ROME – Every morning during the 40 days of Lent, a band of worshippers walk literally in the footsteps of early, persecuted Christians, visiting some of the world’s oldest churches in preparation for the most solemn week on the church calendar.
On Thursday as the sun rose over the cupolas and rooftops of Rome, fresh-faced American seminarians made their pilgrimage over the Tiber river and through alleyways to revive this ancient tradition that today draws ambassadors, college kids and ordinary folk alike.
Additional Photos
They were heading to Sant’Apollinare, one of the “station churches” of Rome, the nearly 40 ancient churches that centuries ago were designated to hold a rotating daily Mass during Lent, the period leading to Holy Week and Easter, when the faithful mark the death and resurrection of Jesus.
The dawn processions take place every morning, a different church slated for worship each day.
At a time when most churches in Italy are empty — evidence of the dwindling Catholic faith in much of Europe — the seminarians of the Pontifical North American College pack these 7 a.m. English services on a regular basis.
Starting in the mid-1970s, they began reviving the tradition and making a daily pilgrimage to each church on the Lenten circuit, paying tribute to early Christians who risked their lives to worship.
The tradition caught on with a wider group. And today, the Masses are often standing room only events.
“You think ‘on this day for 1,300 years Christians have been going to this church on this day,’” said Deacon Riley Williams, of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, who is in his fourth year at the North American College. “Going to this place where the saints died, it joins us to Christ.”
Poland’s ambassador to the Holy See, Hanna Suchocka, has been a regular for years. She was joined Thursday by Canada’s ambassador to the Holy See, Anne Leahy.
Author George Weigel was in church as well, as he has been every day this Lent; he’s writing a book on the station churches due out in 2013.
“I think the whole notion of Lent as itself a pilgrimage is embodied in this walk through these historic churches, where you can touch the origins of Christianity in the West,” he said.
Audrey Anderson, a 20-year-old from Stillwater, Minn., on a study abroad program, did her own pilgrimage to get there, walking nearly an hour, but said she wouldn’t miss it.
“Thousands of people have been coming here for hundreds of years, and the one thing that unites us is our Lord. It boggles my mind.”
Copy the Story Link
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.