This Tuesday, February 12, the office of the Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations of the Vatican spread the calendar of Pope Francis for the months of March and April 2025, which include the pause of the activities of the Roman curia for the spiritual exercises of Lent.
On March 5, the Holy Father will preside over the Mass of Ash Wednesday in the Basilica of Santa Sabina of Rome, where the headquarters of the Dominican Order are located, located in the Aventine, one of the seven hills of Rome and near the Barracks of the Knights of Malta.
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As reported by the Office for Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations, the Eucharist, which marks the beginning of Lent, will take place at 5:00 p.m. (local time) and in it the cardinals, archbishops and bishops will participate, as well as the Benedictine monks of San Anselmo , the Dominican parents of Santa Sabina and some faithful.
Half an hour before, at 4:30 p.m. (local time) there will be a penitential procession from the Church of San Anselmo. It is a tradition initiated by Pope Gregory Great shortly after the Basilica of Santa Sabina was built in 422.
The last time Pope Francis participated in this procession was in 2022.
Four days later, on March 9, coinciding with the first Sunday of Lent, the Holy Father will preside over a Mass on the occasion of the Jubilee of World Volunteer, one of the most relevant acts planned for the Holy Year.
That same day, at 5:00 p.m. (local time) The Holy Father and the cardinals of the Roman curia will start the Spiritual Exercises of Lent in the Paul VI classroom of the Vatican, which will be a break on their agenda until March 14 .
In previous years, the pontiff used to move next to the superiors of the Roman curia to the spiritual exercises. It is a reserved and silent convent that allows to devote itself with greater recollection. However, since 2020, when he annulled him for suffering a cold, he does it from the Vatican.
In any case, it is the first time from the pandemic, when the restrictions to avoid contagios imposed the social distance, that Pope Francis and the cardinals of the Roman curia perform the spiritual exercises together.
The first liturgical appointment that Pope Francis will preside over the following month will be the one planned at 10:30 am (local time) on the occasion of the jubilee of the sick and the world of health.
Victoria Cardiel
Victoria Cardiel is a journalist specialized in social and religious information issues. Since 2013, he has covered all the news of the Vatican for various media, such as the Spanish news agency Europa Press, or the weekly of the Archdiocese of Madrid, Alfa and Omega.