Peterborough Cathedral.
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Thursday after Ash Wednesday.
Station at Saint George's (San Giorgio-in-Velabro).
Indulgence of 10 Years and 10 Quarantines.
Violet Vestments.
San Giorgio-in-Velabro is a Minor Basilica
Photo: April 2006.
Source: Own work.
Author: User: Zello
(Wikimedia Commons)
The Liturgy of today inculcates in us the spirit of Prayer, which forms part of The Forty Days’ Penance. It was by Prayer that Ezechias obtained a prolongation of his life (Epistle of today) and the Centurion the healing of his servant (Gospel), and it is by Prayer that we shall obtain from God the strength to mortify ourselves, in order that we may gain the pardon of our sins, and, with it, the healing of our Souls and Life Eternal.
San Giorgio-in-Velabro.
Photo: August 2012.
Source: Own work.
Author: Luc
(Wikimedia Commons)
Remember that, if sin offends God and draws upon us the scourge of His Righteous Anger, Penance, on the contrary, appeases Him and procures for us the effects of His Mercy (Collects).
Mass: Dum clamárem.
Preface: For Lent.
San Giorgio-in-Velabro.
Photo: March 2012.
Source: Own work.
Author: sailko
(Wikimedia Commons)
San Giorgio-in-Velabro is a Minor Basilica Church in Rome, devoted to Saint George.
The Church is located in the ancient Roman Velabrum, near the Arch of Janus, in the rione of Ripa. Sited near the River Tiber, it is within a complex of Republican-era pagan temples associated with the Port of Rome. The ancient Arcus Argentariorum is attached to the side of the Church’s façade.
San Giorgio-in-Velabro is the Station Church for the First Thursday in Lent.
The first religious building attested, in the place of the current Basilica, is a Diaconia, funded by Pope Gregory the Great.
The High Altar,
San Giorgio-in-Velabro.
Photo: March 2012.
Source: Own work.
Author: sailko
(Wikimedia Commons)
The Basilica was inside the Greek Quarter of Rome, where Greek-speaking merchants, civil and military officers, and Monks, of the Byzantine Empire lived — the nearby Santa Maria-in-Cosmedin, for example, was known as Schola Græca at the time. Pope Zachary (741 A.D. - 752 A.D.), who was of Greek origin, moved the Relic of Saint George to this Basilica from Cappadocia, so that this Saint had a Basilica Dedicated in The West, well before the spreading of his Devotion associated with the return of The Crusaders from The East.
After a restoration by Pope Gregory IV (9th-Century A.D.), the Basilica received the addition of the Portico and the Bell-Tower in the first half of the 13th-Century. The Apsis was decorated with frescoes by Pietro Cavallini in the 13th-Century.
Photo: April 2007.
Source: Own work.
Author: Lalupa
(Wikimedia Commons)
This was done by returning the floor to its original level (and so exposing the Column bases), re-opening the ancient windows that gave light to the Central Nave, restoring the Apsis, and generally removing numerous accretions from the other most recent restorations. During this process, fragments (now displayed on the Basilica’s internal walls) were found, indicating a schola cantorum on the site, attributed to the period of Pope Gregory IV.
The Ministry of Cultural Heritage researched and catalogued what was damaged or destroyed, placing the fragments in 1050 crates, with dates and locational references, before restoring the building with them, although some details, particularly in the Portico, were deliberately left un-restored as a memorial to the bombing.
Gianfranco Ravasi is, since November 2010, Cardinal-Deacon of the Church. Among the previous Titulars are: Oddone Colonna, who later became Pope Martin V; Raffaele Riario; Giacomo Stefaneschi; and John Henry Newman. Cardinal Alfons Maria Stickler was Titular of San Giorgio, as a Cardinal Priest, until his death in 2007.
This beautiful little classic Roman Basilica church, San Giorgio-in-Velabro, is a favorite of this writer. It has a perfectly proportionate baldacchino over the high altar, as the excellent photos of Zephyrinus show above with beautiful, of course, light-colored marble pillars, which gleam in the subdued light. The experience of this writer is that it’s generally a very quiet, thoughtful place to “duck in” out of the searing Roman Summer, and enjoy the church’s coolness and pray and meditate a bit.
ReplyDeleteAs mentioned previously last year, the famous Boca de Verita (“ The Mouth of Truth”), a gigantic ancient Roman manhole cover is inside the front portico on the left. So this is where we silly pilgrims come and stick our hand in the mouth, and if we are telling the truth in answer to a question,the ancient frightening Roman Father Tiber god doesn’t bite it off! Some may recall it makes its appearance in a very comic and memorable scene by Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn in the classic movie “Roman Holiday” (1953) (an additional sidenote, Roman Holiday is a film of yesteryear one can watch over and over, like “The Sound of Music,” it always cheers you up!) . (Cont., comment by Dante P)
(cont.) San Giorgio-in-Velabro, as the excellent notes of Zephyrinus above report, contains the head of “The Great Martyr,” S. George, the revered martyr-saint intoned besides S. Michael against the activities of the Devil. The relic is enshrined under the high altar. No doubt it was due to S. George’s protection that the church interior was minimally damaged by a massive car bomb in 1993, although the frontal portico collapsed and had to be restored. [The Bocca della Verita was not impressed, was not damaged, and no doubt, never ceased biting the bombers in their posterior for the rest of their life wherever they went. (!) (As well they deserved.)]
ReplyDeleteDom Gaspar Lefebvre OSB, the editor of the S. Andrew Missal, comments that perhaps the reason that this church was chosen for the stational church the very next day after Ash Wednesday was to remind the Roman catechumens that they have a great protector in “The Great Martyr” George, but also of the cost of possible martyrdom for those who wish to profess their faith. The Gospel for the day is about the Roman centurion, so Roman Christians are invited to share his humility, and to enter into the kingdom of God (Matt. 8:5-13).
So this is the little known church, a quiet refuge from the din of the Roman streets, San Giorgio-in-Velabro, the church of S. Gregory the Great (d.604 AD) which the Roman pilgrim should make a careful note of visiting. It is also in the Aventine Hill area very close to Santa Sabina, which rises above it in the background.
And don’t forget to be respectful to the Boca della Verita! —Note by Dante P
A magnificent and fascinating resumé of San Giorgio-in-Velabro from our Rome Correspondent, Dante P.
DeleteIt is sufficient to encourage all Roman visitors to visit this beautiful Church which, as Dante P says, offers a welcome respite in the hot Roman weather.