild churches. St. Francis ended up repairing three small chapels near Assisi, but after he was done, it still seemed like God was calling him to something more.

Then one day St. Francis was attending Mass at one of the chapels he restored, called the “Portiuncula” (“little portion.”)

It was there that St. Francis’ life took a radical turn that would end-up changing the entire world.

 February 24, 1208

On the morning of February 24 (according to most Franciscan historians), St. Francis attended Mass inside the Portiuncula and was struck by the Gospel of the day, which at the time was for the feast of St. Matthias.

And preach as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without pay, give without pay. Take no gold, nor silver, nor copper in your belts, no bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor a staff; for the laborer deserves his food. And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it, and stay with him until you depart. As you enter the house, salute it. And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. (Matthew 10:7-13)

Afterwards, St. Francis proceeded to ask the priest who celebrated Mass about the Gospel passage. The priest explained it to him and immediately St. Francis knew what he had to do.

Up to this point St. Francis had a nice tunic, leather belt, sandals and a staff. He quickly divested himself of these things and made himself a new, rough tunic and tied a rope around his waist.

St. Francis felt God calling him to take Jesus’ words literally, not taking any money, sandals, or even a staff on his journey.

He was to preach the Gospel to the world, but first he was to live it out.

After that day St. Francis went out into Assisi and began preaching to the people there. Men were inspired to follow him and similarly gave-up everything they owned to follow this new life of poverty. St. Francis’ life was radically changed on February 24

 

MIRACLE ON VIA DEL CESTARI

MIRACLE ON VIA DEL CESTARI

This was the first thing I saw on my laptop screen this morning – a Whatsapp message from a phone number I did not know:

Good morning, I’m Fr Salvatore …. rector of the church of the sacred stigmata of S. Francis at largo Argentina. We just found your stolen wallet in our porch! You can come and pick it up or if you’re not able to get it I will give it to the local police station!

Well, my ecstatic response was so fast that I am sure Father’s head was spinning! My head was spinning and my heart was beating a little faster and I could feel the huge smile on my face! A miracle! After eight days!

Father Salvatore and I met about noon, not long after I had filmed my spot for today’s “At Home with Jim and Joy.” Both of us were smiling as we both felt a great joy over a missing wallet, now found and returned to its owner. Who took the wallet and who brought it to this church is the big unknown but I hope the Lord shows a little mercy!

Once you go up several steps at Sacre Stimmate, you are in small, somewhat dark, entryway just in front of the main entrance. This church of the Sacred Stigmata of St, Francis, a very historic and important Franciscan church in Rome as you will see by exploring the links below, is just feet away from Largo Argentina, one of Rome’s busiest squares and one of the most important archaeological sites of ancient Rome (Julius Caesar was killed in these ruins!).

When I discovered my wallet was missing on Sunday, February 22, I was sure it had been taken either on one of two busses I had been on that morning, the 80 or the 190, or at the stop just before Largo Argentina where I had gotten off the 80 to board the 190. It was either at that previous bus stop or at Largo Argentina (a notorious spot for thefts) where many people boarded that the wallet was taken. And that is how I filled out the police report last Sunday.

The absolutely best part of today’s restitution is what was in the wallet – and that was the first thing Fr. Salvatore wanted to know when he gave it to me. What I expected to be missing, two credit cards and 35 euro, was missing but all my IDs, insurance cards, etc. were intact, as were three holy cards I loved and a cherished photo of my Mom and my brother Bill who died months apart in 2007. Another miracle!

There is Mass here every day at 1 pm and I will be back soon to attend Mass and to explore the church with Fr. Salvatore. You’’ll understand why when you click on the links below!

Of all the amazing coincidences, I leave tomorrow for Assisi where I will not only venerate the remains, the bones, of the saint I so love, I will bow in prayerful thanksgiving for today’s miracle and will pray for Fr. Salvatore, a new friend I am sure the Lord put in my path for a reason!

The words that resounded in my head all day were Deo gratias!  Thank you, God!

When people say “God bless you, Joan,” I reply “He really has!” And now you know why!

Via del Cestari: The name of Via dei Cestari comes from the basket-makers who once had their workshops here. Today, the street starts from Piazza della Minerva and ends in Largo delle Stimmate, where the Church of the Santissime Stimmate di San Francesco is located. This is why, in the 17th century, Via dei Cestari was referred to as the “public street that passes in front of the church of the Santissime Stimmate di San Francesco”. Originally, the basilica was dedicated to the “ Forty Holy Martyrs” from the time of Diocletian, then, in 1594, Pope Clement VIII assigned it to the Archconfraternity of the Santissime Stimmate, dedicating it to the wounds of the Passion that St. Francis received on Mount La Verna on 14 September 1224. The church was then completely rebuilt during the 18th century to a design by Giovan Battista Contini.

The Church of Santissime Stimmate di San Francesco in Rome – Walks in Rome (Est. 2001)

Church of Santissime Stimmate di San Francesco | Turismo Roma

Fr. Salvatore sent me the website for this historical church – it is in Italian but some of you may know the language so enjoy! https://www.sacrestimmate.org/

Found this online and it beautifully summarizes my feelings today!

“Embrace the thrill of rediscovery and let it remind you of life’s simple pleasures. Whether it’s a cherished memory or a long-lost item, finding something you thought was lost can spark joy and laughter in ways you never expected. So, keep searching, keep laughing, and who knows what treasures await you just around the corner!”

 

VATICAN INSIDER: “HOPE OF THE POOR” OBEYING GOD’S COMMAND TO CARE FOR THE LEAST (PART II)

JEWEL OF THE DAY: In every success story there’s a person who took a bold step toward the unknown.

There will be a lot of news headlines featuring Italy this Sunday, February 22, with the big story for many being the end of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo. Moving a bit south, we come to Assisi for the start of the monthlong display of the relics of St. Francis for veneration in the basilica of St. Francis during this Jubilee Year marking the 800^th anniversary of his death, known as the transitus. And yet another bit further south, we come to Vatican City where Pope Leo and members of the Roman Curia will start their annual weeklong Lenten spiritual retreat.

In addition, February 22 is the feast of the Chair of Peter, a day that has been celebrated since 336 to commemorate the mission Christ entrusted to St. Peter to lead the Church and to mark the unbroken line of successors of St. Peter. The “Chair” or cathedra symbolizes the seat of authority of the Bishop of Rome: from this we get the word cathedral. On this day, and on the June 29th feast of Sts. Peter and Paul Apostles, the statue of Peter in the main aisle is adorned with liturgical vestments on this day and he wears a papal ring and a triple tiara. Over 100 candles decorate the Altar of the Chair in the apse of the basilica.

VATICAN INSIDER: “HOPE OF THE POOR” OBEYING GOD’S COMMAND TO CARE FOR THE LEAST (PART II)

In this week’s interview segment, I share Part II of my conversation with two amazing men, Craig Johring and Danny Leger, who are truly doing the Lord’s work of caring for the least of our brethren through HOPE OF THE POOR, a womderful organization they co-founded in Nebraska with headquarters in Mexico City and Omaha. Their motto is “alleviating the poverty of being unloved,” and you will hear them tell absolutely riveting tales of the poorest of the poor whom they try to help in many ways, especially by giving them a sense of their worth and dignity. A beautiful, inspiring story you will not want to miss.

Danny took some photos in my home after our conversation.

I also met Craig one Sunday at St. Patrick’s

Craig lives and works with the poor in Mexico City. He founded Hope of the Poor to impact the world in how the poor are viewed and treated. More importantly, Craig works with the poor to help them overcome crippling psychological conditions, combat drug addictions, and make the journey from homeless and helpless to becoming hopeful and productive members of the society.

Danny is the Director of the Hope of the Poor Omaha Homeless Outreach and runs the Hope of the Poor Coffee Stand serving the homeless in downtown Omaha. He hosts youth groups and adults to the Coffee Stand to serve and value the poor.

The photos are from the website, along with a great amount of information on Hope of the Poor and how we too can care for the least of our brothers: https://hopeofthepoor.org/

Two remarkable men and an organization who not only follow but live the Lord’s command: “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40).

HOW TO LISTEN TO VATICAN INSIDER: IN THE U.S. you can listen to Vatican Insider (VI) on a Catholic radio station near you (https://www.ewtn.com/radio/affiliates-map) or on channel 130 Sirius-XM satellite radio. OUTSIDE THE U.S., Go to ewtn.com, click the two lines, the equal (=) sign in the upper right corner, click LISTEN, scroll through the images and click on the image for Vatican Insider. VI airs at 5am and 9pm ET on Saturdays and 6am ET on Sundays. ALWAYS CHECK YOUR OWN TIME ZONE! For VI ARCHIVES: https://www.ewtn.com/radio/podcasts/vatican-insider

 

 

SERENITY, A CALM ANCHOR IN A STORM – POPE TO ROME PRIESTS: REKINDLE THE FAITH, URGENT TO PROCLAIM CHRIST’S PROMISES – POPE TO LEGIONARIES OF CHRIST: RELIGIOUS AUTHORITY IS SERVICE, NOT DOMINATION – POPE TO VISIT POMPEII, NAPLES, AND LAMPEDUSA ON PASTORAL TOUR OF ITALY

SERENITY, A CALM ANCHOR IN A STORM

The Holy Father Pope Leo met today with clergy from the diocese of Rome and it was clear from the start that the mood of the much-anticipated meeting was very positive with Pope Leo clearly indicating that he, as a priest and former missionary, perfectly understands the joys, challenges and periods of loneliness of the priesthood, and he encouraged the clergy to share those feelings with brother priests. Leo XIV spoke from experience and with a fatherly concern that clearly touched – and also encouraged – the priests of Rome.

Pope Leo’s words Thursday mirrored in many ways his reflections from his first meeting with the clergy of Rome on June 12, 2025, a little over a month after his election to the papacy and, as such, becoming the Bishop of Rome. At the time, he told Rome’s priests, “I would like to help you, to walk with you, so that each one may regain serenity in his ministry.”

From his very election on May 8, 2025, I have felt that serenity is a key component of Pope Leo’s personality. He transmits serenity in his gestures, his smile, his speeches and homilies, even as he walks into a room or a crowd. Whoever is a recipient of a papal handshake or smile or a pat on the arm or simply listens to the Holy Father as he speaks, senses serenity and reassurance. Even children! We’ve all seen photos and videos of Leo as he holds a baby or infant and the calming effect he’s had on many of those who cry!

Whenever I tell people the foremost quality I sense in Leo XIV is serenity, to a person they have responded; “I never thought of it but yes, it’s the perfect word to describe Pope Leo.”

A serene person can appear as a calm anchor in a storm, and today’s world really needs calm anchors.

And, as someone once wrote, a serene person can appear to be that “sign of relief” in troubled situations.

POPE TO ROME PRIESTS: REKINDLE THE FAITH, URGENT TO PROCLAIM CHRIST’S PROMISES

Pope Leo XIV invites priests of Diocese of Rome to rekindle their gift of the faith, proclaim the Gospel, be close to families and young people, and support one another in priestly fraternity, especially young priests who may feel overwhelmed. Pope Leo XIV received the priests of the Diocese of Rome in the Vatican on Thursday and exhorted them to rekindle the fire first lit by God when He gave them the gift of collaborating in His work. The Pope expressed his “great joy” to meet with them and joked that although Lent has just begun, the audience “is not an act of penance.” In his address, the Pope identified challenges and priorities for priests, inviting them to let faith sustain them. Pope to Rome priests: Rekindle the faith, urgent to proclaim Christ’s promises – Vatican News

POPE TO LEGIONARIES OF CHRIST: RELIGIOUS AUTHORITY IS SERVICE, NOT DOMINATION

Meeting with the General Chapter of the Legionaries of Christ, a religious congregation founded in Mexico in 1941, Pope Leo XIV said the role of authority in religious life is to focus the community on Christ, not as a means to dominate members. In his address, the Pope said General Chapters offer religious orders an opportunity to listen to the Holy Spirit and engage in communal discernment so as to guide the community into the future. The Legionaries have received a charism within the Church, despite historical expressions and scandals that have led to pain and crises, he noted. Pope Leo encouraged the congregation’s members to continue to recall their history and seek renewal constantly in order to remain faithful to the Gospel, saying their charism offers a “valuable contribution” to the Church and the spiritual family of Regnum Christi, a lay movement. Pope to Legionaries of Christ: Religious authority is service, not domination – Vatican News

POPE TO VISIT POMPEII, NAPLES, AND LAMPEDUSA ON PASTORAL TOUR OF ITALY

The Prefecture of the Papal Household announced a number of Pope Leo’s pastoral day visits in Italy this year, including Pompeii, Naples, Acerra, Pavia, Assisi, Rimini, and Lampedusa. Leo XIV is scheduled to make a number of trips in Italy, including to the Mediterranean island of Lampedusa, in 2026. The papal calendar runs through August 22. The months of May, June, July, and August will be marked by these visits, meetings, and moments of prayer, in particular the one-year anniversary of his election on May 8 when he will visit Pompeii and Naples. This will be the start of this Italian tour. Pope to visit Pompeii, Naples, and Lampedusa on pastoral tour of Italy – Vatican News

 

 

IN BRIEF

IN BRIEF

POPE AT AUDIENCE: ‘THE CHURCH IS THE MYSTERY MADE PERCEPTIBLE’: During his weekly general audience, Pope Leo XIV reflected on Vatican II’s Dogmatic Constitution ‘Lumen gentium,’ emphasizing that the Church ‘is the mystery made perceptible’ and is a sign of reconciliation in the midst of a fragmented humanity. “The Church is the mystery made perceptible,” Pope Leo XIV said today, Ash Wednesday, as he continued his catechesis series on the Second Vatican Council. He said “Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, which presents the Church as both a sign and an instrument of this plan of salvation. A sign because the Church community makes the unity established by Christ through his Cross and Resurrection visible to the world today. An instrument because it is through the Church that God achieves his goal of uniting people to himself and bringing them together. As we journey through a world still marked by division, let us ask the Lord to continue to guide his Church in the mission of sanctification and reconciliation.” Pope at Audience: ‘The Church is the mystery made perceptible’ – Vatican News and General Audience of 18 February 2026 – Catechesis. The Documents of Vatican Council II. II. Dogmatic Constitution Lumen gentium. 1. The mystery of the Church, sacrament of the union with God, and the unity of all humanity

POPE: SUCCESSOR OF PETER MUST BE FREE TO SPEAK TRUTH, PROMOTE PEACE: Meeting with members of the Pro Petri Sede Association, Pope Leo XIV affirms that the Successor of Peter must have the freedom to speak truth, denounce injustice, and defend the weakest. Pope Leo XIV met on Wednesday with members of the Pro Petri Sede Association, which works to support the Successor of Peter.  He recalled that the association’s members are the distant heirs of the Papal Zouaves, an infantry battalion of young Catholic men who volunteered to assist Pope Pius IX in defending the Papal States. In his address, the Pope praised the Pro Petri Sede Association for its efforts to support the Apostolic See. Pope: Successor of Peter must be free to speak truth, promote peace – Vatican News

NEW VIDEO WIDGET FOR CATHOLIC WEBSITES WITH POPE’S LATEST NEWS AND VIDEOS: Pope Leo XIV has sent a note to Bishops inviting them to embed Vatican News’ new video widget in the web pages of dioceses, parishes, and organizations linked to the Catholic Church, which will be automatically updated with our latest news and videos. “Dear brother, this initiative by Vatican News is a tool for evangelization; it offers an opportunity to create a network and exchange gifts between Rome and the Church in your country. It is a way for your parishes and communities to constantly obtain information from the primary source.”  CLICK HERE TO VIEW A PREVIEW OF THE WIDGET : To generate it in the language of your choice and according to the desired dimensions (both horizontal and vertical layouts are available, as well as the font for the text), click here:  https://www.vaticannews.va/widget/embed.html  After entering all the required details, a customized code will be generated that can be copied for embedding. This is a one-time operation to be performed by the website’s webmaster, as the video widget will then update automatically without any further intervention.  https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2026-02/video-widget-vatican-news-embed-websites-information-dioceses.html

NEW MOBILE APP DEDICATED TO EUCHARISTIC MIRACLES AND ST. CARLO ACUTIS: The St. Carlo Acutis Shrine & Center for Eucharistic Encounter in Malvern, Pennsylvania, launches a new mobile app inspired by the young Italian St. Carlo Acutis. On February 14, 2026, the St. Carlo Acutis Shrine & Center for Eucharistic Encounter in Malvern, Pennsylvania, launched a new mobile app dedicated to Eucharistic miracles and inspired by the young Italian saint. “Carlo used the technology of his time to bring people closer to Jesus in the Eucharist,” said Mary Bea Damico, Executive Director of The Saint Carlo Acutis Shrine at Malvern Retreat House. New mobile app dedicated to Eucharistic miracles and St. Carlo Acutis – Vatican News

 

CATCHING UP: A STOLEN WALLET, LOST TIME AND A PROMISE TO VISIT A SAINT

CATCHING UP: A STOLEN WALLET, LOST TIME AND A PROMISE TO VISIT A SAINT

I’ll be going to Assisi next week to see the mortal remains of St. Francis as the Catholic Church, the town of Assisi and the world’s faithful mark the 800^th anniversary of his death, known as the transitus. The Jubilee Year for St. Francis is precisely that, a year, but his remains will be available for the faithful to see and pray before only from February 22 to March 22. Following that, the remains of the saint called “the poverello of Assisi” will again be in his closed coffin above the altar in the lower church of the basilica named for him. This is a once-in-a-lifetime event. If you will be in Italy in those weeks, you too can reserve a visit by going to the official website for a free, mandatory and pre-booked time slot.

Today is a bit of a catch-up day because of something that happened Sunday that has resulted in a huge loss of time I would normally dedicate to work. Put quite simply, I was robbed of my wallet, somewhere on one of the two busses I took to get home after the 10:30 Mass at S. Patrick’s. I have absolutely no idea how or where that happened but it had to be an amazing sleight of hand!

I got off the second bus, crossed the street and went, as I always do on Sundays, to Homebaked for brunch and immediately realized the loss. Also immediately, I started the always lengthy process of notifying banks, etc. whose credit or debit card were in my wallet.  I had my cell phone so could message the bank in Rome and call the US bank.

The next must-do step in Italy is to report a theft to the police. Fortunately, the carabinieri are a block from my house. They were delightful and very efficient and I learned that the smiles on their faces were from Friday’s audience with Pope Leo about whom thy spoke enthusiastically. In Italy, in order to get a new ID card, bank card, etc., you must present the denuncia, the police report.

Would you ever see this in a police station in the U.S.? These two crosses are on a wall in the carabinieri office I went to for my denuncia. The one on the left is from the recently-ended Jubilee of Hope 2025 and the one on the right from the 2015-16 Jubilee of Mercy.

I don’t know how I did it but Sunday I worked on a script for my weekly segment on “At Home with Jim and Joy” and then filmed it Monday near St. Peter’s Square!

Much of yesterday was spent going to places to present that police report and start the process for a new bank card and/or ID. Much of today was spent online or on the phone with a US bank and the various sites that have a credit card on file to notify them of a change of card.

Back at Homebaked Monday for lunch in the midst of my errands and filming, I decided that this (in addition to a sandwich) was a good way to react to the drama of a theft!

I apologize for the lack of Vatican news yesterday but here are two links to items you will want to read: Remains of St. Francis to be visible for veneration in Assisi – Vatican News and Vatican unveils initiatives to mark 400th anniversary of St. Peter’s Basilica – Vatican News

P.S. I also lost a lot of time these past few days trying to find out why I had not received any new emails in Yahoo for days. The Yahoo Help desk was of no help, and so today I just started to click on anything I could on Yahoo email and lo and behold, there were 76 unread mails in my Trash box!

Shakespeare wrote “All’s well that ends well” but he could have added ”even if a few kinks remain!”

ST. VALENTINE IN ROME: SANTA MARIA IN COSMEDIN

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ST. VALENTINE IN ROME: SANTA MARIA IN COSMEDIN

As you might suspect, Rome has a great link to St. Valentine. In fact, the 9^th century basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, in a small chapel on the left side, has a glass reliquary with a skull surrounded by flowers above which is lettering identifying the head as that of the patron saint of lovers, St. Valentine.

At least three different Saint Valentines – all martyrs and two of them prelates, one the Bishop of Terni – are mentioned in early Church martyrologies for the date of February 14.

When Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia introduced Pope Francis at an event for engaged couples on Valentine’s Day 2014, he refered to Valentine as Terni’s first Bishop who died in 273 during the persecutions of Emperor Aurelius. In 496, Pope Gelasius made Feb. 14 a feast day dedicated to St. Valentine.

I paid an impromptu visit to this lovely, ancient and rather small basilica on February 14 a few years ago as, earlier in the day, I had read that the head (skull) of St. Valentine was in this church. I had not known that and so decided to drop everything and pay a visit and take some pictures.

I did a Facebook live that day which I know is out there in cyberspace but for the life of me I cannot find the photos I took of this splendid church, especially of the extraordinarily beautiful cosmatesque floor.  I literally just spent over an hour going through my vast photo archives, only to come up empty handed. And yet I know they are somewhere in my laptop.

This photo of the skull of St. Valentine is by EWTN photographer Danel Ibanez:

My visit was so impromptu that I did not think of going online to first research a bit of history as knowing some history would have been helpful for the Facebook Live video that I did while visiting the chapel containing the head (skull) of St. Valentine and documenting the stupendous cosmatesquare floor.

I have been online since and present the following brief history from different sources. And someday, I will find my photos and bring them to you.

Santa Maria in Cosmedin is the Byzantine rite church for Melkite Catholics in Rome, as well as a minor basilica of the 9th century. Dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, it’s on Piazza della Bocca della Verità 18. No longer a parish church, it is officially titular but has not had a resident cardinal for some time.

The name Cosmedin comes from the Greek word “kosmidion,” meaning ornamented, thanks to its beautifully decorated interior. Nowadays, the church is practically bare, although it still has some magnificent elements such as the floor mosaics, the bishop’s chair, the baldachin and the medieval choir enclosure.

The restored Medieval façade has a portico with seven arches, in which visitors queue to place their hand in the mouth of the legendary Bocca della Verità (Mouth of Truth). Legend has it that if a person places his or her hand in the mouth of the statue and lies, the mouth will close and cut their hand off.

Next to the church’s porch is an impressive Romanesque bell tower built during the twelfth century.

Crypt: The crypt, constructed in the eighth century, is located beneath the altar and was built to store the relics taken from the catacombs by Pope Adrian I. The crypt is shaped like a small basilica. The sidewalls have several niches, each with shelves made of marble, where the different relics are displayed.

Santa Maria in Cosmedin: history of the basilica, crypt of Adrian I, Mouth of Truth (rome.us)

The marble-workers of Rome (marmorarii Romani) active in the 12th and 13th centuries produced, among other things, stunning floors in Roman basilicas (perhaps you noticed them if you’ve been to Rome). In fact, I mention the words cosmatesque and cosmati often in my book, A Holy Year in Rome, because these are the terms used to describe the characteristic use of polychrome marble and mosaic inlay by these Roman artists. Those terms, I have been told, refer to the Cosma family, the “first family” of marble cutters who invented this style of flooring. I learned from research that the Cosmatus (Cosma) was a Roman family, seven members of which, for four generations, were skilful architects, sculptors and workers in decorative geometric mosaic, mostly for church floors.

HAPPY ST. VALENTINE’S DAY!

Walking in the Footsteps of St. Valentine in His Hometown | EWTN News In Depth

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=leR_OY4Ww1k

 

ENJOY!

 

VATICAN INSIDER: “HOPE OF THE POOR” OBEYING GOD’S COMMAND TO CARE FOR THE LEAST

VATICAN INSIDER: “HOPE OF THE POOR” OBEYING GOD’S COMMAND TO CARE FOR THE LEAST

Welcome to Vatican Insider on this Valentine’s Day weekend, half way through this 28-day month, the shortest month of the year! This weekend in the interview segment, I feature two amazing men, Craig Johring and Danny Leger, who are truly doing the Lord’s work of caring for the least of our brethren through “Hope Of The Poor,” an amazing organization they co-founded in Nebraska with headquarters in Mexico City and Omaha. The motto is “alleviating the poverty of being unloved” and you will hear them tell absolutely riveting tales of the poorest of the poor whom they try to help in many ways, especially by giving them a sense of their worth and dignity.

Craig lives and works with the poor in Mexico City. He founded Hope of the Poor to impact the world in how the poor are viewed and treated. More importantly, Craig works with the poor to help them overcome crippling psychological conditions, combat drug addictions, and make the journey from homeless and helpless to becoming hopeful and productive members of the society.

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Danny is the Director of the Hope of the Poor Omaha Homeless Outreach and runs the Hope of the Poor Coffee Stand serving the homeless in downtown Omaha. He hosts youth groups and adults to the Coffee Stand to serve and value the poor.

Listen to Danny’s song on the website!

I can’t find the photos we took when I interviewed them in Rome but these photos are from the website, along with a great amount of information on Hope of the Poor and how we too can care for the least of our brothers: https://hopeofthepoor.org/

Two remarkable men and an organization who not only follow but live the Lord’s command: “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40).

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