Station days
Encyclopedia
Station days were days of fasting
in the early Christian Church. The practice of keeping stations died out during the Avignon papacy
, but it has been revived in the twentieth century by popes Leo XIII and John XXIII.
Pope Gregory the Great designated certain churches in Rome as stationes and recommended that on the more solemn festivals they should be made stations (stationes fieri) until the Hour of Sext, and at these same churches on the appointed days (statis dicbus) the faithful should assist at the Daily Office. The stations have long since been abandoned and have left their trace only in the Missal
.
Today they are days associated with processions to particular churches in which the faithful may gain certain indulgences.
are:
Fasting
Fasting is primarily the act of willingly abstaining from some or all food, drink, or both, for a period of time. An absolute fast is normally defined as abstinence from all food and liquid for a defined period, usually a single day , or several days. Other fasts may be only partially restrictive,...
in the early Christian Church. The practice of keeping stations died out during the Avignon papacy
Avignon Papacy
The Avignon Papacy was the period from 1309 to 1376 during which seven Popes resided in Avignon, in modern-day France. This arose from the conflict between the Papacy and the French crown....
, but it has been revived in the twentieth century by popes Leo XIII and John XXIII.
Pope Gregory the Great designated certain churches in Rome as stationes and recommended that on the more solemn festivals they should be made stations (stationes fieri) until the Hour of Sext, and at these same churches on the appointed days (statis dicbus) the faithful should assist at the Daily Office. The stations have long since been abandoned and have left their trace only in the Missal
Missal
A missal is a liturgical book containing all instructions and texts necessary for the celebration of Mass throughout the year.-History:Before the compilation of such books, several books were used when celebrating Mass...
.
Today they are days associated with processions to particular churches in which the faithful may gain certain indulgences.
Station Churches
The current station churches of RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
are:
- Ash WednesdayAsh WednesdayAsh Wednesday, in the calendar of Western Christianity, is the first day of Lent and occurs 46 days before Easter. It is a moveable fast, falling on a different date each year because it is dependent on the date of Easter...
: Santa SabinaSanta SabinaThe Basilica of Saint Sabina at the Aventine is a titular minor basilica and mother church of the Roman Catholic Dominican order in Rome, Italy. Santa Sabina lies high on the Aventine Hill, beside the Tiber, close to the headquarters of theKnights of Malta....
- Thursday: San Giorgio in Velabro
- Friday: Santi Giovanni e Paolo
- Saturday: Sant' AgostinoSant'AgostinoSant'Agostino is a church in Rome, Italy, not far from Piazza Navona. It is one of the first Roman churches built during the Renaissance. The construction was funded by Guillaume d'Estouteville, Archbishop of Rouen and Papal Chancellor. The façade was built in 1483 by Giacomo di Pietrasanta, using...
- First Sunday of LentLentIn the Christian tradition, Lent is the period of the liturgical year from Ash Wednesday to Easter. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer – through prayer, repentance, almsgiving and self-denial – for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and...
: Lateran basilica- Monday: San Pietro in VincoliSan Pietro in VincoliSan Pietro in Vincoli is a Roman Catholic titular church and minor basilica in Rome, Italy, best known for being the home of Michelangelo's statue of Moses, part of the tomb of Pope Julius II.-History:...
- Tuesday: Santa AnastasiaSanta AnastasiaSanta Anastasia is a basilica church in Rome, Italy.Santa Anastasia was built in the late 3rd century - early 4th century, possibly by a Roman woman named Anastasia. The church is listed under the titulus Anastasiae in the acts of the 499 synod...
- Wednesday: Liberian basilica
- Thursday: San Lorenzo in PanispernaSan Lorenzo in PanispernaSan Lorenzo in Panisperna, or San Lorenzo in Formoso, is a church on Via Panisperna, Rome, central Italy. It was built on the site of its dedicatee's martyrdom.-Name:...
- Friday: Santi ApostoliSanti ApostoliThe Church of the Twelve Holy Apostles is a 6th century Roman Catholic parish and titular church and minor basilica in Rome, Italy, dedicated originally to St. James and St. Philip and later to all Apostles...
- Saturday: Vatican basilicaSt. Peter's BasilicaThe Papal Basilica of Saint Peter , officially known in Italian as ' and commonly known as Saint Peter's Basilica, is a Late Renaissance church located within the Vatican City. Saint Peter's Basilica has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world...
- Monday: San Pietro in Vincoli
- Second Sunday of Lent: Santa Maria in DomnicaSanta Maria in DomnicaSanta Maria in Domnica — also known as Santa Maria alla Navicella — is a basilica church in Rome.-History:The church was built in ancient times, close to the Vigiles 5th cohort's barracks. The church was built no later than the 7th century...
- Monday: San ClementeBasilica di San ClementeThe Basilica of Saint Clement is a Roman Catholic minor basilica dedicated to Pope Clement I located in Rome, Italy. Archaeologically speaking, the structure is a three-tiered complex of buildings: the present basilica built just before the year 1100 during the height of the Middle Ages; beneath...
- Tuesday: Santa BalbinaSanta BalbinaSanta Balbina is a basilica church in Rome, devoted to St. Balbina. It was built in the 4th century over the house of consul Lucius Fabius Cilo on the Aventine Hill, behind the Baths of Caracalla. Possibly the ancient Titulus Tigridae, the basilica was consecrated by Pope Gregory I.The adjoining...
- Wednesday : Santa Cecilia in TrastevereSanta Cecilia in TrastevereSanta Cecilia in Trastevere is a 5th century church in Rome, Italy, devoted to Saint Cecilia, in the Trastevere rione.-History:The first church on this site was founded probably in the 3rd century, by Pope Urban I; it was devoted to the Roman martyr Cecilia, martyred it is said under Marcus...
- Thursday: Santa Maria in TrastevereSanta Maria in TrastevereThe Basilica of Our Lady in Trastevere is a titular minor basilica, one of the oldest churches in Rome, and perhaps the first in which mass was openly celebrated...
- Friday: San Vitale in Fovea
- Saturday: Santi Marcellino e Pietro al Laterano
- Monday: San Clemente
- Third Sunday of Lent: San Lorenzo fuori le MuraSan Lorenzo fuori le MuraThe Papal Basilica of Saint Lawrence outside the Walls is a Roman Catholic parish church and minor basilica, located in Rome, Italy. The basilica is one of the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome and one of the five Patriarchal basilicas, each of which is assigned to a patriarchate. St...
- Monday: San Marco al Campidoglio
- Tuesday: Santa Pudenziana al ViminaleSanta PudenzianaThe basilica of Santa Pudenziana is a 4th century church in Rome, dedicated to Saint Pudentiana, sister of Saint Praxedis and daughter of Saint Pudens. It is the national church of the Philippines....
- Wednesday: San Sisto (Santi Nereo e Achilleo)Santi Nereo e AchilleoSanti Nereo e Achilleo is a fourth-century basilica church in Rome, Italy, located in via delle Termi di Caracalla in the rione Celio facing the main entrance to the Baths of Caracalla. The current Cardinal Priest of the Titulus Ss...
- Thursday: Santi Cosma e Damiano in Via SacraSanti Cosma e DamianoThe basilica of Santi Cosma e Damiano is a church in Rome, Italy, located in the Roman Forum. It is one of the ancient churches called tituli, of which cardinals are patrons as deacons: the Cardinal Deacon of the Titulus Ss. Cosmae et Damiani is Giovanni Cheli...
(Fori Imperiali) - Friday: San Lorenzo in LucinaSan Lorenzo in LucinaThe Church of St Lawrence's at Lucina is a Roman Catholic parish and titular church and minor basilica in Rome, Italy, dedicated to Saint Lawrence, Roman deacon and martyr. The name Lucina comes from the Roman matron owner of the house on which the church was built.The current Cardinal Priest of...
- Saturday: Santa Susanna alle Terme di Diocleziano
- Fourth Sunday of LentLaetare SundayLaetare Sunday , so called from the incipit of the Introit at Mass, "Laetare Jerusalem" , is a name often used to denote the fourth Sunday of the season of Lent in the Christian liturgical calendar...
: Santa Croce in GerusalemmeSanta Croce in GerusalemmeThe Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem is a Roman Catholic parish church and minor basilica in Rome, Italy. It is one of the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome....
- Monday: Santi Quattro Coronati al CelioSanti Quattro CoronatiSanti Quattro Coronati is an ancient basilica in Rome, Italy. The church dates back to the 4th century, and is devoted to four anonymous saints and martyrs. The complex of the basilica with its two courtyards, the fortified Cardinal Palace with the St...
- Tuesday: San Lorenzo in DamasoSan Lorenzo in DamasoSan Lorenzo in Damaso is a basilica church in Rome, Italy, one of several dedicated to the Roman deacon and martyr Saint Lawrence...
- Wednesday: Ostian basilica
- Thursday: Santi Silvestro e Martino ai Monti
- Friday: Sant'EusebioSant'EusebioSant'Eusebio is a basilica church in Rome, devoted to Saint Eusebius of Rome, a 4th century martyr, and built in the Monti rione.The church is first mentioned in 474, by an inscription in the catacombs of Saints Marcellino e Pietro ad duas Lauros, and recorded as the Titulus Eusebii in the acts of...
- Saturday: San Nicola in CarcereSan Nicola in CarcereSan Nicola in Carcere is a titular church in Rome near the Forum Boarium in rione Ripa. It is one of the traditional stational churches of Lent.-History:...
- Monday: Santi Quattro Coronati al Celio
- Fifth Sunday of LentPassion SundayPassion Sunday is a name that the Roman Rite liturgy gives to the sixth Sunday of Lent, but that in the pre-1960 form of that liturgy was given to the fifth Sunday...
: Vatican basilicaSt. Peter's BasilicaThe Papal Basilica of Saint Peter , officially known in Italian as ' and commonly known as Saint Peter's Basilica, is a Late Renaissance church located within the Vatican City. Saint Peter's Basilica has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world...
- Monday: San Crisogono in TrastevereSan CrisogonoSan Crisogono is a church in Rome dedicated to the martyr Saint Chrysogonus.-History:The church was one of the tituli, the first parish churches of Rome...
- Tuesday: San Ciriaco (S. Maria in via Lata al Corso)Santa Maria in Via LataSanta Maria in Via Lata is a church on the Via del Corso , in Rome, Italy.-History:It is claimed that St. Paul spent two years here, in the crypt under the church, whilst under house arrest waiting for his trial. This conflicts with the tradition regarding San Paolo alla Regola...
- Wednesday: San Marcello al CorsoSan Marcello al CorsoSan Marcello al Corso is a church in Rome, Italy, devoted to Pope Marcellus I. It is located in via del Corso, the ancient via Lata, connecting Piazza Venezia to Piazza del Popolo....
- Thursday: Sant'Apollinare in Campo MarzioSant'Apollinare alle Terme Neroniane-AlessandrineSant'Apollinare alle Terme is a titular church in Rome, Italy, dedicated to Apollinare, the first bishop of Ravenna. It is the station church for Thursday fifth week in Lent.-History:...
- Friday: San Stefano al CelioSanto Stefano RotondoThe Basilica of St. Stephen in the Round on the Celian Hill is an ancient basilica and titular church in Rome, Italy. Commonly named Santo Stefano Rotondo, the church is the National church in Rome of Hungary dedicated to Saint Stephen and Saint Stephen of Hungary...
- Saturday: San Giovanni a Porta LatinaSan Giovanni a Porta LatinaSan Giovanni a Porta Latina is a Basilica church in Rome, Italy, near the Porta Latina of the Aurelian Wall...
- Monday: San Crisogono in Trastevere
- Palm SundayPalm SundayPalm Sunday is a Christian moveable feast that falls on the Sunday before Easter. The feast commemorates Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, an event mentioned in all four Canonical Gospels. ....
: Lateran basilica- Monday: Santa PrassedeSanta PrassedeThe Basilica of Saint Praxedes , commonly known in Italian as Santa Prassede, is an ancient titular church and minor basilica in Rome, Italy, located near the papal basilica of Saint Mary Major...
- Tuesday: Santa PriscaSanta PriscaSanta Prisca is a basilica church in Rome, devoted to Saint Prisca, a 1st century martyr, on the Aventine hill. It was built in the 4th or 5th century over a temple of Mithras, and is recorded as the Titulus Priscae in the acts of the 499 synod....
- Wednesday: Liberian Basilica
- Thursday: Lateran basilica
- Friday: Santa Croce in GerusalemmeSanta Croce in GerusalemmeThe Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem is a Roman Catholic parish church and minor basilica in Rome, Italy. It is one of the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome....
- Saturday: Lateran Basilica
- Monday: Santa Prassede
- Easter Sunday: Liberian Basilica
- MondayEaster MondayEaster Monday is the day after Easter Sunday and is celebrated as a holiday in some largely Christian cultures, especially Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox cultures...
: Vatican basilicaSt. Peter's BasilicaThe Papal Basilica of Saint Peter , officially known in Italian as ' and commonly known as Saint Peter's Basilica, is a Late Renaissance church located within the Vatican City. Saint Peter's Basilica has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world... - Tuesday: Ostian basilica
- Wednesday: San Lorenzo fuori le MuraSan Lorenzo fuori le MuraThe Papal Basilica of Saint Lawrence outside the Walls is a Roman Catholic parish church and minor basilica, located in Rome, Italy. The basilica is one of the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome and one of the five Patriarchal basilicas, each of which is assigned to a patriarchate. St...
- Thursday: Santi ApostoliSanti ApostoliThe Church of the Twelve Holy Apostles is a 6th century Roman Catholic parish and titular church and minor basilica in Rome, Italy, dedicated originally to St. James and St. Philip and later to all Apostles...
- Friday: S. Maria ad Martyres in Campo Marzio (Pantheon)Pantheon, RomeThe Pantheon ,Rarely Pantheum. This appears in Pliny's Natural History in describing this edifice: Agrippae Pantheum decoravit Diogenes Atheniensis; in columnis templi eius Caryatides probantur inter pauca operum, sicut in fastigio posita signa, sed propter altitudinem loci minus celebrata.from ,...
- Saturday: Lateran Basilica
- Monday
- Octave of EasterOctave of EasterThe term Octave of Easter may refer either to the eight day period from Easter Sunday until the Sunday following Easter, inclusive; or it may refer only to that Sunday after Easter, the Octave Day of Easter . That Sunday is also known historically as St...
: San PancrazioSan PancrazioSan Pancrazio is a basilica church in Rome, founded in the 6th century. It stands in via S. Pancrazio, westward beyond the Porta San Pancrazio that opens in a stretch of the Aurelian Wall on the Janiculum....