Listen to a Vatican Radio interview with Fr. Robert Ombres, O.P., at Santa Sabina. Pope Benedict officially opens the Lenten season with a traditional Ash Wednesday afternoon procession and Mass in Rome. Each year on this day, the Pope crosses the Tiber river and goes to the Church of Saint Anselm on the Aventine hill where he joins the Benedictine Friars and other religious for a moment of prayer. Afterwards, the Holy Father and his entourage of cardinals and bishops proceed just down the street to the basilica of Saint Sabina to celebrate Mass and for the blessing and imposition of ashes on the faithful.

The Basilica of Santa Sabina is nestled amidst orange groves and gardens hidden behind old stone walls. It is said that St. Dominic himself planted the seed for the first orange tree on the Aventine.  Santa Sabina is one of the oldest churches in Rome, dating as far back as about the year 422. Santa Sabina became one of the so-called Stational Churches where Rome's early Christian community would gather for processions and liturgies in Lent and other periods holy to the Christian calendar.  The church was given to the care of St. Dominic and his new Order of Preachers in 1222. It remains the home of the Master of the Dominican Order, the successor to St. Dominic. The priory of the Dominican Order is attached to Santa Sabina and the Friars there participate in the Ash Wednesday services with the Pope.