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!

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