Church of Saint Anastasia

Shrine: Basilica di Sant'Anastasia al Palatino
Primary Saint:	Anastasia of Sirmium
Associated Saints:	Anastasia of Sirmium, Jerome
Diocese:	Diocese of Rome
City:	Rome
Subdivision:	Lazio
Country:	Italy
Coordinates:	41.88874865,12.484074525
Address:	Piazza di Sant'Anastasia 1, 00186 Roma, Italy
Image:	Basilica_di_Sant'Anastasia_al_Palatino_-_esterno.jpg
Website:
Established:
Description:	Ancient minor basilica and titular church dedicated to St. Anastasia of Sirmium, located at the foot of the Palatine Hill; serves as a place of worship with historical relics and perpetual Eucharistic adoration.
Pilgrimage Info:	One of the station churches for Lent (Tuesday in the first week); attracts visitors for its antiquity, relics, and adoration chapel.
Review Level:	0

[[Category:Diocese of Rome]]

The Basilica di Sant'Anastasia al Palatino (also known as Sant'Anastasia al Palatino) is an ancient minor basilica and titular church in Rome, Italy, located at the foot of the Palatine Hill near the Circus Maximus. One of the oldest Christian worship sites in the city, it dates to the late 3rd or early 4th century and is dedicated to Saint Anastasia of Sirmium, a martyr venerated under Diocletian around 304. The basilica houses purported relics of the saint beneath the high altar and has long been associated with early Roman liturgy, including a unique commemoration of St. Anastasia in the second Mass on Christmas Day.

As a titular church, it is assigned to a cardinal-priest (currently Cardinal Eugenio Dal Corso as of recent records) and falls under the Diocese of Rome. Since 2020, pastoral care has been entrusted to the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, serving its community in Rome while maintaining the Latin Rite traditions. The basilica features Baroque restorations, notable artworks, and a chapel for perpetual Eucharistic adoration, drawing visitors for prayer and historical reflection.

Though rich in devotional history as one of Rome's station churches during Lent, it is not formally designated as a shrine under Canon 1230 of the Code of Canon Law, which requires specific episcopal approval for pilgrimage centers. Its significance lies in its antiquity, liturgical role, and ties to early martyrs.

File:Basilica di Sant'Anastasia al Palatino - esterno.jpg

Exterior of the Basilica di Sant'Anastasia al Palatino

History

Establishment

The basilica originated in the late 3rd or early 4th century, likely built over pre-existing Roman structures such as shops and private homes on the southwestern slopes of the Palatine Hill. It is first documented as titulus Anastasiae in the acts of a Roman synod in 499, one of the earliest titular churches in Rome.

Scholars suggest the original name may derive from the Greek Anastasis (Resurrection), reflecting an early dedication to Christ's Resurrection, or possibly from a Roman patron named Anastasia. By the 6th century, it became associated with Saint Anastasia of Sirmium, whose cult spread from Constantinople to Rome. Hagiographic traditions link the site to Saint Jerome, who is said to have celebrated Mass here and brought relics from the Holy Land, though historical verification of these details is limited.

The church's prominence grew with the insertion of St. Anastasia's name into the Roman Canon of the Mass toward the end of the 5th century, underscoring her veneration in early Christian Rome.

Development

Over the centuries, the basilica underwent multiple restorations by popes including Damasus I (366–383), Hilarius (461–468), Leo III (795–816), and others. The current Baroque façade dates to 1636 under Pope Urban VIII, with interior embellishments in the 17th and 18th centuries.

In 2020, Pope Francis assigned pastoral care to the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church to serve its migrant community in Rome, marking a new chapter while preserving its historical role. Perpetual Eucharistic adoration, introduced in recent decades, has made it a site for continuous prayer.

Until the 18th century, it served as the starting point for papal penitential processions on Ash Wednesday.

Significant Events

The basilica has hosted traditional Christmas Dawn Masses honoring St. Anastasia and served as a Lenten station church (Tuesday of the first week). No specific papal visits beyond historical liturgical roles are prominently documented in recent sources.

Its assignment to the Syro-Malabar community in 2020 represents a significant modern event, fostering Eastern Catholic devotion in an ancient Latin site.

Architecture and Features

The basilica presents a simple Baroque exterior with twin bell towers, concealing its ancient origins. Inside, three naves are supported by columns, with a colorful coffered ceiling featuring a central fresco of the Martyrdom of St. Anastasia by Michelangelo Cerruti (1722).

Notable artworks include a statue of St. Anastasia by Ercole Ferrata (influenced by Bernini), a Nativity altarpiece by Lazzaro Baldi, and paintings by Domenichino and others. Beneath the high altar are purported relics of St. Anastasia; a side reliquary holds traditions of St. Joseph's cloak and the Virgin Mary's veil, attributed to St. Jerome—though these reflect hagiographic accounts with limited historical verification.

A chapel supports perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

Pilgrimage and Devotion

As a Lenten station church, it attracts pilgrims following Rome's ancient itinerary. Devotion focuses on St. Anastasia's martyrdom (feast: December 25) and Eucharistic adoration.

The Syro-Malabar community celebrates liturgies here, blending Eastern and Western traditions. Visitors come for quiet prayer amid Rome's historic center.

Annual events include Christmas Masses commemorating the titular saint and Lenten observances.

Associated Saints and Devotions

The primary devotion honors Saint Anastasia of Sirmium, an early martyr included in the Roman Canon. Traditions associate the site with Saint Jerome.

Relics and artworks foster veneration of the Holy Family through attributed items linked to St. Joseph and the Virgin Mary.

Miracles and Apparitions

No verified miracles or apparitions are directly associated with the basilica in primary Church records or reputable scholarship. Devotion stems from the martyr's cult and traditional relic attributions rather than specific supernatural events at the site.

Veneration

Common practices include participation in Masses, Eucharistic adoration, and prayer before the statue and relics of St. Anastasia. Pilgrims often visit during Christmas or Lent to honor the saint.

Relics beneath the altar and in the side reliquary (per tradition) invite quiet veneration, though their authenticity reflects longstanding Church tradition rather than modern verification.

The basilica influences Roman liturgical history through its role in the Christmas commemoration and station church tradition.

Books

• No specific monographs exclusively on the basilica are widely referenced; it appears in broader works on Roman churches.

Related Publications

• Articles in Annuario Pontificio and diocesan guides.

External links

• Basilica di Sant’Anastasia al Palatino on GCatholic.org
• Sant'Anastasia al Palatino on Wikipedia
• Basilica of Sant’Anastasia on the Palatine Hill on Turismo Roma