Cardinal De Donatis will preside Ash Wednesday liturgy on Aventine Hill

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

The Holy See Press Office announced on Friday that Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, Major Penitentiary of Apostolic Penitentiary, will preside at the traditional celebration of the Ash Wednesday liturgy on the Aventine Hill, which will take place on 5 March.

Maintaining an ancient Roman tradition revived by St. John XXIII, the Pope usually begins the Ash Wednesday “stational” liturgy at the church of Sant’Anselmo before leading a penitential procession to the Basilica of Santa Sabina on the Aventine Hill, where he celebrates Mass. 

Since Pope Francis is in Rome's Gemelli Hospital to receive treatment for bilateral pneumonia, he has delegated the Cardinal to preside in his place for this year's ceremony.

According to a message from Archbishop Giovanni Diego Ravelli, the Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations, the Ash Wednesday celebration begins with the 'stational liturgy' at 4:30 PM in Sant’Anselmo, followed by the procession to Santa Sabina.

The procession will include Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops, the Benedictine Monks of Sant’Anselmo, the Dominican Fathers of Santa Sabina, and some of the faithful.

At the end of the procession, in the Basilica of Santa Sabina, the Eucharistic Celebration will take place, including the rite of blessing and the imposition of ashes.

The Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops, Benedictine Monks, and Dominican Fathers who wish to participate in the celebration, Archbishop Ravelli said, are requested to be at the Church of Sant’Anselmo by 4 PM, wearing their proper choir attire.