Lenten Station at Saint Mary Major

Non-Italic Text taken from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal
for Wednesday in Holy Week
Pictures and Italic text taken from Wikipedia (the free encyclopaedia) (unless otherwise accredited)
Station at Saint Mary Major
Indulgence of 10 years and 10 Quarantines
Privileged Feria
Violet Vestments

Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major
Basilica Papale di Santa Maria Maggiore (Italian)
Basilica Sanctae Mariae Maioris (Latin) 

(From Wikimedia Commons. Photo taken by LPLT, November 2008)

From today, the Stational celebrations of Holy Week are held in Rome at the great Basilicas. That of Wednesday is held at Saint Mary Major, the largest and most celebrated Sanctuary dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, whose sufferings the Church commiserates during these days.

The first passage, from the Prophet Isaias, bears on the Passion. The blood that dyes the Saviour’s garments is His own most precious blood. Instead of crushing the people in His indignation, He suffers and dies for them.

Santa Maria Maggiore

by M. Ohlmüller (dated 1883)

Watercolours

(From Wikimedia Commons)

The second passage foretells the principal features of the Passion, with such remarkable precision, that the Fathers of the Church speak of Isaias as the fifth Evangelist. It is “the Man of Sorrows” who “was led as a sheep to the slaughter and was dumb”, “He was covered with wounds and reputed with the wicked.” “He was bruised for our sins,” “Cut off out of the land of the living, He had the ungodly to guard His sepulchre and the rich to bury Him after His death”, “and by His bruises we are healed”.

Justifying to the full His title of Saviour, “He became obedient unto death, even to the death of the Cross” (Introit) as we are shown it today in the Gospel according to Saint Luke.

 

Capela Borghese, Santa Maria Maggiore 

(From Wikimedia Commons. 

Photo taken by Ricardo André Frantz, 2005)

Catechumens and Christian penitents, alike, “we were in truth like sheep that had gone astray, each one having turned aside into his own way”, and Jesus, “having the iniquity of us all laid on Him, has received in return a multitude of disciples” (Second Lesson). During the Easter festivities, the Souls of men will become reconciled to God in the Sacraments of Baptism and Penance.

Renewing at Mass the mysteries of the Passion of Our Lord, let us pray “to be delivered by His merits from the power of the enemy and to obtain the grace of His Resurrection” (First and Second Collects, and Secret).