The Major Penitentiary, Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, will preside over the Ash Wednesday rites on the Aventine Hill, on Wednesday, March 5, the day Lent begins. De Donatis will therefore replace Pope Francis in these celebrations.

This can be read in the Bulletin of the Vatican Press Office.

This is the progress of the Ash Wednesday rites: "At 4:30 p.m., in the church of Sant'Anselmo all'Aventino, the 'stationary' liturgy will begin, followed by the penitential procession to the Basilica of Santa Sabina. The cardinals, archbishops, bishops, Benedictine monks of Sant'Anselmo, Dominican fathers of Santa Sabina and some of the faithful will take part in the procession. At the end of the procession, in the Basilica of Santa Sabina, the Eucharistic celebration will take place with the rite of blessing and imposition of the ashes."

Meanwhile, the Pontiff, whose health conditions have been improving since his hospitalization on February 14, continues to work in the hospital. Today in the Official Bulletin of the Vatican Press Office there is a message sent to the participants in the course for those responsible for episcopal liturgical celebrations of the Pontifical Athenaeum of Sant'Anselmo.

At the bottom is the date (February 26) and the place: "From the Gemelli Polyclinic". Francis invites those responsible for liturgies "to propose and promote a liturgical style that expresses the following of Jesus, avoiding unnecessary pomp or protagonism. I invite you to carry out your ministry with discretion, without boasting about the results of your service".

(Online Union)

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