Tuesday of the First Week of Lent at S.t Anastasia

We have little knowledge about the story of St. Anastasia. We know, however, that she was martyrized in Serbia. Her cult arrived in Rome towards the end of the V century from Constantinople. This church dedicated to her memory is a neighbor of one of the great symbols of the Roman Empire, the Circus Maximus. It is now ruins, while the faith it strove to crush by the execution of martyrs like St. Anastasia is still here.

Another saint associated with this church is St. Jerome.  There is a tradition that when staying in Rome he would often celebrate Mass here, possibly because he came from the same region as St. Anastasia.  As the practice of stational Masses during Lent developed, this was assigned as the collectum for the procession to St. Sabina, and as a result, the processional crosses used for the stational processions were kept here when not in use. 

 Collect: 

Look upon your family, Lord, 

that, through the chastening effects of bodily discipline, 

our minds may be radiant in your presence 

with the strength of our yearning for you. 

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, 

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of 

the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Pilgrims from the College arriving for the early Mass.

Main door with the title ADOREMUS. St Anastasia has perpetual  Eucharistic Adoration

Central nave

Relics of the saint

Mosaic above the altar