The Office of Liturgical Celebrations informed that on 22 February, Pope Francis will celebrate Holy Mass and the Ash Wednesday procession on the Aventine Hill in Rome.
The Holy Father will preside over the first Lenten season in the church of San Anselmo, on the Aventine, at 4:30 pm (local time), before the Mass.
Then, the Pope will participate in the traditional penitential procession to the Basilica of Santa Sabina, where he will celebrate Mass at 5:00 pm and bless the ashes that will be imposed on the faithful.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2021 the Pope was unable to celebrate Mass in the Basilica of Santa Sabina nor was the traditional penitential procession from Saint Anselmo Church on Rome’s Aventine Hill. However, that year the Holy Father presided over the Eucharist on Ash Wednesday in Saint Peter’s Basilica with few faithful to avoid crowds.