2012-02-23

Thursday after Ash Wednesday

We continue our Lenten journey today at the Church of St. George in Velabro. Located near the Tiber River, west of the presently snow-covered Colosseum, this ancient diaconal church dates back to the seventh century. There is even mention of an earlier chapel near this spot dating back to 482. The church was dedicated to Saint Sebastian up until the eight century until the titular was changed to the great soldier saint of St. George. The bell tower and the portico were added in the 13th century. The church was most recently restored in the 1920s.


Blessed John Newman was the Cardinal-Deacon of the church from 1879 to 1890. Since 2010, the Italian Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, President of the Pontifical Council for Culture, has been the Cardinal-Deacon of the diaconal church.

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