Roman Lent Station Church: Saint Anastasia

Today’s Lenten Station in Rome is the Church of Saint Anastasia. This church is not a major destination for pilgrims and tourists despite its importance. The original church was built by Emperor Constantine in the early 4th century as the Imperial Chapel on the Palatine Hill. All that remains today of the majestic palace on the Palatine are some impressive ruins and the open green space of the Circus Maximus.

Experts argue that this specific site was chosen by Constantine because in ancient times here stood a shrine marking the mythical site where a she-wolf raised Romulus and Remus. If you are not familiar with the story, Romulus and Remus were abandoned in a basket on the Tiber River and the basket washed up by the Palatine Hill. A she-wolf nursed the two boys until a shepherd found them and raised them. Eventually Romulus founded the city of Rome in 752 BC, killed his twin brother Remus and became the first king of Rome.

Original 5th century BC depiction of Romulus and Remus with the she-wolf

(and yes that is me with a beard)

The Church of Saint Anastasia, built over the sacred site where the boy Romulus was raised, was the ideal site to celebrate the birth of another boy, Jesus Christ. Christmas was first celebrated in Rome at this church on December 25 on or around the year 325 AD. The celebration of Christmas at this specific site was part of the ongoing Christianization of pagan Rome.

The Church was named after Constantine’s sister Anastasia who was a devout Christian. In later years the Church became associated with the Serbian martyr Anastasia rather than the emperor’s sister. Among its artwork, it houses a beautiful painting of Saint Turibius of Mogrovejo, the second archbishop of Lima, Peru, and great apostle to the people of Peru in the 16th century.