Pilgrims who travel to Rome during Lent can participate in a beautiful custom that dates back to the fourth century. It’s a custom that began as a way to strengthen the sense of community in the city while honoring the holy martyrs of Rome. The faithful would journey through the streets to visit various churches. As they walked they would pray the Litany of the Saints. The bishop of Rome, that is the Holy Father, would join them, lead them in prayer and celebrate Mass at the church.
Though this practice was around for years, Pope Saint Gregory the Great established the order of the churches to be visited, the prayers to be recited and designated this as a Lenten practice. The tradition continued until 1309 when the papacy moved to Avignon. Pope Leo XIII revived the tradition and it was fully restored by John XXIII in 1959.
This wednesday all the priest in the sabbatical program will start Lent visiting the first Station Chrurch St. Sabina. I will post pictures tomorrow.
A partir del siglo cuarto el papa de ese tiempo inicio una tradicion de visitar las iglesias en Roma dedicadas a los primeros martires del cristianismo. Por muchos siglos cada anio durante la cuaresma el Obispo de Roma- el Santo Padre visitaba las iglesias durante toda la cuaresma. Esta tradicion se perdio en el anio 1309 cuando el papa de Roma se fue a refugiar a Francia- Avignon para ser exactos para huir de la persecusion. Esta practica de visitar las iglesias en Roma se ha re iniciado hace mas de 30 aanios.
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