Tag: Catholic

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Coronation Pope Francesco

It was pretty big news here in Rome, and everywhere, last month when Benedict XVI put in notice. It happened really fast, he announced on 11 February that his last day would be 28 February. I was mostly excited that I would be here in Rome for the Conclave. Unfortunately, conclave takes place over a period of time and you never know when the cardinals are going to come to consensus and send out that white smoke. They happened to decide very quickly, conclave started 12 March and they decided 13 March. I missed it. I watched on TV like everyone else, as they announced Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina Pope Francis, or Papa Francesco (after St. Francis of Assisi).

I was able to plan on being in the Vatican for the coronation of Papa Francesco. They call it a coronation from when the Pope was the ruler of the “Stato Pontificio” comprised of modern Lazio, Umbria, Marche, and southern-eastern Emilia-Romania. The new pope would hold a mass, which is special because the pope almost never does the mass, he just does the blessing.

We filled into St. Peter’s Square, passing through security. The square was crowded, but we were able to enter. There were walk ways fenced off separating large areas for the crowds. The round piazza is a bit bowl shaped, presumably for water drainage, however it is not the best design for a stadium-type event.

Before things kicked off, Papa Francesco took a few laps around the crowds on an open top vehicle of some sort. Everyone was going nuts trying to rush to the fence where he was. The only time I saw him get down was near what I referred to as “Campo Argentina”, there were supposedly some disabled people or children there.

The first part of the mass/ceremony took place inside of St Peter’s Cathedral. It was pretty short and we had big screens to view it. The procession leaving the cathedral to the altar set up just outside was rather impressive. There are a lot of cardinals. They all had on their matching robes and were just generally impressive.

The mass was pretty normal. As mentioned, there was an altar set up just outside the doors to the Cathedral. There was an amazing choir to the left, along with the other clergy. The diplomats were seated to the right. Pope Frank gave a great speech on how we are not just Christians, but humans and doing good in the world. This was also the mass of San Giuseppe (Italian Father’s Day), many people had books that they were following along with the mass and songs. I didn’t get one until the mass was over.

I admit I was a bit lost in the mass, as it was in Latin/Italian opposed to my more comfortable English/Latin mass, though I probably understood better than most of the crowd (minus the Italians). Where as the every Wednesday Vatican blessing is repeated in several languages, very few parts were done in multiple languages.

At one point soft yellow and blue (the colors of Argentina) umbrellas seemed to almost be floating down where I knew the fenced off corridors to be. This was shortly after the “peace be with you” bit which was surprisingly fun as no two people I shook hands with said the same thing back to me. Right around then there was also a lot of shuffling in front of me and I took the opportunity to get closer. Then I saw there was a yellow and blue umbrella just in front of us, and beneath it a priest giving communion… duh. Though not that big a ‘duh’ because they normally don’t give communion out in the square. In fact, Daniele says he’s never heard of it.

Obviously at this point the mass was almost over, but I had a really great spot now! I hung around for a little hoping that Papa Francesco might make another round and we could spend more quality time together. But as that looked less likely I asked the Swiss Guard in front of me if anything else was planed, and it was not, so I headed out.

Pictures from the mass:
https://plus.google.com/photos/111221349198606775660/albums/5857941830730346881

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Abbazia delle Tre Fontane

On March 14, 2012 Daniele and I visited the Abbazia delle Tre Fontane. This is an abbey built on a site of three springs, the site of martyrdom of St. Paul.

This write-up and photos are from over a year ago, March 2012, but they never made it up. I’m trying to upload old pictures and the accompanying stories now with back dates so they are archived in order.

Today we continued our tour of Italian monasteries with the Abbazia delle Tre Fontane. The place is very beautiful and religiously important. This is the sight where the Romans martyred by beheading the apostle St. Paul on June 29, 67 AD.

You enter the monestary from the Arco di Carlo Magno (Arch of Charlemagne). Much of the original art work has faded because it dates to the 8th century.

Once inside there is an open courtyard with the main abbey (left) and the church of Santa Maria Scala Coeli (right). The Abbey is the largest structure. The church inside is not as fancy as the other two, this is where the nuns and monks perform their daily activities. It was build to the specifications of all San Benedetto monasteries, so the sun comes into the part of the building relevant for the activities prudent for that time of day.

Santa Maria Scala Coeli literally means ladder to the heavens in Latin and is the smallest of the three in the Monastery. It received this name because on this spot in 1138 San Bernardo, while celebrating a mass for the dead in the presence of Pope Innocent II, had a vision in ecstasy of angels leading souls from purgatory to heaven. The church itself is beautiful.

The church dedicated to St. Paul is down a small path. It is not incredibility big, but it is very ornate. You enter from the side and immediately notice the sound of running water. On your left is an altar for St. Peter, on the right an alter for St. Paul. Each has beautiful artwork. Straight ahead are three niches of black marble for the three fountains. They are at different heights but they fit seamlessly into the church architecture. Behind the middle fountain is another altar, but it was closed. In the center floor is a mosaic representing the four seasons taken from Ostea Antica (ruins close to Rome that are similar to Pompeii). Above the entrance door is a plaque dating to the martyrdom stating that this is the place there the apostle died. Like many Italian structures, this building was build on the ruins of another, that was another. The current structure dates from 1599. Every piece in this church has history and significance, they have it all on their website [http://www.abbaziatrefontane.it].

Like Sacro Speco, these monks are Benedictine order, who follow the teachings of San Benedetto. Specifically they are the sub-order of trappisti. There are many orders but the other popular one in Italy is Franciscan, who follow the teachings of San Francisco.

The moto of San Benedetto is “prega e lavora” or “pray and work”. They hand produce and sell many goods for the income of the monastery, including honey, jam, beer, liqueur, chocolate, as well and clothing, gold, wood goods, all sorts of stuff. This particular monastery is famous for their chocolate and having just tried some, I wish I had bought more! They are also known for goods with eucalyptus, and in fact the grounds of the monastery were covered in eucalyptus trees, as well as olive trees, and other herbs. I saw a bay leaf plant that had grown into a tree! Like Sacro Speco they sell a variety of honeys, but a few more options here. I picked up some eucalyptus honey and some pollen to add to the walnut honey we got before (so much delicious honey!). I’m excited about the pollen, it’s a jar of little grains of yellow pollen. You are supposed to eat a spoon of it in the morning for added energy.

I mentioned they make booze. Here they make all sorts liqueurs from herbs, eucalyptus, chocolate, and citrus. Their brothers in Germany make beer and have gotten pretty famous for it. I was looking at a shelf of some of these crafted brews when I saw one I recognized as a particularly delicious beer available in many US bars, probably just mixed in, right? Nope Chimay is made by Trapisti monks. I picked up a color label I’ve never tasted – hope it’s even better than the red!

Full album from this day trip:
https://plus.google.com/photos/111221349198606775660/albums/5868250225318597217

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Monastery of Saint Benedict – Sacro Speco

On March 5, 2012 Daniele brought me to the Saint Benedict Monastery of Sacro Speco.

This write-up and photos are from over a year ago, March 2012, but they never made it up. I’m trying to upload old pictures and the accompanying stories now with back dates so they are archived in order.

Saint Benedict Monastery of Sacro Speco

Our trip to Assisi seems to have reminded Daniele of the largely untapped “places to visit” the Catholic Church offers us here. We’ve visited a few exceptionally pretty churches, abbeys, and monasteries, but there are much more we still have yet to see.


Saint Benedict Monastery of Sacro Speco

The two largest orders of monks are of Saint Frances and Saint Benedict. Saint Frances, famously walked from Assisi to Rome. Saint Benedict prayed in a cave and had visions (to simplify things a bit). That very cave was turned into a monastery, which is not far from us in Rome. Benedictine monks also believe in a “work and pray” model which leads to awesome hand made goodies in their shops, like honey.


Monk on a cell phone

This monastery, Monastero San Benedetto – Sacro Speco, in the city of Subiaco, is very old with beautiful stuccoes on the walls. Like Assisi, and apparently any church, the older church is the lower level and they built on above it. Here the lower level showed its age with a fair amount of scratched in graffiti. People are animals.


Monastery of Saint Benedict – Sacro Speco : Stucco of Madonna Saint Gregory’s Chapel in lower/older church covered in graffiti signatures

The amazing thing about this place, and what I really didn’t expect, is the cave is there in its original form built right into the church. It is not covered in tiles or other wise refinished; it is a cave just in a church.

There is another Benedictine monastery below Sacro Speco, Monastery of Saint Scholastica. We took a tour of this one. They had a store so I bought some honey.


View from Monastery of Saint Benedict – Sacro Speco, including Monastery of Saint Scholastica (front left) and city of Subiaco (back right).

As a little bonus there are some Ancient Roman ruins just on the road to Sacro Speco. A villa of Nero. You find old villas of Nero everywhere you go around Rome; dude had a lot of houses.

The rest of the photos from this trip can be found here:
https://plus.google.com/photos/111221349198606775660/albums/5865687971036327841

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Assisi Pilgrimage

On Feburary 25, 2012, Daniele and I spent the day in Assisi as part of a weekend visiting his family in Umbria.

This write-up and photos are from over a year ago, February 2012, but they never made it up. I’m trying to upload old pictures and the accompanying stories now with back dates so they are archived in order.

Basilica of St Francis

Daniele and I took a trip to Umbria this weekend. I had never been to Assisi, though it had been on my “Italy list” for a while. Nor had I met his mother’s family who are from Umbria, but I’ll save that story for next time.

Assisi is a beautiful town and it is obvious why it brings in the tourists and pilgrims. Many smaller towns in Italy are dieing as the younger generation moves to the bigger cities for work, but Assisi seems to be doing well and does not have that ghost town feel some hill towns can have.

There are many, many churches in Assisi. I’m not sure if you can stand anywhere in Assisi without having a church in eyesight, maybe two. There are also people who are serious pilgrims, barefooted, robed, looking to tap into the holiness of the place.

We were their bright and early, so we started with the number one tourist spot, Basilica of St Francis and the Sacro Convento. It had only just opened, so there was no crowd, contrary to when we were leaving a bit later it was already getting filled. This church, like others I’ve seen though never this large and decorative, is two churches built on top of each other. The older church is below, partially underground, and the newer church is above it with lots of light. Both churches are very ornate and stunning.

Upper church

Lower church

The Basilica of St Francis also contained the Sacro Convento. The convent was not much to see, but I did stop in their store to get some souvenirs.

Sacro Convento

It was a bit of a disconnect, knowing this church had been destroyed and standing inside when and it seemed perfect. The restoration work was amazing! Particularly in this cathedral. Some of the other, lesser churches had plain white walls as they must have not received as much restoration love. If you don’t remember the damage Assisi underwent in 2009, this 2-minute video includes most of the startling footage from when that was news.

The town itself dated back to the Romans and held some tells of its age. The main square featured a Temple of Minerva and Cistern.

We also hit up a few other churches, including the “Chiesa Nuova” build in 1615 where St. Frances was born and lived until he was 24, The Basilica of St Claire, St. Rufino Cathedral or “Duomo di San Rufino”, St Peter’s Church “Chiesa di San Pietro”, and one that I have a photo of but can’t remember of find online what it’s called.


Chiesa Nuova


The Basilica of St Claire


St. Rufino Cathedral or “Duomo di San Rufino”


St Peter’s Church “Chiesa di San Pietro”


Church in Assisi

Finally we hiked above the town to the “Eremo delle Carceri”. This is a convent turned prison turned museum that towers above the town, itself on a hill.

The complete album from Assisi including inside the churches and around the town:
https://plus.google.com/photos/111221349198606775660/albums/5862010840111467969

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Musei Vaticani

Today I finally went to the Vatican Museum. When my mom, Aunt Linda, and I came to Rome four years ago we made our “Vatican” day Sunday. We did this to get our stuff blessed by the pope, not realizing the museum is closed on Sundays and we would miss the Sistine Chapel. I’ve been waiting for a whole free day to see the entire thing; that was today.

I visited for about six hours. I saw everything, from the Sistine Chapel and the Rafael Rooms to the modern art and Vatican stamps rooms. I planned ahead to take my time and spend the day there, so I packed a small lunch. As I was about to leave the cafe, the table next to me needed another chair. I called over to them that I was leaving, and as the girl still standing turned to thank me and take it, I saw it was my friend Med Murray from High School! Then as I looked closer I saw that Cecelia Gondek was also there. The third girl was a friend of Cecelia’s from grad school. We caught up and chatted for a little while. Meg had been working in a recording studio in New York until last February when she moved to LA. Unfortunately they were continuing on to Tuscany the next day, so we couldn’t make other plans, but it was a really nice surprise.

Here’s us in the cafe:

[Edit] Link to Rome photo album:
https://picasaweb.google.com/kaitlyn.hanrahan/20101001Roma#