Lenten Station Church
4th Sunday in Lent
Holy Cross in Jerusalem
(Santa Croce in Gerusalemme)

The Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem is a Catholic Minor Basilica and titular church in Rome, Italy. According to Christian tradition, the basilica was consecrated around 325 to house the relics of the Passion of Jesus Christ brought to Rome from the Holy Land by Empress Helena, mother of Roman Emperor Constantine I. The basilica's floor was covered with soil from Jerusalem, thus acquiring the title in Hierusalem. It is not dedicated to the Holy Cross of Jerusalem, but the basilica was considered in a sense to be "in Jerusalem" (much in the way that an embassy today is considered extraterritorial). The Basilica of the Holy Cross was declared a titular church by Pope Gregory I in 523. Despite the fact it was located on the outskirts of Rome, it became a destination of regular pilgrimage, thanks to the popularity of the relics it kept. In the eighth century, the basilica was restored by Pope Gregory II. After the Basilica fell into neglect, Pope Lucius II restored it in the 12th century, giving it a Romanesque appearance, with a nave, two aisles, belfry, and porch. Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem Exterior Views Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem Interior Views Despite what the name might imply, this Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem is located in Rome, just a few blocks from the Basilica of Saint John Lateran. It was a small chapel attached to Saint Helena’s home and the floor contained some soil brought back from the Holy Land. Perhaps the most famous of the relics enshrined at Holy Cross in Jerusalem in the Chapel of the Holy Relics are three fragments from the True Cross, one nail used in the crucifixion, and small pieces of the scourging pillar, the Holy Sepulcher and the tomb of Jesus. It also contains a reliquary of two of the thorns from the crown of thorns. Holy Cross in Jerusalem (Rome, Italy) will be visited one more time during the Lenten Calendar on Good Friday. Reference: 'Santa Croce in Gerusalemme' on Wikipedia.org 'Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem' on VaticanNews.va All Photographs are from Commons.WikiMedia.org Roman Basilicas - Holy Cross in Jerusalem 126 (1949) Roman Basilicas - Holy Cross in Jerusalem (Overprint) 154 (1952) Pope Sylvaster I Showing Icon Depicting Sts Peter & Paul to Emperor Constantine 1535 (2013)