Current Position: Earth Sector, U.S.A. Outpost, Breakroom Module 3
Mission: Saturday after Ash Wednesday: Sant’Agostino
Sant’Agostino in Campo Marzio is the Roman stational church for the first Saturday of Lent. Its layered history blends ancient martyrdom, Renaissance architecture, and Augustinian devotion.Historical Timeline of Sant’Agostino (Rome)
• 700s AD – Original church on site was San Trifone in Posterula, dedicated to Saint Tryphon, a martyr from Campsada.
• 1244 – The Order of Saint Augustine is founded at Santa Maria del Popolo in Rome.
• 1286 – Roman nobleman Egidio Lufredi donates land in Campo Marzio to the Augustinians.
• 1287 – Pope Honorius IV grants San Trifone to the Augustinians.
• 1296–1446 – First Augustinian church built beside San Trifone, commissioned by Pope Boniface VIII.
• 1479–1483 – Construction of the current basilica begins under Pope Sixtus IV, designed by Baccio Pontelli (also architect of the Sistine Chapel), funded by Cardinal Guillaume d'Estouteville.
• Façade – Built by Giacomo di Pietrasanta using travertine salvaged from the Colosseum—one of Rome’s earliest Renaissance façades.
• 1736 – San Trifone demolished to expand the monastery.
• Artworks – Houses masterpieces by Caravaggio (Madonna dei Pellegrini), Raphael (Prophet Isaiah), and Guercino.
• Relics:
• Saint Monica (mother of Saint Augustine) entombed in the left chapel.
• Saint Tryphon, Respicius, and Nymphas under the high altar.
• Augustinian martyrs Thomas of Villanova, John of Saint Faconda, and Claire of Montefalco also present.
• Symbolism – Church architecture reflects Augustinian numerology:
• 12 arches, 12 chapels, 12 windows (echoing the Apostles and tribes of Israel).
• 15 spans total: 12 side + 3 central, symbolizing Old (7) + New (8) Testament.
• Madonna del Parto – A statue of Our Lady of Childbirth near the entrance, venerated for centuries by expectant mothers.
• 1999 – Elevated to minor basilica status by Pope John Paul II.
Daily Links:
- VPS Writings
https://vaticanstamps.org/lent/lview.php?id=1&ldate=2025-03-08&vid=
- The Pontifical North American College
https://www.pnac.org/station-churches/week-of-ash-wed/saturday-after-ash-wednesday-santagostino/
- Lenten Station Churches of Rome: Sant'Agostino (UTUBE)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Alw-YuybPdw
On another subject: there has been some questions about the two robot and exactly how they met each other. Below are the details of this event.
Ralph, the VPS robot went to the local post office to mail a package to Italy. He noticed the young lady robot in front of his was also there to mail a package to Italy. The postal clerk was amassed that odds of two people would be standing next to each other in line of a US Post Office to mail a package to Italy.
Some keys factors affecting predicting of the odds of this occurrence happening:
• Volume of International Mail to Italy: Italy is a common destination for international mail, especially for personal items, business documents, and philatelic shipments. USPS offers several services for shipping to Italy, including Priority Mail International and Priority Mail Express International.
• Frequency of Italy-bound Packages: While Italy is a popular destination, the overall percentage of customers mailing to Italy at any given moment is small compared to domestic mail. Most USPS customers are sending packages within the U.S.
• Post Office Traffic Patterns: Larger urban post offices with international clientele (e.g., in New York, Miami, Los Angeles) may see more Italy-bound packages. In smaller towns, the odds drop significantly.
• Philatelic or Niche Interests: If the post office is near a community of stamp collectors, Italian expats, or Vatican enthusiasts, the odds increase slightly—especially around holidays or philatelic release dates.
While there's no published statistic on this exact scenario, a reasonable guess might be: the odds of any two random people in a post office line both, mailing to Italy - Less than 1 in 1,000. But, that is how it happened! That is how Ralph met Sofia!!
The postal work was amazed that two robots would
be next to each other in line of a US Post Office
to mail a package to Italy!
— VPSrobotbe next to each other in line of a US Post Office
to mail a package to Italy!
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