Arrivederci Roma

No matter how long you’ve been with a group, when you’ve traveled together and had many of the same experiences there is a bonding that takes place which is different from other casual acquaintances. You become concerned when someone is missing. If a problem arises it is your problem as well as another’s. Tonight we had our farewell dinner which was in a restaurant near the Piazza del Popolo. The food was good, several steps above that in the restaurant where we had eaten (or not eaten) for the past nights. I bid farewell to our bus driver Genaro, and our tour manager Flavio or Favio.  Whichever it is, and I’ve heard both ways, if one skips over the “L” rapidly it sounds about the same and he seems to respond to either. Three of us will leave this guest house at 6 AM to make our way to the airport and, hopefully, leave on time and arrive home with no delays. We’ll see how that all works out. 

At Mass this morning the abbot spoke about the Rule of Saint Benedict and related it to today’s Gospel, the story of the man who built larger barns and then found out he was to die and all his work was basically in vain. When we try to keep all things for ourselves including our love, we find that has been an useless endeavor. It is only when we freely share, particularly our love, that we live life to the fullest, and realize that love is the most precious thing we have and it is only love when it is shared.

The Colosseum

So, as we bid farewell to those who will stay here for a few days, to those who will go elsewhere, to those who will go home, there are bittersweet feelings all around. It is at the point of farewell that we wish we could stay together. But we also realize that the love we have shared, the travels we have enjoyed, the holy places we have visited have made us much richer persons than we could have ever imagined. It’s been a good pilgrimage, but I’m ready to return home. I’ll miss friends new and old. I’ll return home changed as I always do. I hope that change is for the better. The memories, the pictures, and the friendships will stay with me and with the others. 

We began this last day with Mass at the parish church next door at 8. Flavio asked us to board the bus by 8:45. Most everyone was on time. Some were left behind and it was up to them to catch up.

Saint Sabina

Our first stop was the colosseum. I learned that it got its name because of the colossal statue which once stood outside the structure. I also learned that arena means sand which then gives its name to those stadia which had sand in the center where the animals and humans entertained the crowds. Our guide, Francesca, gave us a brief tour of the main floor and then allowed some free time for those who wished to go higher. It was again a bright, blue day full of sunshine which caused the air temperature to heat up nicely.

We boarded the bus for the short trip to the Circus Maximus and a walk up the hill to the ancient church of St. Sabina. The art work on the walls was very interesting. The doors into the basilica have the earliest representation of the crucifixion known. The are beautifully carved. 

A short stroll took us to San Anselmo, the home of the Abbot Primate of the Benedictines and the place where the General Chapter is held every few years. St. Anselm, one of the doctors of the Roman Church, was Archbishop of Canterbury and a great scholar. The church, which we were able to visit 

San Anselmo

because of the abbot’s acquaintance with the prior (an American, currently), is very spare and quintessentially Benedictine. This is the “college” where many Benedictine monks have studied and lived and includes the Pontifical Institute of Liturgical Studies.

Three of us broke off from the group at this point since we had seen what they would be seeing. We “hoofed” it rapidly to the Church of St. Cæcilia. We needed to arrive before the closing hour of 12:30. It is a lovely church with a crypt that includes the remains of a Roman street and St. Cæcilia’s home. There is a lovely chapel in the crypt. The church contains her relics.

Time for lunch which we enjoyed facing Santa Maria in Trastevere. We all indulged in mussel and clam soup with bread. Definitely worth the extra few steps.

Crypt Chapel at St. Cæcilia

Our journey took us back across the river. We were headed to the Church of St. Louis but encountered a lovely church of St. Barbara along the way. It is in the shape of a Greek cross. It is a pleasant counterpoint to the much larger churches we have been visiting.

As we passed by, I could not resist a visit to the Roman Cat Sanctuary. Some of those cats have relaxation down to a fine art. It’s always fun the see at least some of those famous Roman cats

The Pantheon was another stop on the way. It does not close during the afternoon due to hoards of tourists who seek to visit it. 

Saint Barbara's Church

The Church of Saint Mary Magdalene was another chance encounter. It contained the relics of St. Camillus de Lellis. As with most churches in Rome it has been done over in the Baroque style. 

Finally, we arrived at the Church of Saint Louis. The church is lovely and obviously has had much money from the French bestowed upon it. The Chapel of Saint Matthew to the left of the high altar is adorned with three Caravaggio paintings. There are simply  stunning.

Now our quest turned to the afternoon’s gelato which was satisfied by a visit to the place near the Pantheon that has only 155 flavors. Delicious!

A Baroque confection of an organ at
Saint Mary Magdalene

Walking northward we started towards the restaurant designated as the place for this evening’s dinner. A bar right on the Piazza beckoned so we had our cocktails and some tasty tidbits while watching people, a favorite occupation of Romans.

I’ll most likely have some further reflections after returning home. I know I’ll be making another pilgrimage but am unsure to whence and when but will add to this blog as things occur. Thanks for taking part in this journey with me.

Church of Saint Luis

Some inhabitants of the cat sanctuary

Monte Cassino

I think listening to the sounds of a city at night is fascinating. I’ve just returned to my crowded room after a day of touring. The night air is wonderful. I decided to open the windows. Several men are arguing. A woman just finished vocalizing and now a man is doing the same (the woman is better than the man). 

High Altar of the Abbey of Monte Cassino

I can just picture the voice teacher at her/his piano teaching a lesson at 10 PM. There are other sounds, traffic with an occasional motor scooter, other conversations. That male singer needs a lot of work!

Side chapel at Monte Cassino

We left very early for Monte Cassino which is about halfway between Rome and Naples. The scenery was spectacular. The sky was such a vivid blue and the mountains, some shrouded in clouds, were gray against that beautiful sky. Later, as the sun climbed higher, the trees were more obvious. There are just tinges of color here and there in the leaves. 

Monte Cassino is the monastery where both St. Benedict and his sister St. Scholastica are buried. They died a few days apart with St. Scholastica exiting this world first. St. Benedict died before the altar of the monastery church here being held up by two of the monks.

The allies in World War II thought that this fortress-appearing place was harboring Nazis. It was 

One of the views from Monte Cassino

bombed and nearly totally destroyed. It has since been rebuilt. There are a few portions dating from medieval times. What the place did was provide a refugee for women and children some of whom were killed in the air raid. We saw the place where most of them took shelter. Miraculously enough the high altar in the church survived with the relics of the two saints beneath it. The church and monastery were reconstructed to be exactly as they were before the bombing. The church is still awaiting a number of frescos in the ceiling.

We attended the 10:30 AM Mass in the abbey church. The plainsong chant by the men’s choir was beautifully done. The organ was played very well. The Mass was in Italian, concelebrated by several priests, the abbot of Christ in the Desert one of them. I didn’t understand a word of the sermon. I used the time to think of my own interpretation of today’s gospel which had to do with the payment of taxes–“Render to Caesar…”

Another view from Monte Cassino

This monastery is at the top of a mountain and the road up the mountainside has several switchbacks. Thankfully Genaro drives very well. It is a little scary to see how far down one must roll if he would miss a turn.

Following the lunch stop we returned to Rome. Flavio was taking the group to the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, and the Spanish Steps.  Three of us had been there and done that. We chose instead to go to the Mamertine Prison where St. Peter was imprisoned and where he baptized several new Christians before he was killed. There is an interesting multi-media presentation available. Parts of the prison date hundreds of years before the Christian era.

Statue depicting St. Benedict's death

Chapel Altar in the Mamartine Prison

Basilica of St. Prisca

Following our prison visit we headed to the Basilica of St. Prisca. She and her husband are mentioned as helpers of St. Paul in his missionary work. Their relics are in a small, basically neighborhood church. The church is simply adorned with only a few statues.

We traveled in stopping for a bit of refreshment and a bathroom break. Our goal was to walk across a bridge to the Trastevere and have dinner there. We found our way and a restaurant which was very, very good. Too tired to walk back to the hotel we got a taxi to complete our journey.

Up the Mountain

Monastery bell tower

In the dark of the night we trundled our bags to the bus parking lot and then trod back to the hotel for breakfast. Then back to the lot to board the bus. We must leave by 7:15 in order to arrive at Subiaco and then to the mountain to make our visits before the places close at 12:30. 

Many of the sights we wish to see close from 12:30 or 1 until 4 or 5 and then reopen for a couple of hours. Except for commercial sights that makes viewing the places of history a morning endeavor.

The three hour trip to Subiaco was a lovely drive. The morning was crisp and clear with a bright blue sky. The trees are just beginning to show a little color other than green. The light is different here since it is so much farther south, although the days do not seem appreciably longer. 

View of a part of  St. Scholastica's Monastery

Subiaco is where Benedict went after despairing over the evil life lived in Rome. The Monastery of St. Scholastica, named for his sister, is the only one still standing and still functioning as a monastery. Benedict had established several which have since fallen into ruins. The abbot warned us that the monks are not always friendly since there are so many tourists with which to deal. One of the volunteers served as our guide and showed us the newer and older cloisters and then led us to the church which is lovely, clean, and well used. There was to be a wedding, probably today, and the church was set up for that. Saturday is the big Italian wedding day.

St. Scholastica in the cloister

There is a modern statue of St. Scholastica in the more ancient cloister and some lovely flowers. There are frescos on the walls and ceilings. Pictures were not supposed to be taken but some were nevertheless.

Following our visit to the church some of us walked to the library where some very ancient texts are kept. I only explored the first floor which had some illuminated manuscripts on display.

The sanctuary and choir of the abbey church

Back to the bus to continue up the hill to the Monastery of Saint Benedict. Within it is the cave where Benedict lived for several years before founding the monasteries. The church is on several levels. There are spectacular views of the 
surrounding mountains and the various gardens. All of the spaces are quite small and decorated with fascinating frescos. Included amongst them is the oldest known depiction of St. Francis on the wall of a tiny chapel.

There was the obligatory stop at the souvenir shop, a step up from the usual trinket vendors.

We had to climb up quite a hill to get to the monastery because the bus was not allowed. Some of the hairpin turns Genaro accomplished were beyond my comprehension. There were two paths to take up the hill, a gradual climb on a small roadway, and stairs (a lot of them). The 
gradual climb is billed as easier but longer. The stairs as harder but shorter. Now we descended which might seem easier but often descending a steep hill requires more effort. Also, one can see where one might end up if one started to roll down the hill!

View from St. Benedict's

Lunch had been arranged back at the restaurant of the Monastery of St. Scholastica. It was interesting. For a fixed price we would have bread, water, wine, a first course (in Italy usually pasta), and vegetables (sometimes served as another course by itself). The bread was there as was the water and wine which they freely refilled as needed. The pasta course was rigatoni with meat sauce and some specks which were supposed to be broccoli. The vegetable course was a plate of fried potatoes. There you have it!

Boarding the bus we set out for Rome, arriving at 4 PM. We needed to leave the hotel at 4:45 to go to the Vatican where we would celebrate Mass. I collected by bags and went to my cozy room, regrouped and descended to the lobby. As we were gathering one of the ladies said to Flavio, our tour manager, that she had stayed in room 203 the last time we were in Rome and it had bed bugs. My room this time around is 203. Joy!

Our Mass was in Holy Spirit Church which, in my opinion, is extremely ugly. It is Baroque with a multitude of frescos done in the worse taste possible. Those walls not painted are garish marble. The high altar had a huge portrait of John Paul II propped before it. There was another equally large portrait at one of the side altars, and yet a third on the facade of the church. On the other side there was a huge picture of the “Divine Mercy” image. All the time we were there people came, lit candles, dropped money in the candle offering boxes, said their prayers and left. It was a three ring circus. 

Following Mass four of us left to find our own dinner having had enough of the food at the usual place. After returning to the hotel, two friends helped strip my bed and look for bed bugs of which we found no evidence. Let’s hope the next three nights are bug free!

The Colorado/South Dakota contingent on the Monastery Mount

On the Road Again

The Basilica of Saint Francis

We arise early because we must be on the road to Assisi. Our Mass will be celebrated at 9 AM and the Masses are scheduled one after another. If you are not on time — forget it.  Breakfast at this hotel is a step above that at the religious house in Rome. The croissant were particularly delicious, probably because of the sugar glaze with which they were adorned.

Genaro and his bus take us on the road again to Assisi, the second most popular tourist spot in all of Italy. Pilgrims have been coming to this place to venerate St. Francis and his sister St. Clare since the 1200s. 

The town of Assisi is one of many built on the Umbrian hillside. This region is particularly noted for its olive oil. The hillsides are colored by the gray-green leaves of the olive trees. The hillsides or mountain peaks were favored places for building because they could be defended more easily. If invading armies had to travel up hill, they would more easily be sighted, the gates of the city closed and the armaments readied to fend off an attack. This was one of the “city-states” prevalent all over Italy until its unification less than 200 years ago. Flavio, our tour manager, told us off the tendency, still today, of people in Italy to be so attached to their particular cities that they feel like foreigners when they travel to or work in another city. A Neapolitan working in Florence would still refer to himself as a Neapolitan. 

Our aim today is to visit the Basilicas associated with the life of St. Francis and St. Clare. Why would we do that if we are endeavoring to follow in the steps of St. Benedict? Benedict visited Assisi long before the days of St. Francis so it was a place where he was known during his lifetime. 

The Chapel of the Passion
The Basilica of Saint Francis

We met our local guide Margherita who took us through the churches of St. Francis and St. Clare as well as guiding us around this small city perched high atop the hills of Umbria. 

Our Mass was celebrated in the crypt of the lower church in the Chapel of the Passion of Christ. The abbot spoke in his homily of the necessity of poverty, one of the Franciscan vows. Unless we are poor we cannot realize how much we depend on the mercy of God for all things. Unless we are poor we cannot understand the struggles of the poor. Unless we are poor we cannot understand the needs of the world. 

The Basilica of St. Francis is two churches one on top of the other. The lower church is more ancient, naturally, and is filled with frescos painted by Giotto and other famous Italian artists. There one can venerate the relics of St. Francis which are on a pillar behind the high altar of this church and directly beneath the altar of the upper church.  There are no pictures allowed in the churches we visited today. I’m sorry I can’t share any of the sights.

The upper church was severely damaged in an earthquake nearly 20 years ago and has been rebuilt and restored, as much as possible, to its original state. It has a more gothic atmosphere. There are interestingly carved choir stalls and a throne for the pope since he has apartments here and does come to visit and celebrate in the basilica. 

The two churches are huge and with the attached friary form an impressive area along the hillside.

Street scene in Assisi

Saint Clare in the cloister of St. Mary Major

Basilica of Saint Clare

Next we visited the Basilica of St. Clare which contains the relics of St. Clare, and is closely connected to the lives of both of these saints.

Following lunch and a visit to a local pastry shop (necessitated by the rigors of our journey!!!!), we descended the hillside to the bus and traveled to the Church of St. Mary Maggiore which contains the little house in which St. Francis died. It is another huge edifice, and right under the crossing is the little chapel where the saint departed this life. 

Saint Mary Major

Our bus returned us to Spoleto for a couple of hours of free time. Three of us took a stroll to the city center before returning to the hotel for cocktails and dinner.

The Umbrian countryside

Pilgrimage to the birthplace

We needed to be packed, breakfasted, and on the bus by 8:15 this morning. This would be the morning that the lift in the hotel failed to operate. The sounds of roller bags going down the steps from the fourth to the ground floor echoed through the place. In the meantime, the lift repair people were madly trying to fix the thing. Well, perhaps madly is not the correct descriptive. They were there and looking at it and had some tools. Hopefully it will be repaired by the time we return.

Genaro and his bus began the journey to Spoleto with us on board. The usual traffic, a detour, a near crash with a lorry whose brake lights were not functioning correctly were all impediments to a speedy exit from the city. We are on our way to Norcia, known in English as Nursia. We arrived about 11 just as the rain was ending. This ancient town is in the area of Umbria known for its ham, sausage, and truffles. 

Saint Benedict

Here one finds the Basilica of St. Benedict which is built over the birthplace of St. Benedict and his twin sister St. Scholastica. There is a community of 19 Benedictine monks here which is a fairly new community. Although there had been a monastery here for hundreds of years, it closed in the 19th century. These monks have been here since the 1990s. 

Saint Scholastica

The church is pleasantly simply with some Baroque elements here and there but nothing overwhelming as one would see in Rome. We are to celebrate Mass here and that will be in the crypt right next to the small altar that marks the birthplace of the saints.

The crypt is very ancient, possible 1900 years old. This is determined by the stone work uncovered by archeologists which matches one of Nero’s palaces in the area. It is in the shape of a basilica, the “town hall” of the ancient Romans.  Many of these were repurposed by the Christians when the religion became legal and dominant. The abbot of the monastery spoke to us and explained that Benedict’s father was a government official assigned to this area, so it is entirely possible that the location of the birth of Benedict and Scholastica is here. Those who study such things (and I’ve heard this more than once) will say that a place that has been identified as a birth/death/other event location and has been a place of pilgrimage because of that for hundreds of years, is, in all likelihood, the place it claims to be.

The abbot spoke in his homily during the Mass about the need to listen. To listen not only to others, but to listen to what God is trying to say to you is necessary for peace. If we have our own ideas and refuse to listen to those of others it is impossible to learn from them. If we are at enmity and refuse to listen to one another we cannot have peace.

Blue Pasta/Green Pasta

Favio recommended that we try some of the local specialities for lunch. I had tortellini with black truffles. Another at my table had penne with vodka sauce which was bright blue. In spite of the color it was delicious. The tortellini with truffles was exquisite. Before lunch we shared a plate of various hams and sausages. It was all delicious, as well as the local sangiovese wine.

We walked to the entrance of the village to reboard the bus. Part of the charm of the place is that there is no vehicular traffic so it seems very silent. Italians are famous for driving with their horns. Not to hear those blasting every few seconds reminds one of what peace and quiet really is.

Off we went to Sant Eutizio Abbey which is said to have often 
been visited by Sts. Benedict and Scholastica, and their family. It is another ancient church built on 

San Eutizio

the hillside with a bell tower whose foundation is a very large rock. Underneath the relics of the saint there is a passage way. The legend has it if one goes through this passage on their stomach all of their bone problems will be cured. Most of us tried it. It remains to be seen whether or not the legend plays out.

Emerging from the "tunnel"

Our final destination today is Spoleto and the Hotel Albornoz Palace, a very nice, modern comfortable place, at which I believe we are about the only guests tonight and tomorrow night. My room is the same size as a king size room in an hotel in the US. That is very unusual for a European hotel. The bath is equal in size to a US bathroom as well. Right now I’m looking forward to giving the bed a try.

Evening sky at Spoleto

From the Serene to the Hectic

Our day began with Mass at the Church of Santa Maria della Grazie alla Fornaci. The abbot of the Monastery of Christ in the Desert celebrated and spoke briefly about his wishes for our pilgrimage.

We boarded our bus and Genaro, our trusty driver, headed off towards the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. Our local guide Daniella joined our entourage. She and Favio get along quite well and have worked together at other times. It’s a usual thing for the tour manager to hire local guides because they have the knowledge and expertise necessary to present the city. Daniella gave us information about the city of Rome and pointed out several things of interest along the way. As we traveled over the Tiber she pointed out the only island in the river in this locale. It was used as an isolation ward for infectious diseases. Hence the noun insola (island). I’d never made that connection previously.

Courtyard - St. Paul's Outside the Walls

Alabaster windows

Nave - St. Paul's Outside the Walls

Genaro had to do some expert traffic juggling through the traffic (and its slow-down due to a further demonstration. The basilica is pristine. It had been destroyed in a fire and was rebuilt according to its original plan. There is a large courtyard space before the entrance as a remembrance of the baptistries of old. The nave was empty of chairs so one is greeted by an enormous space. The windows are not stained glass but inset with alabaster, a gift of the Egyptians which gives the whole space a golden glow. The mosaic in the apse is incredibly beautiful and furthers the golden aspect of the interior. Two of the side altars are of malachite inlaid with lapis lazuli, a gift of the Russian Czar. This is the site of Paul’s martyrdom and some of his relics are beneath the high altar.

Michelangelo's Moses

Saint Peter's Chains

Stop number two was the Church of Saint Peter in Chains which is near the Forum and Colosseum. The church is not large and is  tucked in amongst other buildings. It is close by the Mamertine prison where Peter was jailed in Rome. The chains with which Peter is said to have been bound here and in Jerusalem are in a reliquary under the high altar. The building is probably most famous today for the statue of Moses by Michelangelo which is part of a memorial commissioned by Julius II who built St. Peter’s Basilica. Originally designed for that place, the politics of the day prevented it from being placed there so it was placed here instead. Statues of Leah and Rebecca are also part of monument. The church is relatively old and has been the most popular place of pilgrimage ranking just after St. Peter’s in importance.

St. Michael atop Castel Sant'Angelo

We grabbed a quick lunch and then boarded the bus for the area of St. Peter’s which we parked in front of the supreme court building and visited Castel Sant’Angelo. This is the enormous round fortress originally built has the tomb of the emperor Hadrian and then expanded in subsequent centuries. There is a passage from here to the Vatican which the pope used to employ when he needed to escape from his usual habitation. We climbed stairs, and more stairs and more stairs and more stairs. The structure is surmounted by a gigantic image of St. Michael the Archangel. There is a fantastic view of central Rome from the roof. It made the long, hot climb worthwhile. Descending was much easier. It appears from this picture that some were exhausted by this expedition!

Tired pilgrims!

Rome from the roof of Castel Sant'Angelo

Genaro and his bus took us to the Vatican Museum so we could visit the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s. There were the usual crowds. Several galleries must be traversed in order to arrive at the Sistine. Michelangelo’s frescos are always a marvel to behold, especially since they have been cleaned. The problem is the crowds pushing, shoving, talking, taking photos which are forbidden. It is more a circus than a pilgrimage. It is very wearing. 

In St. Peter’s the area before and behind the high altar was blocked off because of a Mass being celebrated there so the viewing areas were limited. We did see the tombs of John Paul II and John XXIII. These two new saints have been given altars in the main part of the church, one next to the Pieta, and the other a short distance from the first.

Refreshed pilgrims!

When we exited the church several of us decided to return to the hotel rather than shop and wait for the bus. In a few blocks walk we were there and ready to relax for the evening.

The "Tour" begins

Beautiful woodcarving in the choir
at St. Chrysogonos

We are up before the sun today. We’ve been staying at a hotel near the Termini, the central train station. Today the rest of the tour “In the Steps of Saint Benedict” arrives. We plan to check out of the IQ Roma, check our luggage and run over to the Termini to take the Leonardo Express to the airport. The tour will start from there. As always, the question is: Will the flight be on time?

We were on time and the other Denverites arrived early.  The bulk of the tour group, however, was delayed in Houston, their flight being cancelled due to weather.

This smaller portion took off with our tour manager Flavio to board the bus and head back to Rome.  

Ancient sarcophagus in the crypt at
St. Chrysogonos

Fresco of Benedict healing a leper

Chapel where Benedict prayed at
St. Chrysogonos

Stop number one was at the Church of St. Chrysogonos in the area of the city west of the Tiber known as Trastevere. The church is very ancient. It is nearby the old Roman wharves. St. Benedict is said to have spent time here. He is pictured in one of the frescos in the yet more ancient church below. There he is pictured as healing a leper. 

Near the river and subject to frequent flooding, this church was built upon the old one at a much higher level. It was remodeled by Cardinal Borghese who commissioned his favorite architect to do the work. 

We walked to  St. Benedict’s Church where St. Benedict resided for a time. It is quite small and ancient. 

Fresco of St. Benedict at St. Benedict's

The final visit of the morning was to Santa Maria in Trastevere. This was built on a pre-Christian shrine and may be the first to honor the Mother of God. The mosaics are stunningly beautiful. The ceiling, as in most churches is incredible. 

Apsidal mosaic at St. Mary in Trastevere

We lunched in the piazza in front of the church. The long flight is catching up with the new arrivals but we enjoyed some time together. The group caught the bus to the Piazza Navonna where they were given time to wander, eat gelato or whatever suited their fancy. I took a bus back to the Hotel IQ to transfer all the luggage to the Religious Guest House where we will be staying now and when we return from Spoleto.

Looking across the sanctuary to part of the organ
at St. Mary in Trastevere

Beautiful choir at St. Mary in Trastevere