Praised be Jesus Christ!
This will be just a brief overview of the places we went. If you want to ask more about a certain place, feel free to and I will reply in the comments. Otherwise, I hope to do a more detailed update, if not while I'm here in Gaming, when I get back at the end of the semester.
March 5-14
Friday: We left Friday and traveled through the night to get to Rome on Saturday.
Saturday: After we checked into our hotel, Julie, Claire, Hayley, Mary Kate, Alexis, and myself headed to Netunno where St. Maria Goretti is. We also got gelati and took pictures by the Mediterranean.
Sunday: My first time in the Vatican (which I believe is my 7th European country). We went up to the cupula, which is the very top of the dome in St. Peter's Basilica. That would be a workout of 551 stairs up and 551 stairs down. We went down to the papal crypts and prayed in front of JPII's grave. After a Latin Mass in the Basilica, we went outside to have the Angelus with the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI. We had a tour of the Basilica with the seminarians, and then went to Tre Fontana where St. Paul was martyred. Oh, and I got to use my French twice when we tried to find it!! (This trip has a neat story...)
Monday: We had a tour of Early Christian Rome which started at the Colosseum. Afterwards, we had our Scavi tour and saw the bones of St. Peter.We went to Mass at St. Paul Outside the Walls, but were late because we went to Soprani's for souvenirs. We also had a holy hour that night.
Tuesday: Today we had our 4 hour tour which included Trevi Fountain, St. Andrew's Church, St. Ignatius of Lloyola's Church, the Parthenon, etc. Then Katie, Hannah, Julie, Claire, and I went to the Vatican Museum after getting gelati. (Another interesting story...) Then I played flute for Mass at St. John Lateran's, which has the Table of the Last Supper, and two Popes, and the heads of Sts. Peter and Paul, as well as the Baptistry where many early Christians and martyrs were baptized. We ended the night with a holy hour.
(Ash) Wednesday: Julie and I went to Mass on our own at St. Peter's Basilica, and it was in Italian. (Story...) Oh, and they put the ashes on top of your head, not on your forehead. Then we had a papal audience. (really cool!) Then, Mike, Jeff, Katie, Julie, Emily, and I went to Opus Dei headquarters and got to venerate the tomb of St. Josemaria Escriva. At 3pm, we climbed the Santa Scala, which Christ climbed when He went to meet with Pilate. Then we went to Santa Croce, Mary Major, and the Purgatory Musem.
Thursday: We went to Assisi-- which is so beautiful!! (And we got to say an international Rosary on the bus, and I got to lead the French decade.) We went to Our Lady of Angels, which has the original Portiuncula, and the Transitus Chapel. We had Mass at St. Rufino, and saw the baptismal font where Sts. Francis and Clare were baptized. (And it has a beautiful statue of Our lady in tears).
Friday: We went to Santa Chiara (San Damiano cross, St. Clare's body and relics). After lunch we went to San Damiano. Then we went to the hermitage and prayed in the cave where St. Francis did and had a St. Clare group meeting. We also had a FOP that night.
Saturday: Mass at San Francesco (we were not able to see the tomb of St. Francis because it was being rennovated) a walking tour of the town. That afternoon, Marianne, Jeff, Katie, Emily, and I departed for Venice.
Sunday: We went to Mass at the gorgeous San Marco, but it's a bit touristy, so we couldn't stay long. We also went on a gondola ride and had gelati.
Monday: We woke up really early and headed to Padua, where we were able to go to Mass at St. Anthony's and touch his tomb and see his tongue, voice box, and jaw (he is known for his preaching). We also went to St. Matthew's church just down the street, and saw his tomb, as well as a "tomb" with relics of St. Matthias. We were only in Padua for a couple hours, but I loved it.
Like I said, feel free to ask questions about the stories and I'll get to them more quickly!
AWESOME!!!!! I'm so happy for you!
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