A paucity of pictures but a bevy to behold.

Given the allergy attack I suffered yesterday, I had little hopes for sleep. I was wrong! After 8 hours, mostly interrupted, I awoke refreshed. 

Our plan for today is to attend the 10:30 Mass at St. Paul’s within the Walls, go to the Villa Borghese, view the galleries and attend an organ recital.

The apse of St. Paul's within the walls.

St. Paul’s within the Walls is the Anglican/Episcopal Church in Rome. In addition there is a chapel at the Anglican Centre. We arrived at the church with ease since it is only 1.5 blocks from the hotel. We were greeted warmly. Today was not only Sunday, but it was the renewal of the wedding vows of a Nigerian couple who make this their parish home.

I am assuming that renewal in this sense has to do with the religious ceremony following the civil marriage ceremony, but I’m not sure. The “bride and groom” entered with the choir during the first hymn. The Eucharist proceeded as usual. The preacher drew a reference between this Sunday’s gospel of the wedding feast when the invited had excuses and did not attend, and his own personal experience. It was a very well done homily. The preacher was enthusiastic and engaging. Following the Creed the couple “renewed” their vows. The Peace was a real exchange with a loving Christian family. This was, in my opinion, “real liturgy,” the work of the people of God. I loved the way both bride and groom enthusiastically answered the celebrants questions.

The back wall of St. Paul's

Two of the hymns sung were Nigerian in heritage as well as the Lamb of God. What we experienced was a successful melding of western American Prayer Book, Nigerian hymnody, Anglican chant all done with the spirit present and evident in the community. There was nothing phony or “put on” about the celebration. 

A quick trip back to the hotel for a change of clothes and then off to the bus to see the art gallery known as the Villa Borghese,

In his own villa one of the Borgheses, who had become a cardinal secretary of state thanks to his uncle Pope Paul V, assembled a priceless collection of statuary and painting. It is also in one of the most beautiful buildings and art galleries in the western world. No pictures are allowed, hence, there are none. The first floor is basically statuary. There are several Bernini sculptures which show his evolution into Baroque. The ceilings all have paintings. The second floor is paintings by the great masters including Caravaggio, Raphael, Rubens, etc., all hung in wonderfully decorated rooms. It is not a large museum but exquisitely done.

We then sallied forth down the Via Veneto back to our hotel for a few minutes of rest. Then we were off to an organ recital at the Pressede. The church is currently attempting to raise funds for the remodeling of the pipe organ. The organist was a fairly young man, which is good to see. The US has a difficult time getting young persons interested in studying organ, probably because of the dearth of positions available and the disregard in which many church musicians are held.

After a late dinner and walk back to the hotel, it was time to retire.

The Borghese villa

Familiar views

Santa Maria in Agricola

Hopping a very crowded bus this morning (this, just after commenting on how light the traffic was on Saturday), two of us had a cozy trip to the Victor Emmanuel monument. The Romans have given it the nickname of the “wedding cake,” or the “typewriter.” It is enormous and impressively beautiful. 

Our destination was around in back of the monument to a church named Santa Maria in Aracoeli. There are scenes from the life of St. Bernardine of Siena, a favorite Franciscan saint, in fresco around the first chapel as one enters. It is lovely to see ancient art preserved.

Part of the Roman Forum

It is Saturday, and in Rome that is wedding day. Every church we entered was decorated for the nuptials coming up. We were not ejected from any place but the signs warned that one could not roam around during a wedding. Couples must have a civil marriage ceremony, and many choose a religious ceremony as well. A soloist was rehearsing as we entered this church.

Going out on one of the plazas one can view some of the iconic sites of ancient Rome since these buildings overlook the ancient forum and the colosseum. There are a lot of people since it is a perfectly lovely day with bright blue sky and sunshine. We have been fortunate with the weather. 

The piazza designed by Michaelangelo

Before descending to the level of the forum, we took time to admire the Campidoglio Plaza designed by Michaelangelo. The statue in the center is a much earlier work, but the pavement design is his. There is a statue of the twin founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus, on a pillar just off the piazza. 

Romulus and Remus

Ss. Cosmas and Damian

Down we went to see the Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian, another pair of Roman twins. As some of the material assembled for us states: “Rome loves Twins: it worshipped twin gods; it was founded by twin brothers. This church was formerly dedicated to Castor and Pollux, twin gods who personified the pagan conviction that men could become gods.” Later the emperor Diocletian had Cosmas and Damian executed as martyrs for the faith. The building formerly dedicated to Castor and Pollux after time became the church dedicated to these two brothers.

The Colosseum and the Arch

Walking further we passed the Colosseum, a triumphal arch and several tourists buses disgorging or picking up passengers. As we turned northwest we passed by the Circus Maximus or what is left of it. The political rally which clogged traffic in the Piazza della Republica yesterday was now assembled here, listening to speakers and converting the grounds into a replica of Denver International Airport!

The Circus Maximus

Our goal this time was Santa Maria in Cosmedin. which is the home of the “mouth of truth.” This sculpture is on the far end of the porch and legendarily proves whether one is a liar or not. There is a figure of a man’s head. One inserts one’s hand into the mouth. If the hand is withdrawn intact the person being tested is telling the truth. I passed the test!

Santa Maria in Cosmedin

The church is an Eastern Rite Church looking back to its being given to Greek refugees during the iconoclastic controversy in the East. For those interested in such things, the relics of St. Valentine are on one of the side altars. There are interesting mosaics and frescos. 

There was a Saturday market with really good looking food in a large building not far away. We looked around but did not fall into temptation. The restaurant next door did entice us since it was now well after two and lunch had to be procured. 

Saint George dressed for a wedding.

Right next to the restaurant was St. George’s Church. It was too handy and we could not pass it up. The pews were all covered in white, there were enormous bouquets of white roses along with festoons of the same twined around the pillars. The setting was lovely in this ancient church along with a violin rehearsing some beautiful music. 

Another view of the Forum with the city behind

I had to crash. Allergies have kicked in and I had very little sleep the night previous. I headed for the bus and the other two intrepid travelers continued on their way. Putting up my feet helped so I could join them for dinner down the street.

Around and in the Piazza Navonna

In my humble opinion everyone should experience the traffic crush in a large city so they can appreciate how uncrowded South Dakota really is. I know I complain about our “rush minute.” There is nothing to compare with a REAL rush hour. 

There was a demonstration this morning in the Piazza della Republica. I have no idea what the demonstrators were against or for, but I do know that it snarled up the traffic pretty severely. We were off on the bus to the area near Piazza Navona. The bus was much like a sardine can since it was rush hour and demonstration day. We thankfully headed away from the demonstration.

Elephant and Obelisk

Our first mission was shopping at the religious haberdashers around the Piazza della Minerva. The Saint Michaelites are looking for a particular kind of tassel. I was looking for clergy shirts. Barbiconi was one stop. The next was Gammarelli (who, I heard, stitches things up for the pope). It is 200 years old and quite old fashioned. The gentleman who helped us was very patient and most helpful. The prices are kept in a ledger book which he consults. Another man was cutting out a green chasuble on the counter. After measuring me, the gentleman had to take some old fashioned keys and leave the premises to fetch the shirts. I wanted 100% cotton. He told me they had nothing but, they don’t deal in polyester. That was refreshing in this day and age. They do take credit cards, however.

We went across the square to visit Santa Maria sopra Minerva. In the piazza before the church an elephant holds an obelisk. There is a rumor that there are more obelisks in Rome than in Egypt. The spoils of war have found their way northward. This is the only gothic church in Rome. The body of St. Catherine of Sienna lies under the main altar.

A man of 70 years once knelt before the altar here and renounced his belief that the earth moved around the sun. He was to be tried by the Inquisition. As he left, he whispered, “But it does  move.”  His name was Galileo.

Santa Maria sopra Minerva

Michaelangelo's Christ and the Cross

One of Michaelangelo’s little known works stands next to the altar called “Christ bearing the cross.” The tomb of Fra Angelico is nearby. There are also Lippi frescos. 

The dome of the Pantheon

On our way we stopped at the Pantheon which had been a Roman temple to all of the gods. Hadrian rebuilt it in 120 A.D. The dome which covers the round church was used as inspiration for the capitol of the USA, St. Peter’s and several other buildings. It is really a marvel of engineering. The center oculus is open to the sky. It is 30 feet across and the only opening in the building other than the doors. Raphael’s tomb is in this church, as well as Victor Emmanuel II. King Umberto and his queen Margherita are also buried here. It is she after whom the pizza is named.

Time for lunch so we headed to the Piazza Navona and staked out a table near Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers, a Baroque masterpiece which holds up yet another obelisk. Entertainment was provided by a guitarist and a man meditating while sitting on a platform balanced on a stick. Previously we had seen a man seated on the ground holding another man aloft. These are real men for they move periodically and you can see some breathing. 

How do they do it?

Ceiling of St. Ignatius

Following the pleasant break we are off to the Church of St. Ignazio. This very Baroque church is described as a riot of illusions. Some of the ceiling figures are leaving their posts and coming down toward you. The dome in the center is an illusion painted because the money ran out before the dome was built.

Another stop we made was at the Church of San Marcello al Corso another Baroque and Renaissance structure.  Many of the chapels in these churches were remodeled and heavily decorated when their care was given over to prominent families, guilds, and societies. No doubt each of these groups tried to out-do the other when it came to paintings, gilding, chandeliers, etc. 

Mosaic ceiling in St. Prassede

The Basilica of the Holy Apostles was visited after a required stop at a nearby gelataria. The required number of calories being consumed and the church reopened at 4 we could make our visit.

Another very crowded bus ride brought us back to the vicinity of our hotel. We walked to Santa Prassede, a small church in the shadow of St. Mary Major. It has the best Byzantine-style mosaics in Rome. It also has a relic - the pillar of scourging - which tradition says is part of the pillar at which Christ was whipped during his passion, trial and death.

Then — back to the hotel for a few moments of rest before heading out to a charming garden restaurant for a delicious dinner. Tomorrow will bring more adventures.

Above and below

The Basilica of St. Peter

Our day in Rome began with a Metro trip to the closest station near the Vatican City. We got to experience a little of the rush hour. That is something not especially to be desired. We were approached by a dozen or two persons selling tours promising to skip the lines. Arriving in St. Peter’s square (an odd name for an ellipse) we could see why many would opt for the “skipping the line” part. The security line stretched along Bernini’s colonnade, down one side and all across the piazza in from of the church! It must have involved an hour’s wait, at least. 

Interesting view of St. Peter

We had plenty of time before our appointment with the “scavi.” This is a trip to the excavations under St. Peter where the bones of St. Peter were discovered in the 1940s-50s. Our guide was excellent and explained why St. Peter’s is where it is. This site used to be outside the city of Rome. There was a “circus” here, an hippodrome dedicated to various games that would be played in front of large audiences. Such venues would be appropriate for the deaths of the condemned since these events were usually public spectacles. We seem shocked at the attitude the ancient Romans had towards those competing in the “games.” We seem to have not taken a look at ourselves when we cheer those who win and delight in “sports activities” that are prone to draw blood (football and hockey for 2). 

Two of the famous Swiss guards

A further proof was the placement of a necropolis in the same site. The dead were treated with reverence by the Romans and interred with honor in highly carved sarcophagi, or in alabaster jars for those who were cremated. By inscriptions and other evidence it has been decided that St. Peter was actually buried under the early St. Peter’s Church which was replaced by the baroque structure we see today. 

The famous Pieta

The trip we took today goes down below St. Peter’s to the catacombs which were underneath the original structure. To preserve the archeological digs, a limited number of people are allowed to enter (there were fewer than twelve of us). As our guide said it is like going into a mine. The air is very humid and the passages are narrow. No photos are allowed, so none appear here. Not my rule but theirs. 

The Holy Door at St. Peter's 

After completing the 2 hour tour we visited St. Peter’s Basilica since we had been through the very short line for security and were able to move freely. Dian and Nancy had not visited the sacristy and treasury so I suggested they see that collection. No photos there either!

Roman street scene

We walked across the Tiber and had lunch in a little cafe on an alley. It was a beautiful day so we decided to sit outside. Entertainment was provided by a group next to us who engaged in very loud and demonstrative “Italian” conversation. 

The three of us walked along to the Basilica of St. Augustine. This church is notable because of the presence of the tomb of St. Monica, St. Augustine’s mother. She was originally buried at Ostia Antica. She was instrumental in the conversion of her son and husband. St. Augustine is one of the doctors of the western church, very well known for his theological writings and his rule for monks. 

St. Monica's original sarcophagus 

Now we felt we had earned a gelato break and headed to Rome’s oldest ice cream parlor, Giolitti. Many others had the same idea. I had one scoop of dark chocolate and one of coconut. The coconut was very good but still not as good as the chocolate! Nothing is as good as the chocolate!

Newly energized we pressed on to the next goal that of the Church of Saint Maria Vittoria where there is the famous statue of St. Theresa in Ecstasy by Bernini. There is also a fresco by Raphael.

Rafael's fresco in the Church

St. Susanna, immediately across the street was our final goal for the day. It was, however, closed for remodeling. 

Heading back to the hotel we stopped at St. Mary of the Angels which is constructed by and also used parts of the Baths of Diocletian. The lights were being turned off as we entered so we thought we should leave post-haste. 

We walked a lot (16,000 some steps), saw a lot and ended the day with a delicious dinner at a trattoria just down the street from the hotel.

Tomorrow there will be more to see and more to learn. 

The organ at St. Maria della Vittoria

Not Three Coins in a Fountain but Five Churches in Rome.

Pillar in front of St. Mary Major

The first full day in Rome. What a lovely, bright day this is. The temperature is forecast to be in the 80s. There is not a single cloud in the sky.


 The hotel in which we are staying is, I would say, superb. The staff is great and multilingual. It is billed as a four-star hotel for the current generation. The rooms are comfortable, modern and efficient with plenty of “room,” unusual for an European hotel. 

Breakfast in the hotel dining room was a pleasure. The three of us pilgrims agreed to meet at about 8. One made it on time, the others within the hour. We plotted our day which would include a fair amount of walking. It turned out to be 8.5 miles of it! Good for our bodies, our waistlines and whatever else we worried about!

Reliquary containing portion of the Crib of Bethlehem

Our first stop was at St. Mary Major, one of the major basilicas of Rome. It is known for its location at which snow fell in August to indicate the place where this should be built. It is known as a shrine of Our Lady of the Snows because of this event. There is also a relic of the crib of Bethlehem which is in the crypt, the place underneath the high altar, often found in historic churches. There is one underneath the high altar at St. Peters (where Peter’s tomb is located) and at several other churches. Often times these churches were built over burial sites which were then incorporated into the church building itself.

One of the domes in St. Mary Major

. 
Following this we walked a brief way to St. Alphonsus which is the home of the original icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, the western version of the Eastern icon of Our Lady of the Passion. A kindly 

Our Lady of Perpetual Help

The three pilgrims before the icon.

sister who was present in the gift shop asked if we would like to get closer to the icon, so she escorted us into the sanctuary and offered to take our picture. What a kind gesture!

This is a proper baptismal font!

A stop for lunch was necessary on a shady street as we traveled on.

Peter and Paul above the Papal altar.

We arrived at the Lateran Basilica which is, in actuality, the cathedral church of Rome and the official seat of the pope, the bishop of Rome. It is an ancient building going back to the early years of “legal” Christianity. It has been destroyed many times and rebuilt each time as “newer and better.” The pope and his entourage used to live in the Lateran Palace. Following the papal exile to France and the return to Rome, the pope moved to the Vatican which has been the home of the Roman Church ever since. 

Above the altar are reliquaries said to contain relics of the heads of Peter and Paul. To the left of the later is another shrine said to contain a part

Ceiling of the Lateran Basilica

 of the table used at the Last Supper. At the center of the apse is the pope’s throne or cathedra as bishop of Rome. 

The Lateran Basilica has a gorgeous ceiling. There are five long seating areas separated by columns. Along the nave are enormous statues of the twelve Apostles. St. Matthew stands on a sack of coins to indicate that he had given up his former occupation as a Roman tax collector. St. Thomas extends a finger to point toward the high altar. It was he who demanded that he be able to put his finger in the Lord’s wounds following the Resurrection.

The Pope's Cathedra

Icon of our Lady written by St. Luke

After a gelato break, we went to the holy steps which lead to a chapel containing several relics. The steps were supposedly brought by St. Helena from Jerusalem to Rome, and were the steps up to Pontius Pilates residence which Jesus had to climb to his trial. It is a pious custom to climb the steps on one’s knees. None of us opted to do that, most likely having to do with advanced age and our knowledge that our knees would most likely not last forever. 

We were off, following this, to the Church of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem which is not actually in Jerusalem but in Rome, but is the church which particularly proclaims the Lord’s passion and death. There are supposed relics of the true cross, the nails, the thorns from the crown, St. Thomas’s finger, one of the nails from the cross, etc. 

Church of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem

The church is relatively quiet and is a respite from the crush of the tour groups in the Lateran. It is much smaller than many of the popular “tourist churches,” although there were tour buses parked in from when we arrived. Most had departed by the time we exited the church and headed back towards “home.” 

A stop at a recommended cafe provided a delicious dinner and we returned to the hotel to the good news that my checked bag had arrived and I now had a variety of clothes to wear! The bag had taken the flight I had not. By some miracle it and its owner were reunited. 

Some lessons learned.

Frankfurt airport

Well, here I am in Frankfurt, where I never thought I would be on this trip.

One always learns from travel. So far I’ve learned that signs that say “On Time” lie. I’ve learned that once on board a plane one is a virtual prisoner. I’ve learned that the truck which the ground crew attaches to the 747 to provide power to start the engines can get lost at O’Hare. I’ve learned that can cause us to leave two hours late which causes one to miss one’s connection, and the rebooked flight as well. I have hopes, not high ones but hopes, that I will be on the 3:30 flight to Rome and finally arrive at my destination only 12 hours late, or so.

Another view of the runways

If it could speak I would wager that my checked bag would have marvelous tales to tell. I’m wondering if I will ever see it again. At the same time I’m wondering how to collect on my baggage insurance. That will possibly be another lesson!

The weather here today is gray and wet. Hopefully, it will be sunny in Italy. It will be evening by the time I arrive so it won’t make much difference. After a good night’s sleep I should be fine. Tomorrow will be another day with other lessons to learn.

Off to Rome, the eternal city.

No one ever said it was going to be easy. Sometimes we just expect too much. Sometimes things just do not go “right.” 

I’m off on another pilgrimage, this time to spend some time in the eternal city of Rome and to walk in the steps of St. Benedict. All the reservations were made. It looked fairly easy. There was a close connection in Newark, but if all went well things would work out just fine. 

I had mounted an enormous fret about the 55 minutes I would have to connect in Newark. That, it turned out was the least of the problems. It began in Sioux Falls. The flight to Chicago was delayed because the plane had not arrived from Lincoln, Nebraska. I originally had more than an hour to make the connection in Chicago. That time was rapidly shrinking as the arriving plane was later and later. We finally boarded and snuggled in for the one hour and 15 minute flight. Then we had to wait on the taxi-way for 17 minutes, not 15 or 20 but 17! 

After a bumpy arrival at O’Hare, I had to wait for my gate-checked bag which further delayed the process. I was directed to the shuttle to Terminal 1, which sounds ominous in and of itself. I arrived just as the announcement was made for the final call for the flight to Newark. I fell into my seat with a sigh of relief which was short-lived.

We experienced problems viewing the video concerning the intricate instructions for fastening our seat belts. This had to be restarted several times. The “cabin” then announced there were problems with the aircraft that they would attempt to repair without returning to the gate.  Alas, the problems were evidently too complex so we did return. By now the 55 minutes I had to connect in Newark had evaporated. We were told to take all our belongings and exit the aircraft. Obediently following like lemmings off the cliff, we went.

The consolation offered at the gate was to go to customer service (which I firmly believe is an oxymoron). I detoured to the United Club and encountered Nancy K. who did (I think) a marvelous job of rerouting me through Frankfurt to Rome. It seems like a reasonable way to travel. I don’t know about my checked bag, however. She spent over 30 minutes on the phone trying to contact someone in “Baggage Match” who would route my bag in the way of righteousness. Finally, she reached a real person who would try his/her best to see that the bag was (1) found, and (2) sent to Frankfurt and then to Rome.

I’m currently whiling away the time by eating cheese and crackers, trail mix, pretzels, and something round covered in white. This is called lunch which was to have been on the plane, but, alas, was not. 

According to the master plan I was to meet two of my traveling companions from Denver in Newark. We were booked on the same flight to Rome. They, however, were delayed in Denver to the point that they would miss their connection in Newark, so they were rebooked through Frankfurt. Fortuitously, we are now on the same flight from Frankfurt to Rome. If all goes well, which I fully expect it not to, we will connect in Deutschland and still arrive in Roma at the same time! 

Here the endeth the lesson on the perils of air travel. To sum up, I left home at 8:30 this morning and have traveled no further than Chicago, less than two hours by air from home. It is now 4:30.

(FYI - the round things covered in white appear to be white chocolate covered raisins, or white chocolate covered something.)

On a more positive note, pilgrimage is an ongoing experience. As I’ve written previously, I always learn something new, and return a different person from the one who left Sioux Falls. I’ve been to Rome before. This will be a new experience, in a way, since I will be able to spend several days there which always gives one a better perspective for good or bad. One cannot come to know a place in a few hours or a few days. Nearly two weeks there will allow time for reflection and a more leisurely pace of seeing and doing. I’m really looking forward to having time to experience the city without chasing from the airport to the port to the city to the airport to the rail station, etc. 

One of my traveling companions has mapped out a plan which will include several places of interest which I’ve not visited previously. Rather than seeing the same “old” things, there will be several new experiences. 

Part of this trip will be walking (driving, bussing) in the steps of St. Benedict. The father of western monasticism will be instructing us along the way as we visit places of import to him, his sister Scholastica, and those who follow in his path by attempting, day by day, to live by his rule.

I will look forward to sharing these experiences with you.

Peace.