Day 22 - Wednesday, 3rd Week of Lent - St. Sixtus Vecchio

The Church of St Sixtus is located on the Appian Way, not too very far from Santa Balbina. It was built in the 4th or 5th century. In the old days, this is where the catechumens were presented to the Church by their sponsors preparatory to baptism at the Easter Vigil. At that time, their names were written on tablets of ivory and leather, and read during the Mass at the Commemoration of the Living.

Here also, at the church of St Sixtus, the catechumens received the preparatory rites of baptism as they knelt before their Priest. The first of these was exsufflation, in which the priest breathed three times on the catechumen (or child), saying, "Go out of him . . . you unclean spirit, and give place to the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete." The bishop then signed the catechumens on the forehead, ears, and noses with the Sign of the Cross, and raised them up.

Basilica of San Sisto Vecchio

"Zichtbaar 4" di Dolfkalenders - Opera propria. Con licenza CC BY-SA 3.0 tramite Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Zichtbaar_4.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Zichtbaar_4.jpg

The catechumen at this time also received a taste of salt on the tongue, that the taste of salt might be converted into a yearning for the Bread of Life, the Eucharist, which is the ultimate sacrament. Psalm 33:9 reads "How gracious the Lord is. Taste and prove it." And Matt.5:13 adds, "You are the salt of the earth; if salt loses its taste, what is there left to give taste to it? There is no more to be done with it, but throw it out of doors for men to tread it under foot." How amazing is it, that Mother Church appeals to our minds, to our emotions, and to all our senses? Each of us needs something a little different to bring about conversion, and every means of reaching into our damaged hearts and souls is explored. Our loving Father desires that none of us be left behind, but that all should come to faith. To save us, He will leave no stone unturned, no possibility untried.

Left: Facade and bell tower of San Sisto Vecchio

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Roma_-_Basilica_di_San_Sisto_Vecchio_-_2024-09-22_09-34-28_001.jpg

We are so blessed today to gather to this station at St Sixtus. You will remember him as Pope at the time of the martyrdom of St Lawrence. I hope you will come to love Pope St Sixtus as I have, one of the holiest men I have ever known in all of Church History. His story is often overshadowed by the story of St Lawrence, but in those days of persecution in the 3rd and 4th centuries, such was not the case. He was greatly beloved and revered for his holiness, and he continued to minister to the Church from beyond the Veil, both by his memory, enshrined in the Church that bore his name and in the Old St Peter's Basilica, but also by the insertion of his name in the Roman Canon of the Mass. This ensured that at every Mass, the people would be reminded of the great friend and powerful intercessor who now stood before the Throne of God, pleading for them. Many miracles were wrought in those days at his shrine. Let me tell you his story.

https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/romanchurches/images/7/7f/Sisto_Vecchio.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/1000?cb=20111012112603

Above: Basilica of San Sixto Vecchio

BeshevI, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Below:: Door of San Sixto Vecchio

By BeshevI - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=152976974

Above: 1478 lintel of the side entrance, and the coat of arms of Cardinal Pedro Ferrici http://www.romeartlover.it/Jogging8.jpg

http://www.romeartlover.it/Vasi58f8.jpg

We met Pope Sixtus II when we heard the story of St Lawrence, but Sixtus is an exemplary Christian in his own right. He was Roman, possibly of Greek descent, who had spent considerable time in Spain, where he became a teacher of theology of significant renown. In Zaragoza, Spain, he met the young theologian, Lawrence, and became his mentor. The two later moved to Rome, where eventually, Sixtus was elected Bishop of Rome and Pope in 257. He was a congenial man, and as Pope, worked to repair rifts in the Church, especially the one between Rome and North Africa that had occurred just prior to his taking office, lest if they were neglected, they might become permanent schisms. (Oh, that this wisdom of Pope Sixtus had been operative at the time of the Great Schism between East and West!)

Below: Sixtus II, by Sandro Botticelli

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ASandro_Botticelli_-_Sixte_II.jpg

Below: Pope Sixtus ordains Lawrence to the Diaconate by Fra Angelico

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AFra_Angelico_058.jpg

He was only Pope for about one year. His martyrdom was sensational. Just prior to the pontificate of Sixtus II the Emperor Valerian had issued an edict of persecution, making it binding upon Christians to participate in the national cult of the pagan gods of Rome, and forbade Christian assembly. By careful planning, Sixtus apparently was able to perform his functions for awhile without being molested, but in August of 258, the emperor issued a new edict, ordering all clergy to be put to death. The aim of the persecution was to destroy the leaders of the Church and rob it of its wealth for the benefit of the Imperial treasury. To escape the notice of the imperial officers, Sixtus located the Mass for August 6th at the lesser-known cemetery of Prætextatus on the Appian Way. But while on his episcopal chair (if you can believe it!), addressing his homily to his people, he was apprehended by a band of soldiers, and beheaded. (Oh that we all might go to meet Our Lord in the midst of serving Him faithfully!)

Martyrdom of St Sixtus II and his deacons

14th century illuminated manuscript

"PopesixtusII" by Richard de Montbaston et collaborateurs - http://saints.bestlatin.net/gallery/sixtus_bnfms.htm. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:PopesixtusII.jpg#mediaviewer/File:PopesixtusII.jpg

St. Cyprian in Africa understood the purpose of the persecution, and wrote in a letter, less than one month after the martyrdom of Sixtus, that "the prefects of the City were daily urging the persecution in order that, if any were brought before them, they might be punished and their property confiscated". Four deacons, Januarius, Vincentius, Magnus, and Stephanus, were taken with Sixtus and beheaded at the same cemetery. Two other deacons, Felicissimus and Agapitus, suffered martyrdom later on the same day, while Lawrence was martyred 3 or 4 days later. Neither Pope Sixtus nor Lawrence, nor any of the other deacons, attempted to bargain for their lives with the wealth entrusted to them. The remains of Sixtus were transferred to the papal crypt in the catacomb of St. Callistus, just across the Appian Way. At his tomb, the bloodstained episcopal throne on which he had been beheaded was enshrined.

Below: St Lawrence entreats Pope St Sixtus II to allow him to accompany him to martyrdom

http://nobility.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/450px-Brollo.jpg

According to legend:

When Deacon St. Lawrence saw that Pope Sixtus and the other deacons were to be martyred, and he was not, he cried out to Pope Sixtus: "Father, where are you going without your son? Where are you hastening, O priest, without your deacon? Never before did you offer the holy Sacrifice without assistants. In what way have I displeased you? In what way have you found me unfaithful in my office? Oh, try me again and prove to yourself whether you have chosen an unworthy minister for the service of the Church. So far you have been trusting me with distributing the Blood of the Lord."

To this Pope Sixtus II replied, "I am not forsaking you, my son; a more severe trial is awaiting you for your faith in Christ. The Lord is considerate toward me because I am a weak old man. But for you a most glorious triumph is in store. Cease to weep, for already after three days you will follow me"

From a Medieval Illuminated Manuscript - Pope St Sixtus II and his Deacons

http://idlespeculations-terryprest.blogspot.com/2014/08/saint-pope-sixtus-ii-martyr.html

From the beginning, there was a strong devotion to Pope Sixtus. His relics were honored in the Old St Peter's Basilica, and his name was embedded in the Roman Canon of the Mass, in addition to having this titular Roman Church dedicated to his honor.

Below and left: Interior views of the basilica

https://cbarnard2.wixsite.com/beggarsrome/copy-of-sisto-interior

Below, the Dominican Sisters of the convent of St Sixtus meet in the church for Mass.

The church houses the relics of St. Pope Sixtus II, transferred here from the Catacomb of Callixtus in the 6th century. It was rebuilt in the early 13th century, by Pope Innocent III. (1198 - 1216). For a while it was entrusted to the personal care of St Dominic and it was here that he founded his first Roman convent

Above: Supper in the Convent of Saint Sixtus, in Rome, 1618-1625, by António André; Museu de Aveiro, Portugal.

It depicts Saint Dominic at the convent of San Sisto Vecchio during a shortage of food, and angels appearing to the friars with aprons full of bread.

Left: A Stational Mass at the Basilica

The church is only recently re-opened after extensive renovations and the video below reveals newer views of its updated beauty.

The collect church for today was Santa Balbina, the station church for Day 14, Tuesday of the second week of Lent.

The station church for tomorrow is Santi Cosma e Damiano in Via Sacra (in the Fori Imperiali) - These brother saints, Cosmas and Damian, are patron saints of physicians.

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