Saturday March 18th:
We all arrived at the airport and most of us were greeted by two lovely women, Valeria, and Agnes. They made sure that we all got to the correct bus for our ride to the residence. Shame on me, I don't think I got any pictures of the residence where we stayed. Most of us then crashed for a bit of rest after our long journeys. This was our first afternoon in Rome, we went into the city for our first view of St Peter's Square and Basilica and to find a mass.
Sunday March 19th:
This was our first day of touring and we were divided up into two buses and driven to a place just above the Coliseum. Here we met with our guides and I was with Teresa, a fiesty 80 year old Roman woman. We first walked to see the church of St. Clement which has a much older church a level below the present one with interesting frescos and a few niches for tombs and memorials. This also is the church with the Mithreum, an old pagan shrine just across a very narrow alley from the older lower church. The upper church has a goldtone mosaic with the cross in the center in the apse behind the main altar. Just below is a line of sheep which represent Jesus, in the middle, and the 12 Apostles. And below this is a fresco again with Jesus in the middle with the 12 Apostles. From here we walked back and saw Constantine's Arch before going into the Coliseum. A small group of us broke off and headed to lunch.
Afternoon was spent at the Roman Forum and I didn't take many pictures here cause I've seen so many Roman ruins before now, mostly all the structures left in the south of France. After a little free time to wander and check out the Vittorio Manuel Monument, we went into the Church of Saints Cosmos and Damien. Here we saw another amazing mosaic in the apse. Jesus, with St Paul and St Peter presenting the twin brothers Cosmos and Damien to him, and more lambs below. What a beautiful church. We had our first english mass here.
Monday March 20th:
Today we started our day with a tour of the Church of the Holy Cross. Unfortunately the Chapel with the relics was closed. But the art and mosaic were spectacular. Then we walked down the road to the Basilica of St. John Lateran. This church is immense with much to see. Standing in front of this church and looking to our right across the street, we saw the Chapel which holds the Scala Santa. We went out the side entrance to see the bapistry also. Out this side entrance also is an egyptian obelisk. Our group walked over to the Scala Santa just as it was closing for lunch so we did not get to explore the inside but we did get to look at the stairs. Again, a few of us went to lunch at a great little spot. This afternoon was the first of our lectures by Fr. Charles Brown, and I don't have any pictures from this. Would love to get some from someone.
Tuesday March 21st:
Today we hit the Vatican Museum. It was crowded and hard to see everything but we were just a tiny group of the 3 million people who will visit it this year. We hit all the major highlights. First we stopped in front of a display so that Teresa could explain the Sistine Chapel since technically there is no talking allowed in the Chapel. Then we went into the Pinecone Courtyard, and into the statue section. Laocoon was quite nice as was the animal gallery. The woman in the circle surrounded by stars and moons is just one example of the floor mosaics which have found a home here. The picture of the simple looking bas relief is actually a painting and not a sculpture. The gilding and painted ceiling in the hall of maps was just incredible. And I managed to snap a photo of the Last Supper which is a Flemish Tapistry. And the paintings in the halls and Rafael rooms were magnificent. We did go into the Sistine Chapel but I obeyed and didn't take pictures in there. The books you can buy are so nice with detailed explaination anyway. I had bought 2 before leaving for this trip. Out of the Chapel we came to the right side of the Basilica of St Peter. I was able to get a good picture of the Holy Door, and then we went inside for a more detailed look around.
After a nice lunch in the Vatican area, we went across the river to the Pantheon area where we visited the Jesuit churches - the Church of the Holy Name of Jesus, St. Ignatius of Loyola, and St. Maria sopra Minerva. The small elephant holding up the obelisk in front of the latter was just darling. Michelangelos Risen Christ holding the cross was just exquisite, and it was neat to see Fra Angelico's tomb. Next was the Pantheon and the dome was huge. The "Father" of Italy is buried here and I got a great shot of Teresa holding her yellow umbrella which we followed everywhere. When we were let go from the tour group, a few of us went up the street to see St. Augustine. The feast day of St Augustine is my B-day so I had to go see this church. They were just finishing up saying the rosary and were about to start mass so we decided to stay for mass. It was the perfect end to this day. We walked to Piazza Navone and found the shop "Ai Monesteri" where one can by chocolate, liqueurs, medicines, and household products made by the monks at the local monasteries. I bought several small bottles of liquer which is a chocolate spiced with hot pepper. I will be opening one on Easter evening to try it and toasting all the new friends I have made on this trip. Dinner was at a small hosteria on the way back toward the Vatican. We walked all the way back to catch the bus in front of the Vatican. Couldn't find the little pizzeria I wanted to try for dinner, oh well.
Wednesday March 22nd:
Today was audience day. We got there with plenty of time to get reasonable seats though not as good as they could have been. We were in the second enclosed section of seats on the right facing the Basilica. I tried to get photos of some of our group. My digital camera zoom is part optical and part digital zoom so the images are pixelated and not very detailed. I have several better photos of the Pope from my audience the following week. Check out the photos at the bottom of this page. After the audience two of us walked across the river in search of the pizzeria I wanted to try, but still couldn't find it, so we found another place we had passed before and stopped. When it started to sprinkle we moved to an inside table and had a nice meal. We walked back across the pedestrian bridge by Castel Sant'Angelo and got pictures of the Angels standing guard along it. This afternoon was the second talk and I actually managed to get a good shot of Enrique and Monsignor Fucinamo from the Office of the Congregation of the Divine Sacraments.
Thursday March 23rd:
This was our day off though I had arranged a tour of the catacombs below St. Peter's Basilica to see St. Peter's tomb. I went in on the early bus and attended mass in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel at St. Peters. Then I went to the Scavi office to confirm that we were present for our scheduled tours. No pictures from this sorry, but others may have some. It was too sacred an event for me to take pictures. I did get good pictures of the Swiss Guards at the Archway back to the Scavi Office. Someone also has pictures of the group as they gathered on the steps for the tours. After the Scavi tour we visited a church just up a side street from the Vatican called Santo Spirito di Sassa. It was decorated with many of the flowers typically found in Hawaii, (red anthuriums, and orchids in long garlands), so I dubbed this one the Hawaiian church. After a bit more shopping, I went back early to the residence, since I had signed up for dinner there this evening. I needed a nice early day after all the walking. My spirit was willing, but my feet were hurting from the cobblestones.
Friday March 24th:
This morning we transfered from the residence to the yellow "Christian Rome" tour bus which is where Agnes spends much of her time when not with tour groups. We went to the Capitoline Hill to see the Piazza del Campidoglio designed by Michelangelo which dominates the center of the hill with building around on 3 sides, and stairs leading up from the bottom on the W side. The Statue of Marcus Aurelius dominates the center of the square. To the upper left corner between the buildings is the stair which leads to St. Maria in Aracoeli. The outside was adorned with mosaics as was the interior. An 4th century legend states that the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to emperor Augustus on the N side of the hill, or that the birth of the Son of God was foretold by an oracle to the emperor. This is a site not to be missed. Then we crossed the courtyard and went into the Capitoline museum which houses many ancient, "old" by Teresa's standards, statues, engravings, sarcophagi, and has a great view of the Roman Forum from the S balcony. Not many of my pictures here turned out cause of lighting mostly.
In the afternoon we started at Our Lady in the Little Valley. Most notable is the the remains of St. Philip Neri reside here in a side chapel. The copy of Caravaggio's Deposition, otherwise known as "taking Down from the Cross", resides in another of the chapels. I went back to the Vatican museum one of my last days to see the original in the pinacoteca. We then made stops in Piazza Farnese, Campo de'Fiori which is a very active area and we passed the residence where St. Bridget of Sweeden resided while living in Rome. Next was the church St Louis of France. One of the chapels here houses originals by Caravaggio all depicting scenes from the life of St Matthew. The ceiling frescos were done by the same artist who decorated the ceilings in the Palace in Versailles. From here we went a short distance to the Piazza Navone and bid farewell to Teresa for the evening. We had mass at St Augustine's tonight. Sorry all, I really don't have many pictures from this day but would love a few donations to fill in the gaps.
Saturday March 25th:
This day was a whirlwind of a day. We started at the Catacombs of St. Callixtus, then moved over to St. Sebastian, and the catacombs here. I didn't take pictures here, I felt it was too sacred a place to do that. When I get my postcards maybe I will scan them in. Then we went to EUR for lunch but the town was dead, dead, dead on a saturday. We did drive around and saw what the Romans call the square Coliseum, the museums, and lake. Next was the Abbey of Tre Fontaine. Here there are 3 churches, St Pauls at the Three Fountains, Saints Vincent and Anastasia at the Three Fountains, and Our Lady of the Stairway to Heaven. Several of these churches had windows which were quite medieval, with small round 6 inch diameter pieces of glass in a metal frame. We ended this day at well, maybe my most favorite of all, St. Paul's Outside the Walls. Here you can see the Basilica from the courtyard, and the middle door with the cross. And on the far right is the Holy Door. This is the church which has the small round mosaics depicting all the Popes from the Rock himself, St. Peter, all the way to our current Benedict XVI. The canopy over the main altar (used only by the Pope or by special permission from him) by Cambio is stunning. Also the huge pascal candle- stick must need a crane to move. The mosaics in the apse and the apsidal arch are also some of the most impressive. We got here a bit late for mass but did see Vespers. I come back here several days later.
Sunday March 26th:
We started this morning with a failed attempt to get into the city center. The Rome Marathon was going on and most of the center was blocked off from traffic. We ended up having to take the subway in to the Spanish Steps metro stop and up and out we walked by the Steps on our way to the church of St. Silvester, for mass. This was a very nice mass said by the Irish pastor. Then we headed by several other churches on our way to the Trevi Fountain. We broke for a quick lunch - didn't have much time - and met back by the fountain. Then we were off to the Spanish Steps again, and continued on up to the Piazza del Popolo. We met up with the bus again just up toward the park, and headed to St. Lawrence Outside the Walls. I call this one, the crooked church cause it is a merger of two separate buildings which were not quite aligned. This church had some wonderful 13th century frescos on the outside above the doors in the atrium. This church is decorated in the Cosmatesque style. From the outside pictures, you can see the medieval windows with small holes filled with glass letting in the light. Then we were bused to our last church of the tour, St. Mary Major Basilica. There was a mass being said by one of the New Cardinals and so we did not get to explore the church as we might have wished but again, it is beautiful with paintings and mosaics, and here we saw the tallest of the Bell Towers made in the Romanesque style. Next trip to Rome, I must have a better chance to explore the chapels, see the crypt, and the relics chapel. We bid our guides farewell and headed back to the residence early for our last dinner all together. I would love copies of the pictures taken at the dinner and of the group in the lounge getting last minute group photos. Please someone send me some.
Monday March 27th:
Pat was there on Monday so she and I went to mass at St. Peters with the same Priest that does mass every morning at 8:30am in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. I started a rosary after mass and continued it at each of the churches we visited this day. We went to the Scala Santa and prayed. It was just beautiful. After lunch we went back to Holy Cross to see the relics. Wow! Then after a brief stop in John Lateran, we headed to St. Pudenziana and couldn't find it at first. Had to stop to ask someone who pointed us there. It was meant to be cause when we sat down to pray in the church where St Peter lived while in Rome, a Fr. Vic from the Philippines asked us if we were Catholics. He then proceeded to bless us and give us Scapular Rosaries which he placed around our necks. This it turns out is the national church of the Philippines. The pictures are the front of St. Pudenziana. It is sad to see that the frescos on the front are so damaged from the elements. After a bit more time here, we headed up the street to St. Prassede which holds the pillar to which Jesus was tied when he was scourged. It was just a great day. We stopped for dinner in this area at a great little place between St. Mary Major and the Termini Station, then headed back to the residence. Pat was staying there another night, I got a taxi and headed to my hotel in town.
Tuesday March 28th:
I was by myself, so I simply went to get a ticket for the Wed audience from the Swiss guards at the Vatican and finished up quite a bit of writing and shopped a bit more. I had planned to go to St Paul's Outside the Walls again that afternoon but the subway was closed in that direction due to some demonstration so I decided to stay put since the buses probably had to drive through it also. My legs and feet were very happy to have a day to recover a bit.
Wednesday March 29th:
On Wed, I went to the audience and was in the front section at the back corner where I would be sure to get some good pictures. When he came into the Square, passing by me he looked straight at me, and I was not taking his picture. Then as he came back to the center aisle to head up to the podium, turning the corner right in front of me, he looked at me again, and again I was not taking his picture. The eye contact was intense and I suspect he wondered why I wasn't taking his picture. Those looks were meant for me alone. Anyway, the solar eclipse started before the end of the audience and I stayed in the square to watch it. A few of the Swiss guardsmen came to see what I was doing and to see the projection of the sun through my binoculars. I also met two men from the Chicago Area. They watched the eclipse with me for a bit. This afternoon I made it back to St Pauls Outside the Walls and it was perfect timing. I got there in time to sit and pray in the Blessed Sacrament chapel just before Vespers started again, and mass was also included. The same priest that presided over vespers the day the group was there said the mass. He must be an english speaker of some kind cause he spoke Italian very slowly and I could actually understand 85-90% of what he said during the homily. It was just amazing. Even I could tell he was speaking Italian with a heavy english or american accent. He then blessed us with the Guilded Cross from the main altar. WOW! I believe God wanted me there that afternoon. I took pictures which show just how brilliant this church is just before sunset. The fact that the church faces West toward the sunset which is my favorite time of the day, endears it all the more to me. I also got out around to the bell tower (its actually not leaning, I was).
Thursday March 30th:
On Thursday, I went back to the Spanish Steps as the day was beginning, and watched the city come to life. I then headed for the Vatican Museum and hit all the other things we hadn't seen. Not all of it, but the important things I wanted to see. The mosaic floor in pictures 0096 and 0097 are from the floor of the Baths of Caracalla. And sat and prayed in the Sistine Chapel while everyone was making noise and taking pictures they weren't supposed to. I actually genuflected twice in there to let others know that it was a holy place and needed some respect. I also could not go out the door to the Basilica from the chapel which is ok, cause the walk back to the museum entrance had some of the most fantastic stellar globes I have ever seen. Asked at the shops but they don't make small replicas of them. The stained glass window was along this same corridor. Lunch was very welcome after all the walking and a quick stop in my room. I was walking over to the Piazza Navone area to find a book store and maybe buy some stationary for a friend and guess what. I was walking down the street right in front of the Vatican, just at the bus stop in front of Cafe St Pietro, I ran into Agnes!!!! Unbelieveable! So we talked, she told me of a store and even let me hitch a ride part of the way on her "Christian Rome" tour bus. It was so nice to see her again, and to say thanks and goodbye to her. I found the store she told me about just up the small side street from the Pantheon and was so happy, I walked all the way back to the hotel, stopping in St Peters Square to say my goodbyes there. I enjoyed Rome so much and I didn't want to leave. My mission, to find a job that would take me to Rome to live for 3-5 years. Maybe they would let me study those stellar globes?
Friday March 31th:
Well today I headed home to Hawaii. Sitting in the airport, I listened to "Arrivederci Roma" and had to stop it before tears came to my eyes. I arrived in Atlanta this evening and spent the night with another AMS member, a friend from the first Alaska cruise. We had a great time catching up on all our news and while we wanted to stay up and talk we were both so tired and she had to get me to the airport early the next morning. Thanks Barbara for the great time and the hospitality!
Restaurants You Must Try:
The first 3 are straight out the Angel Gate of the Vatican City. Facing St Peter's Basilica, go out the square to the right and once you find the gate leading into the Vatican city, turn right and go down Borgo Pio. If you want food at a reasonable price, just follow the priests as they head to lunch in the Vatican area, they know the good places which are within their budget.
Al Passetto Di Borgo (Ristorante Da Roberto), Borgo Pio, 60-62 - This chef has won Cuisine awards and we were directed here by a Roman woman in a shop near the Vatican. Don't Miss This!
Tre Pupazzi, Borgo Pio, 183
Mozicone, Borgo Pio, 180
Hosteria Da Vito e Dina, Via degli Scipioni, 50 - This one is a great restaurant right by the Ottaviano Metro Stop. It was in the same block as the hotel I stayed for my extra 4 nights in Rome. Vito is just a great chef, try his spagetti alle mare (it had clams, mussels, shrimp, and a bit of abalone)!! Their pizza is good to go also!
L'Insalata Ricca, Largo dei Chiavari, 85/86, this is a chain so several restaurants around town. Find one if you need a break from the pasta. I had the ensalata avocado, just excellent! The one we visited was near the Campo Dei Fiori.
Osteria De Nerone, Via delle Terme Di Tito, 96 - This came highly recommended but was closed the day we were in this area. I didn't make it back here unfortunately.
The hotel I used for my last 4 days alone was Hotel Amalia. It is 2 blocks from the Ottaviano Metro stop and is very nice. The rates include continental breakfast. The bed was nice and firm and is located 2 blocks W of the Vatican Museum on Via Germanico, 66. I just kept going back to Orbitz checking hotels and one night this poped up for $68 per night where it is usually 130 Euros, or $145 per night.
Shops You Must Visit:
Ai Monasteri , Via Corso Rinascimento, 72 - This shop is near the Piazza Navone. From the Piazza, go out the N street and turn right. Walk around the block, and you will see it across the street less than a block down.
Shop At Abbey of the Three Fountains, Abbazia Tre Fontane - This shop is a must if you would like to buy items made by the monks at this Abbey as well as the Trappisti Cioccolata bars that are incredible.
Benedictine Shop (Negozio Benedettina), Piazza Cavalieri di Malta, 5 - Another shop where you can find the Trappisti Chocolate bars, and many and varied religious items.
Il Papiro, Via del Pantheon, 50 - This shop is just N of the Pantheon. Standing in front of the Pantheon looking into the square, go N up the street to the right out of the square, this is a narrow street. It is up about a block on the right. This shop sells Italian made papers(marbled), notebooks and cards, stationary, many other things. Check it out if you need a nice gift for someone! They are expensive but worth every penny.
Soprani SRL, Via del Mascherino, 29 - You find this by going down Borgo Pio, just outside the Angel gate to the right of St Peter's Square, facing the Basilica. Walk one block down from the Vatican wall, and turn left, it is the store on the left corner at the end of the block. They have many religious articles, and is a very cut rate store. Go here first to find things and then go to the others. You may just complete your gift list at this store.
Borgo Shop, Borgo Pio, 65 - Many and varied religious articles, and I went back 3 times to buy more things and took others with me. The locket rosaries are fantastic! They also sell those hard to find (she says with tongue in cheek) priestly vestments if you would like to get something for your parish priest at home. They sell online and some other americans went to pick up an order from their parish priest to take the items to be blessed at the audience and brought them back to be shipped home. Tell them I sent you, maybe they will give me a discount when I return!
Il Cioccolato dei Trappisti, Via Acque Salvie, 1 - I never made it to this shop but there are limited places where one finds the Trappisti chocolate bars and this is another one. I would check with a local or the phone book to make sure this shop is still open.