tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28087605053612282852024-02-02T07:58:10.213+01:00All Roads Lead to RomeJoin "The Nine" on their epic pilgrimage to the Eternal City!Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08988401053578820461noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2808760505361228285.post-64508126155288678282011-05-31T05:03:00.001+02:002011-05-31T23:47:10.818+02:00Day 9- "This is the tale of Captain Jack Sparrow"To first explain today's title... It's a Lonely Island video from SNL that we've been singing ALL WEEK LONG. To check it out, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GI6CfKcMhjY">click here</a>. WARNING: It's pretty vulgar at some parts (although not the parts we were singing... gosh, we're not THAT trashy!).<br />
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So we woke up bright and early for breakfast and were on our way at 8:00 to head to Fiumicino Airport. We said our goodbyes to Fr. Frank when we got there and headed through security (which was the loosest I;ve ever seen). Heck, they didn't even really check our passports. A couple of them weren't even opened. Fr. Kyle, on the other hand, spent the whole day being questioned...<br />
"Where are you going?"<br />
"I'm sorry?"<br />
"WHERE ARE YOU GOING??"<br />
"I'M GOING TO BALTIMORE!!!"<br />
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At any rate, the trip was uneventful, albeit way too long. We were all ready to be home by the time we got to Heathrow. Too bad we had another 8 hours until we landed in Baltimore!! haha...<br />
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So this trip has been absolutely incredible. It was worth bleeding out most of my bank account, because this was seriously the trip of a lifetime. Even with the bumps along the way, everyone got along and had an excellent time. It was certainly a holy pilgrimage, since we visited so many famous religious sites. But besides that, we had a lot of fun and enjoyed the fraternity. Hey, all 9 of us are Knights of Columbus... fraternity is what we do!<br />
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Special shout-out to the Padres for making this trip awesome. To Fr. Kyle, for facilitating the planning (especially in the earlier, formative period of planning). To Fr. Frank, for being our leader and tour guide for the week, as well as arranging our lodging and showing us the true face of Pallottine hospitality.<br />
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And to all the guys, thank you for making this trip so much fun. It's hands-down the best vacation I've ever been on and I'm blessed to have shared this experience with you. Until next time, brothers, Ciao!Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08988401053578820461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2808760505361228285.post-8669698753722082672011-05-31T04:54:00.002+02:002011-08-09T04:45:30.311+02:00Day 8- "Regina coeli, laetare, Alleluia!"So, we got up bright and early, powered our way over to St. Peter's for Mass at the Altar of the Chair (of Peter), only to find the security line going around the entire Piazza. Talk about frustrating! They were all tour groups anyway... what about the actual pilgrims who want to GO TO MASS? You know, it's only the most integral part of Catholic worship at the most famous Catholic church. No big deal... <br />
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Once we got over the frustration at the Italian security guards (because you KNOW the Swiss Guard would've thought to have a special Mass entrance. DUH!), we went around the side to check out the JP II exhibit. They had a lot of his quotes and photos on the walls, along with plenty of videos and lots of neat items from his life. We got to see his various vestments (from deacon all the way up to Pope), his hiking gear, skis, and (much to David's excitement), the cross used at World Youth Day. Among the videos were short but still jarring clip of when he was shot in the Piazza, as well as a longer one of the last few years of his life as his health failed. Overall, an excellent tribute to the life of such an influential and beloved (Blessed!) Pope.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiQsP-IgbRZcRC6vBRwsAgKLMBSY55Md8_OVH2Z6MJmMCVGTBRCaiQiWWzOMJiyi6wHHeszkXFnRl5b6MkkOj4JfHXaP2in8O8Ryw7swQwxFq2Z5eVTUHc9IhHU2XWFW33vcX6jKVpOWy1/s1600/DSC05662.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiQsP-IgbRZcRC6vBRwsAgKLMBSY55Md8_OVH2Z6MJmMCVGTBRCaiQiWWzOMJiyi6wHHeszkXFnRl5b6MkkOj4JfHXaP2in8O8Ryw7swQwxFq2Z5eVTUHc9IhHU2XWFW33vcX6jKVpOWy1/s400/DSC05662.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blessed JPII's crosier and vestments (from the Jubilee celebration, I believe)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1BjVv0LZ9iy7UDWOBXms5eb8A8MmmSLG1-bzorVm1JsGcrwycvOpd8r6UfVWMGHujsbTiRuSbgVWK4c82iZgNorlZh3ttpvkdh35xLnRZJvJWURJQRdrv_I5TdWpJ64h91yq0JZbF8Vq-/s1600/DSC05663.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1BjVv0LZ9iy7UDWOBXms5eb8A8MmmSLG1-bzorVm1JsGcrwycvOpd8r6UfVWMGHujsbTiRuSbgVWK4c82iZgNorlZh3ttpvkdh35xLnRZJvJWURJQRdrv_I5TdWpJ64h91yq0JZbF8Vq-/s400/DSC05663.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The world-renowned Papal shoes</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEighOs4F767gZF1VUnTfle4yE4hLZvrf8XtYUecAHXX0_ecdfO4rWei-Z7GPSfphkIgWaO3Y4MxBr7wfSG-5meFtJBWpiz6E_pGDy55wRq1hsLdXeNo2xdcblKV6WL9d5PwVUnRnFSAUKYi/s1600/DSC05665.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEighOs4F767gZF1VUnTfle4yE4hLZvrf8XtYUecAHXX0_ecdfO4rWei-Z7GPSfphkIgWaO3Y4MxBr7wfSG-5meFtJBWpiz6E_pGDy55wRq1hsLdXeNo2xdcblKV6WL9d5PwVUnRnFSAUKYi/s400/DSC05665.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chris and Matt chilling in the shade of the basilica</td></tr>
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We staked out the perfect spot fore the Sunday Angelus: On the opposite side of the Pizza, in the shade of the columns. We had a great view of His (tiny German) Holiness from up in the residence. The whole thing lasted only 10 or 15 minutes, and was exponentially more bearable than the Wednesday audience. And, as before, we completely missed the English portion of his address (because of his thick German accent), which was something to the effect of "May ze Almighty Fazer bless you!"<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfLBmB_6GaI6zHAezXszfnncMxJcoN5udklWYlXCfzSfLiqMEGgWCJ6s0d03wQ4xvTXvlXw25ygNyMXzUMpq1RiCUw7d4Fwmy8zP0zkxzYinRPFp0m1B377hNfWUi41QpcarrekB7SBnc3/s1600/DSC05669.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfLBmB_6GaI6zHAezXszfnncMxJcoN5udklWYlXCfzSfLiqMEGgWCJ6s0d03wQ4xvTXvlXw25ygNyMXzUMpq1RiCUw7d4Fwmy8zP0zkxzYinRPFp0m1B377hNfWUi41QpcarrekB7SBnc3/s400/DSC05669.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Look, it's-a de Pope!"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqJt4m58F5mXp6zwmVKxKpOi7HVg0C1WRrQFOLXMFYlYVWDtiqDlbTaqdYKAzyFPxOGYHoX5cemSXj_WlkmePPh3V8KVjdsxLg7mc1brMCBHNtJp_vyekfUFR443zjsYMDeWg1eRMIFGl4/s1600/DSC05670.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqJt4m58F5mXp6zwmVKxKpOi7HVg0C1WRrQFOLXMFYlYVWDtiqDlbTaqdYKAzyFPxOGYHoX5cemSXj_WlkmePPh3V8KVjdsxLg7mc1brMCBHNtJp_vyekfUFR443zjsYMDeWg1eRMIFGl4/s400/DSC05670.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Papa Benny greets his flock</td></tr>
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Somehow, we ran into one of the Polish Pallottine sisters, as well as the guys we had lunch with at the NAC. It must be nice, being so close to the Vatican for that stuff!<br />
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The afternoon was very low-key and relaxed. Vince and Chris went out to Ostia (beachfront suburb of Rome) to visit some family Vince has there. Dan rested up at the house, recovering from being ill the day before. The rest of us went with the Padres to the church of <i>San Silvestro</i>, where they were to say Mass for a group there.<br />
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On the way, we popped into one of my favorite churches of the week: one dedicated to St. Andrew, my patron :-D Behind the altar, and around the apse, were beautiful paintings of Andrew's martyrdom. I just really liked it because it was my boy Andrew. ;-D<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuPCzx55imjlbeGyDibObq2QYB3d4V9mY3XSBM6pBa-36dfxskEWwy1HueXNtXmgbwm7AEnrHfct1TLMs6MmF8mjUtuGVZdvs66USuNJCa6vA6KYVtEkodMC6BrTDGJTydBBURKKCYgE2O/s1600/DSC05676.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuPCzx55imjlbeGyDibObq2QYB3d4V9mY3XSBM6pBa-36dfxskEWwy1HueXNtXmgbwm7AEnrHfct1TLMs6MmF8mjUtuGVZdvs66USuNJCa6vA6KYVtEkodMC6BrTDGJTydBBURKKCYgE2O/s400/DSC05676.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah, this whole church is dedicated to St. Andrew. Awesome!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8-BVDzVDmfc8qVMVN_cy2qDKjajjQtI3xilBNPtuASCsi6aaXv6VXdvxw5aK0P-UsEZ6yFJk8Qt41oBfe3Lhb7cB9qjbY6bNIfQ-uvZpjP-zfN9rNGxj5jf2qsm7V-f05pHLWYIr7NMlW/s1600/DSC05703.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8-BVDzVDmfc8qVMVN_cy2qDKjajjQtI3xilBNPtuASCsi6aaXv6VXdvxw5aK0P-UsEZ6yFJk8Qt41oBfe3Lhb7cB9qjbY6bNIfQ-uvZpjP-zfN9rNGxj5jf2qsm7V-f05pHLWYIr7NMlW/s400/DSC05703.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even just walking down the street, you'll pass a random <i>piazza</i> that's full of excavated ruins.</td></tr>
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We also popped into the <i>Gesu</i> so Fr. Kyle could visit... he wasn't with us a few days ago when we went the first time. But it was a good thing we went inside, because they were having a concert in the church when we walked in! So we were treated to a nice 20-minute choral concert in an absolutely beautiful place... what a way to spend part of our last day in Rome! I felt just about in heaven. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Choral concert in the <i>Gesu.</i> PTL!</td></tr>
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<i>San Silvestro</i> is, go figure, another beautiful Roman church. This one is currently run by the Pallottines, which is why we were going there in the first place. It's a very old church, over 1000 years old in its original form. There's an excavation beneath the sanctuary and part of the congregation, where 8 popes are buried. They also have the relics of Pope St. Silvester, as well as one of the 3 heads of St. John the Baptist.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6eL805S1hoRSdTNAjv6BE22lxrzheZpvHx2BCAIr-G9tqi6kJf0LDqtdP0LpgrRWAAFdMlrR_TKU_TmqrnqnSMJSJKYRoab0WnWnNfaGi-UMq04Gx52q5gHHpLK5RpM2zjrA8SQ8q24Hi/s1600/DSC05722.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6eL805S1hoRSdTNAjv6BE22lxrzheZpvHx2BCAIr-G9tqi6kJf0LDqtdP0LpgrRWAAFdMlrR_TKU_TmqrnqnSMJSJKYRoab0WnWnNfaGi-UMq04Gx52q5gHHpLK5RpM2zjrA8SQ8q24Hi/s400/DSC05722.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Facade of <i>San Silvestro</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading inside with the Padres, getting ready for Mass</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was like stepping back in time into the more ancient times of the Eternal City. Woah!</td></tr>
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Explanation on that: 3 churches claim to have St. John's severed head. That being said, the skull at San Silvestro seems to be the most likely real one, since they also have a reliquary matching the descriptions from some old documents about the skull.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The most-likely-true head of St. John the Baptist</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio9tyRywx3WgLqz3IW7NRN65WdoVFLoPYc0DDK5WdfxGO5is5brHcOY5i5XGyQ18IeXdE8hFiJZSMNJwQCpPSp5qfdHiyJssRpwtDyw2uusd87qFDOH0KfCPgFU1kIor7rQf0SsREE6HQc/s1600/DSC05733.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio9tyRywx3WgLqz3IW7NRN65WdoVFLoPYc0DDK5WdfxGO5is5brHcOY5i5XGyQ18IeXdE8hFiJZSMNJwQCpPSp5qfdHiyJssRpwtDyw2uusd87qFDOH0KfCPgFU1kIor7rQf0SsREE6HQc/s400/DSC05733.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sanctuary of <i>San Silvestro</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking up into the church from down in the crypt</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">REALLY old fresco of Jesus and the Apostles, also down in the crypt</td></tr>
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We had Mass with a cute group of Filipinos living in Rome, complete with the folk-y Filipino church choir. After Mass, the rector, Fr. Fitzpatrick (a witty Irishman who was in fine form, boy-o!), took us upstairs to their house. It's a shared community between Pallottines and Augustinians. We sat down there for a good long while, chatting with them and sipping on a few bottles of wine and some cheese.<br />
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We managed to meet up with the rest of the group for our final dinner in Rome. We went to another place by <i>Compo de Fiori</i> (I think), which was stellar. The food was well-priced and FANTASTIC! Since it was our last night, most of us did 2 courses. I went for the traditional Roman dishes of <i>Norcina </i>and <i>Osso Bucco</i>. YUM! For dessert, I had some great <i>Tiramisu</i>. We topped dinner off with some <i>Sambuca</i>, as well as a celebratory round of <i>Grappa</i>.<br />
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So, tomorrow we head home. Sigh.... I'm going to miss this place.Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08988401053578820461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2808760505361228285.post-66391968001932396232011-05-31T04:25:00.001+02:002011-08-09T04:31:25.338+02:00Day 7- "Pictures with the sisters!"<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Today was the best morning ever—we finally got to sleep in! It was exactly what we needed, after a full week of early mornings and late nights. Gave us all plenty of time to recharge.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">After meeting everyone in the lounge for coffee, I went for a walk into town with Frs. Kyle and Frank, Dan, Nick, Chris, and David. We visited the Pantheon first, which was very Romanesque. It was kind of a requirement of us going to Rome in the first place. It used to be a Roman temple, but it’s since been converted into a really nice, old-looking church.<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Next, we stopped at a nearby church (the <i>Gesu</i>) where St. Ignatius of Loyola is buried. As with all other Roman churches, it’s beautiful. There’s a huge fresco on the ceiling that was made with the appearance that it’s spilling right out of its gold frame. Really well-done artwork. The church also houses the arm of St. Francis Xavier. Apparently, that’s all of his remains that could easily be brought back from the Holy Land after he was martyred.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxG5DXRduLA-iTYKU_SPu1AVyMuD9VlyqreHOM6PanGhmtJs5wfJ_11YRHbebG_643x5Iyy8CM-fko2KYF2G5Y_VvCpxL8HB8zZN6uXmu47bXjt50mPb-qFbH_1DqhMrns_PgZ5fYfS3j7/s1600/DSC05534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxG5DXRduLA-iTYKU_SPu1AVyMuD9VlyqreHOM6PanGhmtJs5wfJ_11YRHbebG_643x5Iyy8CM-fko2KYF2G5Y_VvCpxL8HB8zZN6uXmu47bXjt50mPb-qFbH_1DqhMrns_PgZ5fYfS3j7/s400/DSC05534.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leave it to the Jesuits to make a beautiful shrine to their founder!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn4p3nAATEGqYTdkk2djI0lHRmcG2xZGFRRQFCmWZJIK_WWeSUKxsq03G_Hs_HDYUWixKLljsTF995mG8ntLBMX05EJB24jqXviqVNYlHgtSbjtTDNoX40TdxNTfwEgKrAQS4UXxs_Yfcb/s1600/DSC05536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn4p3nAATEGqYTdkk2djI0lHRmcG2xZGFRRQFCmWZJIK_WWeSUKxsq03G_Hs_HDYUWixKLljsTF995mG8ntLBMX05EJB24jqXviqVNYlHgtSbjtTDNoX40TdxNTfwEgKrAQS4UXxs_Yfcb/s400/DSC05536.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I LOVE this fresco. It's just jumping out of the framing... literally.</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Once we got back to the house, we had Mass in the main church at the Generalate, where St. Vincent’s incorrupt body is kept in a glass coffin beneath the altar. After Mass, Fr. Frank gave us the long version of the Pallottine story, which was all very interesting. The Pallottines do a lot of really good work within the Church. Apparently, their church has been around for a LONG time and many improvements have been made since St. Vincent took over care of the place. One neat thing they have there is an infant Christ that was used in the original Vatican manger scene at Christmas time. Go Pallottines!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKdmbh1ozM13QYZB_cy6IHuO0vwJ1Od7sijzBwasAQqwY24Ca7MiAcUvFAYVRj7zNwciiEme8Yg2BedxIH3gKKm13gumXyK0ONE3vb90J8Cwie9V2O4oQx_DSBoF7Jd6lQy7iyrGSjaUFE/s1600/DSC05537.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKdmbh1ozM13QYZB_cy6IHuO0vwJ1Od7sijzBwasAQqwY24Ca7MiAcUvFAYVRj7zNwciiEme8Yg2BedxIH3gKKm13gumXyK0ONE3vb90J8Cwie9V2O4oQx_DSBoF7Jd6lQy7iyrGSjaUFE/s400/DSC05537.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The alter in the Generalate</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqvRc2vCfh7v6KSSivjI2e0QGyHO-iAIyvSxk5ZzHfgw0WZ94TAocjpPEbOhLquYFqWJ2_JqnlI7B4oxCtBOBM1jfpgxkauWBpd1FnfsApe49NtMBUeMiSizTUH1zH4OK1FPZBLjGFNQeI/s1600/DSC05539.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqvRc2vCfh7v6KSSivjI2e0QGyHO-iAIyvSxk5ZzHfgw0WZ94TAocjpPEbOhLquYFqWJ2_JqnlI7B4oxCtBOBM1jfpgxkauWBpd1FnfsApe49NtMBUeMiSizTUH1zH4OK1FPZBLjGFNQeI/s400/DSC05539.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's St. Vincent Pallotti. And that's what an incorrupt body looks like.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwVbFJyOoY4flfid_oXtF7b5XKwIJERwnn77TYkSXKfS5AYzDJ6arjiGKkJ2IGkKKJefpfMYxnlxQEP5Ux_r5LZb1JquY88Rs2NdfuGkuR99C6XWnGXgRzWDL0_SpkNqrkWY84Ig1e7NC_/s1600/DSC05542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwVbFJyOoY4flfid_oXtF7b5XKwIJERwnn77TYkSXKfS5AYzDJ6arjiGKkJ2IGkKKJefpfMYxnlxQEP5Ux_r5LZb1JquY88Rs2NdfuGkuR99C6XWnGXgRzWDL0_SpkNqrkWY84Ig1e7NC_/s400/DSC05542.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fr. Frank in "Teaching Mode"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHruCoxKMTzb6fqSDjedFqtuG1TJnKUf0qcpki_q0hXEIY8sIHHzRXXYBmyi72RUIIcwkYVaDZvf7W9yz7XPpFlkzPhLhhaJRqnxwt_HFcpmXB7ftAyZ1FWuHpaOsgwE8PGKm2ae4wOnsw/s1600/DSC05543.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHruCoxKMTzb6fqSDjedFqtuG1TJnKUf0qcpki_q0hXEIY8sIHHzRXXYBmyi72RUIIcwkYVaDZvf7W9yz7XPpFlkzPhLhhaJRqnxwt_HFcpmXB7ftAyZ1FWuHpaOsgwE8PGKm2ae4wOnsw/s400/DSC05543.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giving us some more fun facts about the Pallottines</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ5np26ysi6Np6byiKDBsJWxfN0WtkSUvIijfvu2v7kgLRH5Cp_mOPu7ljrHRg5dr0M0XLrfVNgz8IoH5D0Rf9oEqazrBnwJ5459c7kKEcv3yE5OwuQglHs5f4gORV8zzaLmrtSCT_QrPd/s1600/DSC05546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ5np26ysi6Np6byiKDBsJWxfN0WtkSUvIijfvu2v7kgLRH5Cp_mOPu7ljrHRg5dr0M0XLrfVNgz8IoH5D0Rf9oEqazrBnwJ5459c7kKEcv3yE5OwuQglHs5f4gORV8zzaLmrtSCT_QrPd/s400/DSC05546.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ah yes, we're still in the Easter season! Alleluia!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUADj5LHROBxQbzKVg41iiv0WQZg3jw68OWafxmAj3XiM2G3bVrJQxzEuEPol9GKfO2MH1NaFZ13M0Rc-u2dwS-6U8MrKWluD-QsuD407W8zXGbZ02ePbPL-Lp_HQs40kGNoDok33Uj35J/s1600/DSC05547.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUADj5LHROBxQbzKVg41iiv0WQZg3jw68OWafxmAj3XiM2G3bVrJQxzEuEPol9GKfO2MH1NaFZ13M0Rc-u2dwS-6U8MrKWluD-QsuD407W8zXGbZ02ePbPL-Lp_HQs40kGNoDok33Uj35J/s400/DSC05547.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jesus Christ, FTW!</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">We had lunch with the community, including a group of the sisters who came for an end-of-the-year celebration. Afterward, we went upstairs to meet the rector general of the Pallottines, which was great. He’s a very pleasant and holy individual, and it was nice to be able to meet the man who offered us such great hospitality.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvOQhVG2X7DlienfRDz-nPsYSmrSa4YYG7Bcp_zmo5avYchoL-GaUw9VCwFuZpfm5z0dFM-BAvzNvi3FgjvdLCRltoFwEkeAOAp8ozWtgbPx_kYQFQd1ihwO6NNKAGeDuE3-0Ky62t-E-N/s1600/248894_1708345957699_1509570232_31413596_2363891_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvOQhVG2X7DlienfRDz-nPsYSmrSa4YYG7Bcp_zmo5avYchoL-GaUw9VCwFuZpfm5z0dFM-BAvzNvi3FgjvdLCRltoFwEkeAOAp8ozWtgbPx_kYQFQd1ihwO6NNKAGeDuE3-0Ky62t-E-N/s400/248894_1708345957699_1509570232_31413596_2363891_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Us with the sisters, just before Mass</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">After lunch, we hopped on the bus and took a ride over to St. Paul Outside the Walls, the 4<sup>th</sup> and final patriarchal basilica. Most of it was rebuilt within the past 200 years, so it's fairly new for Roman standards. Again, a lot of it was burned down back in the day and, coincidentally, the fire stopped at St. Paul's tomb. Yeah, that''s right. St. Paul, the persecutor turned evangelist, is buried there. Just one more saint to add to the list of tombs we prayed in front of... what a week!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">The basilica itself is really nice; I liked it a lot mostly for the cool courtyard in the front (with a huge statue of St. Paul) and the fact that it was actually quiet enough to pray in peace. Since it's "outside the walls" of Rome, it's off the beaten path for non-pilgrim tourists. Thus, the folks who were actually visiting were there for religious reasons. For the win!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD6EQcLsmPYR8qzNhllLfgaFxxzZHXooUAihCCmXvMapoB94VEL-dOYdSOxsnqR1YC4bEmY-WIJ_gtRxGJc2uWyxKmIj_KHnTH-BI4VbHKCQTdzHy-bYnR5Ke8WjVsl3TUx2Q3-evBL7sc/s1600/DSC05555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD6EQcLsmPYR8qzNhllLfgaFxxzZHXooUAihCCmXvMapoB94VEL-dOYdSOxsnqR1YC4bEmY-WIJ_gtRxGJc2uWyxKmIj_KHnTH-BI4VbHKCQTdzHy-bYnR5Ke8WjVsl3TUx2Q3-evBL7sc/s400/DSC05555.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giant statue of St. Paul</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5aQMmztZLY804IkKf99Xkv0QpLt-_0aQTVNurDQS0AV2xUu-UBm7nUwXp96Ub71Mu-Hy4GkCVjflDiOvdcDE5QDnzUW8NlLory9gWtXTSq3eum_pZ3wAedTs06DwAz8tDvJgpCmQ61JZq/s1600/DSC05558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5aQMmztZLY804IkKf99Xkv0QpLt-_0aQTVNurDQS0AV2xUu-UBm7nUwXp96Ub71Mu-Hy4GkCVjflDiOvdcDE5QDnzUW8NlLory9gWtXTSq3eum_pZ3wAedTs06DwAz8tDvJgpCmQ61JZq/s400/DSC05558.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>San Paolo</i>, defending Christ's Church</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIQ6Q_lVId3p2mF1FzW0m_1vle-8dTy1TV4KZUsI6QpMeRQDxslIM1bMKmDaQrhqOaptOoF5KfGqatEe2bfyMkqzXgZo0HmohS3yIfRQlSI-cmh9r81h5dnfDSvdVd4ItYnqyzLKLU4vaC/s1600/DSC05559.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIQ6Q_lVId3p2mF1FzW0m_1vle-8dTy1TV4KZUsI6QpMeRQDxslIM1bMKmDaQrhqOaptOoF5KfGqatEe2bfyMkqzXgZo0HmohS3yIfRQlSI-cmh9r81h5dnfDSvdVd4ItYnqyzLKLU4vaC/s400/DSC05559.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Holy Door, opened only on Jubilee Years</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Another neat feature here are the mosaics. The most obvious is the Popes. Each pope, from Peter all the way to Benedict XVI, has a circular mosaic portrait somewhere along the top of the wall. Additionally, there's a beautiful (and very old) gilded mosaic in the very back that has Jesus, the Apostles, and St. Paul. It's kind of eastern-styled, which adds something a little unique to this church.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVeHyajfGZJkst432CrjvkqcbZMsjRH93M52A4FmgMsTD7s7TX-TEI9fBeMrEWt1fzeA4gukAcoR5MR9qq4ltBDh-YpDGsXBXqNS8ZyOMCrI7NXLEQw6MUFn679bcz1LwO1v94B3bY3b-l/s1600/DSC05574.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVeHyajfGZJkst432CrjvkqcbZMsjRH93M52A4FmgMsTD7s7TX-TEI9fBeMrEWt1fzeA4gukAcoR5MR9qq4ltBDh-YpDGsXBXqNS8ZyOMCrI7NXLEQw6MUFn679bcz1LwO1v94B3bY3b-l/s400/DSC05574.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The chains that bound St. Paul</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHi9jo3ZcSReBi_HpqynUnqZ0jvRQneD8uZA3hDZWoE-e9BaEBSun81aEFKymxQcH2qPkz5zQIIhJGQ9FAdBnYTyTqkzHJlMjsWJ6fUr2aFc6cc-bjULAFnDb1xx6REqZr4rnWpYXM62iG/s1600/DSC05597+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHi9jo3ZcSReBi_HpqynUnqZ0jvRQneD8uZA3hDZWoE-e9BaEBSun81aEFKymxQcH2qPkz5zQIIhJGQ9FAdBnYTyTqkzHJlMjsWJ6fUr2aFc6cc-bjULAFnDb1xx6REqZr4rnWpYXM62iG/s400/DSC05597+-+Copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt, stopping for a prayer in the St. Benedict shrine</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jesus and the posse, in all their gilded glory!</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ZHXSi9PhB5rBE0rNEk5waE-RSP618Gq7sfmK22AVqdjIyTtjWE-E8zeWanmbCgmsGgD8m8gJ3z-jfEKWouB_0bJe_usNW170Sdnf4RqVmFOylzPX7CVEHOMelvUT5BzFg1KwfVu4dYrH/s1600/DSC05622+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ZHXSi9PhB5rBE0rNEk5waE-RSP618Gq7sfmK22AVqdjIyTtjWE-E8zeWanmbCgmsGgD8m8gJ3z-jfEKWouB_0bJe_usNW170Sdnf4RqVmFOylzPX7CVEHOMelvUT5BzFg1KwfVu4dYrH/s400/DSC05622+-+Copy.JPG" width="300" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">St. Paul's also has a great gift shop and cafe. They're fairly new and sit atop some excavations, which have revealed some of the original foundations and such from the old basilica. The cute baristas made an excellent cappuccino and pie. And the gift shop was like a college pilgrim's gift shop Holy of Holies... among various books and religious items, there was a whole wall of booze and candy made by the Franciscan and Benedictine monks/abbots who live in the monastery attached to the basilica. We purchased some absynth to try out later on...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjfemAOJQpJ5u0IEj1dB0zMGMn4mCZRH4tSwTmYrv-BkCbZluSg3rm_N5u8y5Bn-pADAFjvyqlMmHtXwYWwjfKDzIcWC9D874RQkYZoxsWRFDzUmCK35LXV_ztvXEVnjoaNJ0eJH0tuzFW/s1600/DSC05627+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjfemAOJQpJ5u0IEj1dB0zMGMn4mCZRH4tSwTmYrv-BkCbZluSg3rm_N5u8y5Bn-pADAFjvyqlMmHtXwYWwjfKDzIcWC9D874RQkYZoxsWRFDzUmCK35LXV_ztvXEVnjoaNJ0eJH0tuzFW/s400/DSC05627+-+Copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Excavations of the original basilica</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">We headed back to the house by way of the Circus Maximus. Check off another ancient Roman must-see! That's the great thing about Rome... everywhere you go, there are ruins and churches. It's a great combination of holiness and rich history. Love it!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmxKZ_fPigYMTjURBzVjiTuyRw0I1g2cmX-0hV9BeV_gKTjdcUAnfrr3pZBbpWP4DANQ6KRMePy5GbNgMPzT24pZw1AfLjWCiI3G78rv-iUdfWEHf8Zf2HVrzAAsamOVeVJlImjf70Ea0p/s1600/DSC05635+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmxKZ_fPigYMTjURBzVjiTuyRw0I1g2cmX-0hV9BeV_gKTjdcUAnfrr3pZBbpWP4DANQ6KRMePy5GbNgMPzT24pZw1AfLjWCiI3G78rv-iUdfWEHf8Zf2HVrzAAsamOVeVJlImjf70Ea0p/s400/DSC05635+-+Copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNg5XIZVCpcHU0X6NK-s9ydZEMlCmI0gGt0-mFK-euPND1j2iv45MiyyaYq6hyphenhyphen4Q3gS-xkpIEgIhSBUi2TM7ZuWOeAPoxnsoul_IjI0ywBBuFgF7mBTOykk3U540L6ORQNyat5t-13bIVN/s1600/DSC05636+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNg5XIZVCpcHU0X6NK-s9ydZEMlCmI0gGt0-mFK-euPND1j2iv45MiyyaYq6hyphenhyphen4Q3gS-xkpIEgIhSBUi2TM7ZuWOeAPoxnsoul_IjI0ywBBuFgF7mBTOykk3U540L6ORQNyat5t-13bIVN/s400/DSC05636+-+Copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah, that's right. THE Circus Maximus!</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkGSTorqyEQiVfYQ8g44of_3NZ55PpbScihEFIqFDFzXY4Krs3Xu3jkLdB6WgxDruIRhmVUrhGAk5tbJ38njjAyvhecDjvEOAeLDJbVqCUMur5xvms_FvC9dnyo_8lxCbMv_TnYpktnEwi/s1600/DSC05640+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkGSTorqyEQiVfYQ8g44of_3NZ55PpbScihEFIqFDFzXY4Krs3Xu3jkLdB6WgxDruIRhmVUrhGAk5tbJ38njjAyvhecDjvEOAeLDJbVqCUMur5xvms_FvC9dnyo_8lxCbMv_TnYpktnEwi/s400/DSC05640+-+Copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">We also stopped into a smaller (and very old) church that appeared to be run by the Byzantine Rite called <i>Santa Maria in Consmedin</i>. Outside the church is <i>La Bocca della Verità</i> (the Mouth of Truth). The legend is that, if you stick your hand in the Mouth and you're a liar, it will bite off your hand. Lovely thought, no?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb1VxodXcEDbSQUnH0Nrju_EWKOkKIzX3KWAxlpKRTefaLaxpvpGRhzGaMlkApyehXSdbAGwq_z08_EtLh3TWefjK7XTbnRfRjrID2PyhfpBIR6nzvPryY9CPwTmIkJiZCzoc-woLqTtjY/s1600/DSC05645+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb1VxodXcEDbSQUnH0Nrju_EWKOkKIzX3KWAxlpKRTefaLaxpvpGRhzGaMlkApyehXSdbAGwq_z08_EtLh3TWefjK7XTbnRfRjrID2PyhfpBIR6nzvPryY9CPwTmIkJiZCzoc-woLqTtjY/s400/DSC05645+-+Copy.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Byzantine church where Emperor Hadrian is buried</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9mgEMxRJbUaQNdmDJIBFI5H_94yK-QJoL1DcPOcc_5SQjfip91eLSKDoqJ7Wt1Ly8uuiJJyD6ZoYzjx5YsKrANxKiqnLZ7W9cIzCsDlDcu8bxuKMcmUOt9ThUhh-ZMYEkNl9suICeMVYZ/s1600/DSC05646+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9mgEMxRJbUaQNdmDJIBFI5H_94yK-QJoL1DcPOcc_5SQjfip91eLSKDoqJ7Wt1Ly8uuiJJyD6ZoYzjx5YsKrANxKiqnLZ7W9cIzCsDlDcu8bxuKMcmUOt9ThUhh-ZMYEkNl9suICeMVYZ/s400/DSC05646+-+Copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The outside... the Mouth is behind the gate on the left side</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Dinner wasn't the BEST of all week, but it was still excellent. We went to a place near the <i>Compo de Fiori</i> and met up with Chris Seith, the youngest of the UMD alumni and DC seminarians studying at the NAC. We had a great time, as always, sharing a delicious Italian meal. As our custom seemed to have become, we stopped for gelato on the way home.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil-u25ksTk-3Gqtr4gSTVPt8Iscg4egoll8KMhscZNnf9t7CYt6E84XP-VJEMz7NTtsP_wdPk5ImvcFjgDiYFDU_M2hDkIkpFl1cf-4e6tT4TDB6QWgwGvXsUzTfhVSzcf5PnunLqceklF/s1600/DSC05651+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil-u25ksTk-3Gqtr4gSTVPt8Iscg4egoll8KMhscZNnf9t7CYt6E84XP-VJEMz7NTtsP_wdPk5ImvcFjgDiYFDU_M2hDkIkpFl1cf-4e6tT4TDB6QWgwGvXsUzTfhVSzcf5PnunLqceklF/s400/DSC05651+-+Copy.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another church. No idea of the name, but it's near the <i>Compo de Fiori</i>. And it's known for its mosaics.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJi5fMwGlR59ShJZIF-hLskwqLF9_WF6nHN43pRl3MyODcUJ77vbsuzMrWEePXIQgDp27qNxFSgvUhHebNzXPdWK63-u1GJDiZ4tXSXCjm1jHRlqBu2ObDtBWnsGN8RgVDtrkNMtk91LRX/s1600/DSC05653+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJi5fMwGlR59ShJZIF-hLskwqLF9_WF6nHN43pRl3MyODcUJ77vbsuzMrWEePXIQgDp27qNxFSgvUhHebNzXPdWK63-u1GJDiZ4tXSXCjm1jHRlqBu2ObDtBWnsGN8RgVDtrkNMtk91LRX/s400/DSC05653+-+Copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The mosaics are even beautiful on the outside!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIOa1BvAXssLIGo_tMy-CGKcfhb6DMxsU11n71NxktcaLg4sdTrUoH5p11lW_V2IHJ35wvjm5S-65Hz7t_YQ-kMMq5zZroX3Tte6exvNXJhC7TiMN4wBxfvfFmGt3sVjgPaNx8jtJGBeA9/s1600/DSC05656+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIOa1BvAXssLIGo_tMy-CGKcfhb6DMxsU11n71NxktcaLg4sdTrUoH5p11lW_V2IHJ35wvjm5S-65Hz7t_YQ-kMMq5zZroX3Tte6exvNXJhC7TiMN4wBxfvfFmGt3sVjgPaNx8jtJGBeA9/s400/DSC05656+-+Copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't ask. I don't know.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnwaViqzFMU-6HFKtf6vLJNFnNzGA0sBNdOQrBPzsYm_cSy91cYZ9W4jMLWAMRLAjALbTnoKKP0lAH0FjQ2FCxw2LyzZXr4u27Sj5C_xcYHwxLo4Q6FKffASZ2PHUQx0HV5kv-3OaGBxuc/s1600/DSC05658+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnwaViqzFMU-6HFKtf6vLJNFnNzGA0sBNdOQrBPzsYm_cSy91cYZ9W4jMLWAMRLAjALbTnoKKP0lAH0FjQ2FCxw2LyzZXr4u27Sj5C_xcYHwxLo4Q6FKffASZ2PHUQx0HV5kv-3OaGBxuc/s400/DSC05658+-+Copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See? Mosaics all over the place!</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Yet another glorious day in Rome. Tomorrow is our last day, and we'll be going to Mass at St. Peter's, followed by the Angelus with Papa Benny and afternoon/evening shenanigans.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"></div>Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08988401053578820461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2808760505361228285.post-65580904017253642192011-05-30T01:34:00.001+02:002011-08-09T04:16:24.518+02:00Day 6- "My knees hurt SO bad!"<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">Once again, another VERY early morning. This time was more worth it than any other day... we had Mass in the Clementine Chapel in St. Peter's. This is kind of a big deal. The Clementine Chapel is the closest place to the remains of St. Peter, besides within the Scavi itself. So we had Mass with the remains of the first pope, directly beneath the Papal altar in the biggest church in Christendom. The thought is still overwhelming to me.</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">We had 5 priests: Fr. Kyle as the celebrant, with Fr. Frank and 3 priests from the NAC concelebrating. It was a simple Mass in a small chapel, but the realization of where we were was humbling. Here we were, celebrating the Eucharist before the tomb of the first pope, the leader of the Apostles, beneath the primary Papal altar in St. Peter’s Basilica. We were pretty much in one of the holiest places in the world, besides perhaps the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. As you can tell, this was one of the peak moments of my trip.</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjivFJ1YIhKZgD2Z8ff3yXrl-76nwpPf-S6xvS121Z-q8woYZ7fn8ooIMiJyR-iw31wFc9mmVmynn-NTOsDkt5XdCjhzPaS94J9hPos4Ssa8QuHME_dV4OwzuY1Sr8eeXBSAFWri9DW-B3p/s1600/DSC05223.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjivFJ1YIhKZgD2Z8ff3yXrl-76nwpPf-S6xvS121Z-q8woYZ7fn8ooIMiJyR-iw31wFc9mmVmynn-NTOsDkt5XdCjhzPaS94J9hPos4Ssa8QuHME_dV4OwzuY1Sr8eeXBSAFWri9DW-B3p/s400/DSC05223.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Clementine Chapel</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7XNKV97wtF34F15AjxHnrC0Vl_OnzXdAlR6XI7aamH06jW_widCC846W_JtF4xTBcav538k0YbtRgdHruI7IXZokx_06ZsadJjKk-fj-rW7V0KLlMGCqurEozMRgyNMBZnnrq3aflRPQ/s1600/250483_10150646528765072_520675071_19207451_3228844_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7XNKV97wtF34F15AjxHnrC0Vl_OnzXdAlR6XI7aamH06jW_widCC846W_JtF4xTBcav538k0YbtRgdHruI7IXZokx_06ZsadJjKk-fj-rW7V0KLlMGCqurEozMRgyNMBZnnrq3aflRPQ/s400/250483_10150646528765072_520675071_19207451_3228844_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fr Kyle and Fr Frank, along with 3 other friends of theirs, offer the Holy Sacrifice of Mass before the tomb of St. Peter.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj03_sslPdzheRyMbtV1X8sJToIKnJT8pyE8t_j3i9RObORuGZwNWTZ-dO-wOjW1k_AfExtGcAG60s9eGjqm3PgdIc2MNziQeqxnmqHY4EuKHyQdq4utd0HQAyhWY-Vh2zxFVBLOPnkiQjl/s1600/255700_10150646528715072_520675071_19207450_872784_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj03_sslPdzheRyMbtV1X8sJToIKnJT8pyE8t_j3i9RObORuGZwNWTZ-dO-wOjW1k_AfExtGcAG60s9eGjqm3PgdIc2MNziQeqxnmqHY4EuKHyQdq4utd0HQAyhWY-Vh2zxFVBLOPnkiQjl/s400/255700_10150646528715072_520675071_19207450_872784_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Listening intently to the words of the Eucharistic Prayer, in one of the holiest places on Earth. Truly moving.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-yy1bpDtXv4w1GKCj-oO_ryit6M0_slK1dOnQXBG6no0J-49uH6aaUaDDFvfXob-Am36cL3f_RC-gb1mLexkzhVvJeov2UDkTeARL8O3rNMDy6AhHwPYBCuEOAHf2_q1I7ACM5GDyxuzo/s1600/249948_10150646528675072_520675071_19207448_215071_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-yy1bpDtXv4w1GKCj-oO_ryit6M0_slK1dOnQXBG6no0J-49uH6aaUaDDFvfXob-Am36cL3f_RC-gb1mLexkzhVvJeov2UDkTeARL8O3rNMDy6AhHwPYBCuEOAHf2_q1I7ACM5GDyxuzo/s400/249948_10150646528675072_520675071_19207448_215071_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"All glory and honor is Yours, Almighty Father, forever and ever."</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitw-DdbyK5hMn4H-Td4FfN4CnK_MGfTddbkMVJdHo0j7-heB-ZB42Mws2Io4KEnHwat6xiwTyulccAD8GGsABmJ8SyGqALyL9qPk1o1dqfbp2OTAiB5GRlzSXpSu2cHCf8dIpyOHNHzenj/s1600/DSC05224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitw-DdbyK5hMn4H-Td4FfN4CnK_MGfTddbkMVJdHo0j7-heB-ZB42Mws2Io4KEnHwat6xiwTyulccAD8GGsABmJ8SyGqALyL9qPk1o1dqfbp2OTAiB5GRlzSXpSu2cHCf8dIpyOHNHzenj/s400/DSC05224.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All the gold leaf in the ceiling is from America. Heckyes!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDKXsPHX7HjNl_S5B-aYtrsYzkepqrrEjy05ksGSDjKRh2zr4iAlXLa4RZUch-9OohXrw4t-QO1J-vuUlsQhfstOVIyyGfjIGP9iwz_HL1zq7hqkFUxTnfuBjxq7pZzmtZYo977JvTmXg_/s1600/DSC05225.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDKXsPHX7HjNl_S5B-aYtrsYzkepqrrEjy05ksGSDjKRh2zr4iAlXLa4RZUch-9OohXrw4t-QO1J-vuUlsQhfstOVIyyGfjIGP9iwz_HL1zq7hqkFUxTnfuBjxq7pZzmtZYo977JvTmXg_/s400/DSC05225.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nick pauses for a brief moment of prayer before the tomb of Pope Pius the 12th, who commissioned the archaeological dig to find St. Peter's remains.</td></tr>
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">Actually, it was kind of funny… we bumped a bishop out of the chapel! What happened was this: we hurried to the basilica to make it in time. After meeting the Padres upstairs, we were ushered down a tiny staircase behind one of the chapels in the transept of the basilica. That dumped us out in the hall right behind the Clementine Chapel. There was a French priest and nun who were taking a little longer to finish Mass than scheduled. As we were waiting for them, a bishop passes us and waits with his altar server on the other side of the doorway. As the two French folks walked out, Frs. Frank and Kyle practically flew into the chapel, to make sure we got it. We began Mass and the bishop disappeared. No big deal. Haha!</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">After Mass, we walked around in St. Peter’s a bit more. Still couldn’t pray in front of John Paul II’s tomb, but that’s life. The Padres decided to go to a café for some coffee, while us younger guys went to climb up to the cupola of St. Peter’s. There was no line at all, which was great.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitLR3-Cyy4KqS_XWf-QukE_e_Fh079TWnn1cJcqE9m_qqD4GM3KmIWX19fny634vxlb-Kgnl-I0zVNpFzsRo0Ylptf6GzWRU6FNkwQFtJBPbhF9dUViOeU3Wsd5Po7f9U4VDhHpMDyM_Xe/s1600/DSC05227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitLR3-Cyy4KqS_XWf-QukE_e_Fh079TWnn1cJcqE9m_qqD4GM3KmIWX19fny634vxlb-Kgnl-I0zVNpFzsRo0Ylptf6GzWRU6FNkwQFtJBPbhF9dUViOeU3Wsd5Po7f9U4VDhHpMDyM_Xe/s400/DSC05227.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A striking image of the sunlight shining into St. Peter's.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDUtJYuiSFaoIJI17Cx6Q6DPfkH4m0tNLBdyBc_FwHrPK2IsvU3syaRX0MA4VZ1_CrYd8bTxj8x7T_vLAVCV7YhlkbXKX9sCUdQof447tvb_Y-Eck117hyEBf8TV909VGkCfSsy-ZPv6ZT/s1600/DSC05230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDUtJYuiSFaoIJI17Cx6Q6DPfkH4m0tNLBdyBc_FwHrPK2IsvU3syaRX0MA4VZ1_CrYd8bTxj8x7T_vLAVCV7YhlkbXKX9sCUdQof447tvb_Y-Eck117hyEBf8TV909VGkCfSsy-ZPv6ZT/s400/DSC05230.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David climbing up to the roof of the basilica.</td></tr>
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">5 Euro later, we were on our way up the stairs. SO many stairs. I believe there are 520ish in all. The first place you stop is the bottom of the interior of the dome, on a walkway just above the words that encircle it. For reference, looking across the dome, there was a guy dusting the handrail or something. The letters were taller than he was. This dome is absolutely massive. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYee6f1CvsSa_PDM1oc8knp13pC1TGvTGMh3L1p2KT0PrLs-GVqXtG5uu_SUCti5at_CaHIkYNO0Xiq4zLJafkYZ9jHrcVCqE5u-xGXt4MNbyIL96W6gIJVlZrBvWr27ebTHLsMWRQdtgn/s1600/DSC05231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYee6f1CvsSa_PDM1oc8knp13pC1TGvTGMh3L1p2KT0PrLs-GVqXtG5uu_SUCti5at_CaHIkYNO0Xiq4zLJafkYZ9jHrcVCqE5u-xGXt4MNbyIL96W6gIJVlZrBvWr27ebTHLsMWRQdtgn/s400/DSC05231.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The outside of the Sistine chapel, as seen from the roof of <i>San Pietro</i>.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHYQMTLcE3VpepLw62ECBJ3Za9Flit3KCS0hNC8x-wOUAzKZ85jHIoC7jzOOVt71sOHPV6d8-KNjk_ytYqdf37xsfLz6fVcDih02JgvZVm_iMuNWQvI7x_0YtPc67bdREXK4Fsrz35tNEh/s1600/DSC05235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHYQMTLcE3VpepLw62ECBJ3Za9Flit3KCS0hNC8x-wOUAzKZ85jHIoC7jzOOVt71sOHPV6d8-KNjk_ytYqdf37xsfLz6fVcDih02JgvZVm_iMuNWQvI7x_0YtPc67bdREXK4Fsrz35tNEh/s400/DSC05235.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the <i>duomo</i>. I can't explain how huge this space is....windows up top are probably 10 feet tall.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8jHVffJM2hkcIQQNOdq0tBMUGWRQagepafysSl0eYQoH_SJ0Fhmg1q0oBi5WxuScd9pLh3Gm46oxTiOjP7ylFLGNWmv35EUJiJZAnGUYSgw4BsDNCeOgv4QFcQIG60bsnJBB_8-gAkv-8/s1600/DSC05236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8jHVffJM2hkcIQQNOdq0tBMUGWRQagepafysSl0eYQoH_SJ0Fhmg1q0oBi5WxuScd9pLh3Gm46oxTiOjP7ylFLGNWmv35EUJiJZAnGUYSgw4BsDNCeOgv4QFcQIG60bsnJBB_8-gAkv-8/s400/DSC05236.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You see the guy on the catwalk, above the words "ET TIBI"? Yeah... this dome is MASSIVE.</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii4t3EcoJCJ-6UruXP-dQDA7I8WhqXw4yxa0uGx9sz3xYUHrHUNwJA1cP8jIFICPSUX-65AfaluzG1sjXIcO8x22N1OP8wkJ8cBddVbVVpcfpItlfv23ctBsJEdRN-DfCTB2FZO-Lj-JDE/s1600/DSC05238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii4t3EcoJCJ-6UruXP-dQDA7I8WhqXw4yxa0uGx9sz3xYUHrHUNwJA1cP8jIFICPSUX-65AfaluzG1sjXIcO8x22N1OP8wkJ8cBddVbVVpcfpItlfv23ctBsJEdRN-DfCTB2FZO-Lj-JDE/s400/DSC05238.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">Looking up, I got a slight feeling of vertigo as I realized how enormous the space was. There’s nothing between you and the edge of the walkway, save a waist-high metal railing and a 8-foot high mesh fence. Plenty to keep anyone from falling over the edge, but it also doesn’t block your view at all. Remember how big the altar canopy is? We were ABOVE it by a solid 30 feet. Incredible.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxVbuFqDOCDA_IFeHjW58XsWRUOyq1fWfT6zkOJV6113VmtU2rX-Bl00px6MIbSqYlvcPf5RatHO8zla5O9TL37YwszYFTXgDaOyUJkb62a6DLvk_W_iLaerRQFkxLhXPojo9amy_UFIL-/s1600/DSC05234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxVbuFqDOCDA_IFeHjW58XsWRUOyq1fWfT6zkOJV6113VmtU2rX-Bl00px6MIbSqYlvcPf5RatHO8zla5O9TL37YwszYFTXgDaOyUJkb62a6DLvk_W_iLaerRQFkxLhXPojo9amy_UFIL-/s400/DSC05234.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking down into the basilica. I about died.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV1uCxcd6CpuAh8imHDql7rofjM4KnEKOWKk8fpJlxx5mxYGLd2KAArHfuycBieREDu1D197EC3o_paL1OShfOwUFpVu7MSBYSrW455VEWIpzC7R475eGEHHuHUVhk1I9T7A8m4_AlJ89c/s1600/DSC05239.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV1uCxcd6CpuAh8imHDql7rofjM4KnEKOWKk8fpJlxx5mxYGLd2KAArHfuycBieREDu1D197EC3o_paL1OShfOwUFpVu7MSBYSrW455VEWIpzC7R475eGEHHuHUVhk1I9T7A8m4_AlJ89c/s400/DSC05239.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That stained glass window is probably about 100 feet in the air, for reference.</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">Also, from an engineering standpoint: the dome and the rest of the basilica are an incredible feat of architecture and structural design. It’s all made of stone, so it must be incredibly heavy. The fact that it even stands is astounding. It made my inner civil engineer cry with awe.</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">From that point, we entered another set of stairs that spiraled around and up the dome. Eventually, the degree to which you have to tilt yourself gets to be too much, so you start with switchbacks up the steeper parts of the dome. I was trying VERY hard not to think about just how high up we were from the floor.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmsGt-6KfouMPGsqDCckT2GvNnIWZHhhLgG_3NImGCaevYtroE6yxzsE2SX3ticdHwIOB1bPAdEweNomP9dgkPkMGLUt9BphT0VYglIYVCXy3Fmry0zEBQ_8kWVS91ylXiOrfY75oVoCLL/s1600/DSC05244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmsGt-6KfouMPGsqDCckT2GvNnIWZHhhLgG_3NImGCaevYtroE6yxzsE2SX3ticdHwIOB1bPAdEweNomP9dgkPkMGLUt9BphT0VYglIYVCXy3Fmry0zEBQ_8kWVS91ylXiOrfY75oVoCLL/s400/DSC05244.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Continuing the climb up inside the 2 walls of the dome.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-WiQ3YronCtSL6HLJKIuxwyBsetYtgoZTtsPvpJAZVzHDlpENalE6g7Xy7MnsptmhOINh_eJAkiotAAg9ySBORGXG6Nf0P9oEwWqkF7MBv-V_Pv2c9xoqcsdYuxsyz2qIQf3eemcnSKd/s1600/DSC05245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-WiQ3YronCtSL6HLJKIuxwyBsetYtgoZTtsPvpJAZVzHDlpENalE6g7Xy7MnsptmhOINh_eJAkiotAAg9ySBORGXG6Nf0P9oEwWqkF7MBv-V_Pv2c9xoqcsdYuxsyz2qIQf3eemcnSKd/s400/DSC05245.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see the hallway start to curve.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhErrbh0YNkRvtKCZEMirxgkxsQHd2x6VL1wDUSGmBzCO6_lRElLPBzxAqmM1ZrXvBXP5oFVeEvRrnhqQiV8MXGl24izLGthV9qY7HSHpmKEm4hTQHQgf9GC-zEcVqcSbYM5Kr85BfHU7c-/s1600/DSC05246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhErrbh0YNkRvtKCZEMirxgkxsQHd2x6VL1wDUSGmBzCO6_lRElLPBzxAqmM1ZrXvBXP5oFVeEvRrnhqQiV8MXGl24izLGthV9qY7HSHpmKEm4hTQHQgf9GC-zEcVqcSbYM5Kr85BfHU7c-/s400/DSC05246.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what it looks like, if you look upward.</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">At the top of the dome, in the cupola, the view was breathtaking. You can see the entire city of Rome even better than from the roof of the NAC or the Generalate. It was beautiful. We spent a good long time up there, taking pictures of each other, the city, and inside the walls of the Vatican. This trumped the US Capitol dome by a long shot.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdsKWq7emeFdevNMFvgYWIavvzZy3NFHkdzctYITE6DHxIeoH392te75OxA0X7cKC412sV2Ka7M8Yv7FEVS0B99oPMgIZW8mCxFoRUg6NS-9OkRYuY54UrbAInSbrtv3joxYYFw-OnyLaX/s1600/DSC05250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdsKWq7emeFdevNMFvgYWIavvzZy3NFHkdzctYITE6DHxIeoH392te75OxA0X7cKC412sV2Ka7M8Yv7FEVS0B99oPMgIZW8mCxFoRUg6NS-9OkRYuY54UrbAInSbrtv3joxYYFw-OnyLaX/s400/DSC05250.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from atop the <i>duomo</i><u><i>.</i></u></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of the Papal Gardens</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Papal train station!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's like a little oasis in the middle of a jam-packed city.</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-vZCzpkPL78PkqTcRpT8980HQDDsHnT4EaU6rNTXH3SAntzi-AC1WHmisnWTEy27oJgKmUlIphef6J1qdAyUUkUyu7k5Q5JBnGgsY1RmCcqbAc_r65l5WRoc-vZGMRvVypSEiLAO6VvCQ/s1600/DSC05295.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-vZCzpkPL78PkqTcRpT8980HQDDsHnT4EaU6rNTXH3SAntzi-AC1WHmisnWTEy27oJgKmUlIphef6J1qdAyUUkUyu7k5Q5JBnGgsY1RmCcqbAc_r65l5WRoc-vZGMRvVypSEiLAO6VvCQ/s400/DSC05295.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see over to the Vatican Museum.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4nqe6eG_EIoiU8EJ8KB2hmfALE00OIx2lZyAxACcz0wrye2MZMN4qqJ5y6950A-I-ZGZbs1y4t7DuSzsKNIHi-B6w1eoCSeETMe7IFLP2-5sUBpJ5mpWWRpB5wcDDvMGQsvO-GmhaeOoL/s1600/DSC05337.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4nqe6eG_EIoiU8EJ8KB2hmfALE00OIx2lZyAxACcz0wrye2MZMN4qqJ5y6950A-I-ZGZbs1y4t7DuSzsKNIHi-B6w1eoCSeETMe7IFLP2-5sUBpJ5mpWWRpB5wcDDvMGQsvO-GmhaeOoL/s400/DSC05337.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ah, the breathtaking view of the <i>piazza</i>...</td></tr>
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">We then made the trek back down the main roof of St. Peter’s and stopped in the gift shop, which was sizeable. We all bought some good Catholic swag and helped support the sisters who run the shop.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVYXyESJvEwS0I9BKsPdgAOEhOZa0MgGwY8jV-n_fyoZiHO53WS-3P7Luv83hmSAsf0n_2RavidxFSbGhox1Qcz_DryzOJzypDHP2TCIN9OOV8tMqRAngfXf421QFGaNp24ihWYlzDZE-M/s1600/DSC05356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVYXyESJvEwS0I9BKsPdgAOEhOZa0MgGwY8jV-n_fyoZiHO53WS-3P7Luv83hmSAsf0n_2RavidxFSbGhox1Qcz_DryzOJzypDHP2TCIN9OOV8tMqRAngfXf421QFGaNp24ihWYlzDZE-M/s400/DSC05356.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">20-ft tall statues of Jesus and the Apostles, which line the top of the facade of the basilica</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZTMWqZgtKJ3162ow40DwoQc0XlLSKaWeOJ4-ObNtglOC9fd4_Aeh6Wa82JopMiUR4ij8aBRW6ZualjiejVIVeUD7G1hNgA2WWuqxWPYGmSQ-6prQu4YM7PG9U000756lCyjcglhZWE2Az/s1600/DSC05359.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZTMWqZgtKJ3162ow40DwoQc0XlLSKaWeOJ4-ObNtglOC9fd4_Aeh6Wa82JopMiUR4ij8aBRW6ZualjiejVIVeUD7G1hNgA2WWuqxWPYGmSQ-6prQu4YM7PG9U000756lCyjcglhZWE2Az/s400/DSC05359.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the <i>duomo</i>, as well as the nuns' rooftop gift shop</td></tr>
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">Back downstairs, we met up with the Padres and headed down the road to have lunch with the Pallottine Missionary Sisters. When we arrived at their Generalate, which is tucked into a nice quiet street between their hotel and an apartment building, we were greeted by sisters from Germany, Poland, and even the US! They were all very nice and gave us a short tour of the house.</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">We got to see their chapel, which was kind of atrocious at first glance. But after an in-depth artistic explanation of the space from Sister Patrice, who is from DC, I think we all developed an appreciation for it. It’s all very right-angled, very ‘50s. The tabernacle is kind of hidden behind a huge iron cross that seems to be exploding. Sister explained that it’s actually meant to represent the crown of thorns, because the architect was very moved by the Lord’s Passion. The tabernacle is all glass, set into the back wall (with a window behind it to let light in). It’s behind a door made of a big clear crystal rock, which is meant to represent the Eucharist. This crystal rock thing is in other places in the chapel, as well. There is also use of blue and red, which are a nod to the blood and water which spilled from Christ’s side (and also, by coincidence, the colors of the image of the Lord’s Divine Mercy).</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">We headed downstairs to a meeting room, where we had light refreshments with a bunch of the sisters. They were all so cute and friendly; very holy women who were genuinely interested in what we were doing in our lives, how we liked Rome, and all that. They also told us some stories about their missionary work in Poland, Rwanda, and other places around the world. There are apparently about 2,400 Pallottine sisters worldwide, so they have a very large and influential network of women spreading the Gospel and helping people who need it most.</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">Once it was time for lunch, we made our way next door to their hotel, part of which is also the house for their other order of sisters. We had a delicious lunch of fish (because it was Friday, naturally), roasted vegetables, salad, and ice cream. We sat with the sisters interspersed between our tables and had a great time chatting with them about their work.</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">After lunch, we said our goodbyes and thank-yous and headed out for more sightseeing. The first stop was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Santa Maria Maggiore</i> (St. Mary Major). This is one of the 4 patriarchal basilicas of Rome, the titular churches of the Pope (since he’s still a cardinal, but the head cardinal), along with St. Peter’s and 2 others that we’ll get to later. This basilica is apparently the first church to be dedicated to the Blessed Mother. As the story goes, Mary appeared Pope Liberius and told him to build her a church, on a place where it had snowed (it was August). He is said to have found snow on the hill where the basilica currently stands. This story is where we get the Marian title, Our Lady of the Snows.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf989NUTvcdvONeqYPToI6rO1XD-ln8iwqlZP2ZzaJkMHE_bLOZG1jWdOHjDrF3hK7nJmWLN81pnh3Il1AzSa6SL2xI03_b5oC8I4blwfAp-Yx4ZDy9Jq45Wt36E4L7DBXJ6nfMicHHBqu/s1600/DSC05362.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf989NUTvcdvONeqYPToI6rO1XD-ln8iwqlZP2ZzaJkMHE_bLOZG1jWdOHjDrF3hK7nJmWLN81pnh3Il1AzSa6SL2xI03_b5oC8I4blwfAp-Yx4ZDy9Jq45Wt36E4L7DBXJ6nfMicHHBqu/s400/DSC05362.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The facade of <i>Santa Maria Maggiore</i></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrt5sAnMV991OmThwEkXn9E8Xv721W86e7GgJHtMfCfnV6AnNHnP8IHIPZvyJ8pavJi6tpW3BjaJXQROI_SsvQi_FkQVX0pm7tdf0ESg57MnWrYebHwo8SJLh3-MnCj1rCgsVSxX5Tkves/s1600/DSC05366.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrt5sAnMV991OmThwEkXn9E8Xv721W86e7GgJHtMfCfnV6AnNHnP8IHIPZvyJ8pavJi6tpW3BjaJXQROI_SsvQi_FkQVX0pm7tdf0ESg57MnWrYebHwo8SJLh3-MnCj1rCgsVSxX5Tkves/s400/DSC05366.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5CqZ4S7XSJhCULtOK26vxfExPyD5Kh_IfTT5MKDGmX7bWrxPRyywuRIFNlxe5XoM_7lGQpIZxcO0oIaJe5EKPFBYSrEbdzrLf8p-tTNY_kpTKRo1-AsOck3RUXTnWGz5Z9RZLlc27qQPU/s1600/DSC05373.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5CqZ4S7XSJhCULtOK26vxfExPyD5Kh_IfTT5MKDGmX7bWrxPRyywuRIFNlxe5XoM_7lGQpIZxcO0oIaJe5EKPFBYSrEbdzrLf8p-tTNY_kpTKRo1-AsOck3RUXTnWGz5Z9RZLlc27qQPU/s400/DSC05373.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The baptistry, which is apparently a pretty celebrated piece of architecture. I like the big Jesus on top of the baptismal font, myself.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An absolutely beautiful and intricate church...</td></tr>
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">The coolest thing about this church is under the altar. As you walk up the nave of the church toward the altar, you notice that there’s another level below the main floor, in front of the altar (similar to the Confessio in St. Peter’s). This area houses a large reliquary with a piece of the manger, which held Jesus when he was born. That was a really powerful relic to pray in front of, for sure. I mean, it’s believed to have held God incarnate immediately following His human birth. Kind of a big deal…<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ62vN3Geo0mfoGRpXff_mM-shxwsy3sgm319J84cyezVaj0WxUQdPiaXbxohx5Oeyo0Y6bam3wVbWhc-Hcto2Akj74swdTZr-BX4D3k5qVVJ0JUVPxHSOnxWdFHn3JxTrMrk-DLrvC_im/s1600/DSC05385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ62vN3Geo0mfoGRpXff_mM-shxwsy3sgm319J84cyezVaj0WxUQdPiaXbxohx5Oeyo0Y6bam3wVbWhc-Hcto2Akj74swdTZr-BX4D3k5qVVJ0JUVPxHSOnxWdFHn3JxTrMrk-DLrvC_im/s400/DSC05385.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt and David praying in front of the Manger</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdzl50KUWdmdUII9ax2vDa0yefbeEEHYjKTr3dHo-WsxPwQaVk4Xlwhbf-y6-tu_rwQLGAoWltdXvdfAUhm0WJ26JxX8c_qFA5w5VBv5mDYGYmIHf_ugarCLX2A_2yS5UwxqutxWAzFrbE/s1600/DSC05386.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdzl50KUWdmdUII9ax2vDa0yefbeEEHYjKTr3dHo-WsxPwQaVk4Xlwhbf-y6-tu_rwQLGAoWltdXvdfAUhm0WJ26JxX8c_qFA5w5VBv5mDYGYmIHf_ugarCLX2A_2yS5UwxqutxWAzFrbE/s400/DSC05386.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil6KpyQZe9GTQnqBIVOlxQHu21Ji2xMrgN8ufoM5cJCf_A-CM2ReI3RMQHCWHCv5yefE5ra99-iLTSBelHIVi6cAzclEqSLyr6J046tYjaoG8Oncc1EIL1_fzZHlgy5rVLAYI73mVOcxBt/s1600/DSC05387.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil6KpyQZe9GTQnqBIVOlxQHu21Ji2xMrgN8ufoM5cJCf_A-CM2ReI3RMQHCWHCv5yefE5ra99-iLTSBelHIVi6cAzclEqSLyr6J046tYjaoG8Oncc1EIL1_fzZHlgy5rVLAYI73mVOcxBt/s400/DSC05387.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the altar and the Pope's chair</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">There are also some beautiful frescoes and a really intricate ceiling. The frescoes depict Jesus and the Blessed Mother. There’s also a great painting of the Assumption, and what I dubbed the “Talk to the Hand” Mary statue. :-D<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV2yajgvmpaMJjJbmo5BfvmC6dkgHPeNghpVEbXt9Z7flayRXQmH9a3C4-KmPaa8gxqkkmi25V4Szbta4oeiVyNIRIU6yMw2sHbSRjA6fLG4S3lfmyqy8ePzoFZEPoWrdWv_8latRZxfk-/s1600/DSC05391.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV2yajgvmpaMJjJbmo5BfvmC6dkgHPeNghpVEbXt9Z7flayRXQmH9a3C4-KmPaa8gxqkkmi25V4Szbta4oeiVyNIRIU6yMw2sHbSRjA6fLG4S3lfmyqy8ePzoFZEPoWrdWv_8latRZxfk-/s400/DSC05391.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That be the Nativity. Beautiful, priceless paintings abound in Roma.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWcdJhzmlKpMLe8RnaSCMfOfRJ41AZzC5ax5aigHgzcOlyR67X72cPtwEVA1g_4I9s4jqFADpUftIr7rqznMCt3K2rG5FbjzZbHP0eW7sB-pygdwgaorjn9dIemmZAY6hBg74OODE7EMqj/s1600/DSC05394.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWcdJhzmlKpMLe8RnaSCMfOfRJ41AZzC5ax5aigHgzcOlyR67X72cPtwEVA1g_4I9s4jqFADpUftIr7rqznMCt3K2rG5FbjzZbHP0eW7sB-pygdwgaorjn9dIemmZAY6hBg74OODE7EMqj/s400/DSC05394.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This would be the Coronation of Mary.... <i>"Regina coeli, laetare, alleluia!"</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3UjTJd40y2IVAy8E9gKsuDCJUCdvzRkExWK6oeBRu9YFGouY6K222rcy3NhO4FggwjoxYCD-wIDlTCnr4rqy4JDI0GAziSowvMM4wEg4HNE4Gp63q3gpveemFRu9hA0Nb0I4A1VaBHo-M/s1600/DSC05401.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3UjTJd40y2IVAy8E9gKsuDCJUCdvzRkExWK6oeBRu9YFGouY6K222rcy3NhO4FggwjoxYCD-wIDlTCnr4rqy4JDI0GAziSowvMM4wEg4HNE4Gp63q3gpveemFRu9hA0Nb0I4A1VaBHo-M/s400/DSC05401.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I called this the "Talk to the Hand" Mary. haha!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZF7DnaiQWnieGlMJy8PKVfvMcePPUBSGpGgXA8ZzD9is8ax5XbIv8VEHa4OgJwm43WEkOu4tofFSWPw3q6sz0FEAVSH8-aqsL5AXPb0k8eO2UgP7EOxkrX95GH1wlEHrCyhTwkQL3rxvL/s1600/DSC05402.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZF7DnaiQWnieGlMJy8PKVfvMcePPUBSGpGgXA8ZzD9is8ax5XbIv8VEHa4OgJwm43WEkOu4tofFSWPw3q6sz0FEAVSH8-aqsL5AXPb0k8eO2UgP7EOxkrX95GH1wlEHrCyhTwkQL3rxvL/s400/DSC05402.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the entire front of the basilica</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">Next stop was a church that houses the original Our Lady of Perpetual Help icon. I liked that a lot because OLPH parish is close to where I live, and it’s an icon that I really like. (So I shelled out a few Euro and got a nice miniature version.) Above the altar is a cool fresco that has an image of Jesus similar to what we refer to as “Buff and Angry Jesus” in the National Shrine back home. Lots of fun.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsjSo6BFSt1M1m03TnvYw6q8ar3vG24bXNYeISo80gp_-iJp5lD8EXwjGAhpkejWlEduyb_MUEU6KF3GjARUA2MVHYTBn9BMoF5tF0W8wsBOs7chPq463gveroHYXeTMscwbRQZ2cE59LN/s1600/DSC05403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsjSo6BFSt1M1m03TnvYw6q8ar3vG24bXNYeISo80gp_-iJp5lD8EXwjGAhpkejWlEduyb_MUEU6KF3GjARUA2MVHYTBn9BMoF5tF0W8wsBOs7chPq463gveroHYXeTMscwbRQZ2cE59LN/s400/DSC05403.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Lady of Perpetual Help</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRrdpTHEf-e3yJ8B5hLZRPKqlC5qOJSYYuVSQ97k3AmvVGxEmH4NJFpxBxhsrPVFdHgn6E-Ilue7YpVnRXadQblYlt3MJEZoxqHWVxqmZnz2xaswUbL0E7OlKi4jvhiU41Uu-JnQPhhi3W/s1600/DSC05406.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRrdpTHEf-e3yJ8B5hLZRPKqlC5qOJSYYuVSQ97k3AmvVGxEmH4NJFpxBxhsrPVFdHgn6E-Ilue7YpVnRXadQblYlt3MJEZoxqHWVxqmZnz2xaswUbL0E7OlKi4jvhiU41Uu-JnQPhhi3W/s400/DSC05406.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See? Looks a lot like "Buff and Angry Jesus", but less angry.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCeTswUzB25ZTV-JEYn73noQVxfhsE_LWFxi886HNyLZPufqMZmdv6a7J72XgJC80txhDbW0touxn7juMix8fdXQdTS66unuU1v460T5s3nSjaq7OpEFMMLteSXgM_E2aqMcFOufn1QkVl/s1600/DSC05409.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCeTswUzB25ZTV-JEYn73noQVxfhsE_LWFxi886HNyLZPufqMZmdv6a7J72XgJC80txhDbW0touxn7juMix8fdXQdTS66unuU1v460T5s3nSjaq7OpEFMMLteSXgM_E2aqMcFOufn1QkVl/s400/DSC05409.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pray for us!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">After that was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">San Giovanni in Laterano</i> (St. John in the Lateran). Lateran is the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome, so it’s where the Pope performs a lot of his duties as the Roman bishop, such as the annual diocesan Chrism Mass. Since it houses the papal throne (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cathedra Romana</i>, hence the name “cathedral”), it’s literally THE highest ranking church in the world. It’s the only one in the world with the title <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Archbasilica</i>, and is thus more important even than St. Peter’s.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikq-uUlhKbncbIsqisp8OcOIdLzjQLt990rTb6iMrug_GstiP0cyiI_KCNk5PFtdJ13dGYg4yqyap8pMJ6B-xoqmaI-VQNnDGwEE_oTWoeznUXCsSEd2DAMz3-4Fg1Hw7xpx8vSZ5zdux2/s1600/DSC05417.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikq-uUlhKbncbIsqisp8OcOIdLzjQLt990rTb6iMrug_GstiP0cyiI_KCNk5PFtdJ13dGYg4yqyap8pMJ6B-xoqmaI-VQNnDGwEE_oTWoeznUXCsSEd2DAMz3-4Fg1Hw7xpx8vSZ5zdux2/s400/DSC05417.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The facade of the Lateran Basilica</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg736m5Daa6yyjVSRU-Ei9BzkYNmFTr2bdGRPngu6y2nivTOa-QcndmmjJ7IiO8oz8jOWMtsr8mDwlA4HJBX5VFvjdNIw6gg7El3xco-VjtXStStUMrVWm4yJX6aSiOtDn5SV89ol6yICpO/s1600/DSC05419.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg736m5Daa6yyjVSRU-Ei9BzkYNmFTr2bdGRPngu6y2nivTOa-QcndmmjJ7IiO8oz8jOWMtsr8mDwlA4HJBX5VFvjdNIw6gg7El3xco-VjtXStStUMrVWm4yJX6aSiOtDn5SV89ol6yICpO/s400/DSC05419.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Foreshadowing of <i>Pope William Dale Masters III</i>? I think so!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_xlzPW_NGmQ5V1ahnwJ7rFP1D-gw1hw3Wnxb0uIdB4spPxWwKRMXnET3wamv-YZo4urflWXOQL7MfSMNSUfY49fawDYdi66P1EX-pL67alev-mLZC50vHcrt-J1N_vXA4QyPQahCgkZHO/s1600/DSC05426.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_xlzPW_NGmQ5V1ahnwJ7rFP1D-gw1hw3Wnxb0uIdB4spPxWwKRMXnET3wamv-YZo4urflWXOQL7MfSMNSUfY49fawDYdi66P1EX-pL67alev-mLZC50vHcrt-J1N_vXA4QyPQahCgkZHO/s400/DSC05426.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNdzatjfb1MbEsbLq5p3ebALmKMD-lNt4aL2yQeHD7dOyJ5k7YsU-loPNY_r6rC9M-vLTyt7sBQ3XpWuLg2t-Mji_1TlJsGa9Vnmj02tt8lCfH-XZOdkveYCx2DAlL6yWZWcCAZX8Gs9UD/s1600/DSC05428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNdzatjfb1MbEsbLq5p3ebALmKMD-lNt4aL2yQeHD7dOyJ5k7YsU-loPNY_r6rC9M-vLTyt7sBQ3XpWuLg2t-Mji_1TlJsGa9Vnmj02tt8lCfH-XZOdkveYCx2DAlL6yWZWcCAZX8Gs9UD/s400/DSC05428.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jesus and his homeboys</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_KJLeOtXNRbRF1LgmTqZBu0LaVikHe9RraUnUmcfMOzkwRdmixTHLHxxtNoAgqF9aEbPH7EezeHl3CoU95NXW5Qim6eYZugZeXeEBIbly5AzHhNgqluMVRO8PUrgXFr2UBZ6FY2rP8QEX/s1600/DSC05432.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_KJLeOtXNRbRF1LgmTqZBu0LaVikHe9RraUnUmcfMOzkwRdmixTHLHxxtNoAgqF9aEbPH7EezeHl3CoU95NXW5Qim6eYZugZeXeEBIbly5AzHhNgqluMVRO8PUrgXFr2UBZ6FY2rP8QEX/s400/DSC05432.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yet another gorgeous and intricate and HUGE basilica</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj79RvNE5MxKS4Db1wjDIabxzi8EhMyKbTEuYE9R8iN_Fn4XkCDRWZHmFbEFT58GNSN6KmUyg_pOnlFr678vjiC5quP1Y4y5_NF09p_qcaphpfeMYEs9LogOccQxVVTXPqW_FuZcrorjt3/s1600/DSC05435.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj79RvNE5MxKS4Db1wjDIabxzi8EhMyKbTEuYE9R8iN_Fn4XkCDRWZHmFbEFT58GNSN6KmUyg_pOnlFr678vjiC5quP1Y4y5_NF09p_qcaphpfeMYEs9LogOccQxVVTXPqW_FuZcrorjt3/s400/DSC05435.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A lovely <i>baldacchino</i> over the high altar</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8vGSLSyNkCl4-Xlpa-M4dCc9PZrNPs1vaSKFbUHMANjGvpeRti9mTyHkzcbv-WvW-oYfLJVicNDGzvZ9jd_Tohkwwty9SLU5d8o_Nz1eo1yAoLYktZFGDfAAHRhGAGlv8FTKlxpb8FeD-/s1600/DSC05441.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8vGSLSyNkCl4-Xlpa-M4dCc9PZrNPs1vaSKFbUHMANjGvpeRti9mTyHkzcbv-WvW-oYfLJVicNDGzvZ9jd_Tohkwwty9SLU5d8o_Nz1eo1yAoLYktZFGDfAAHRhGAGlv8FTKlxpb8FeD-/s400/DSC05441.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jesus is lowered from the Cross</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHlTeJhONjsRA2j0cVnBUK8fQLNgqJk_VEhjd_QyDSmvoARaF4_IBe_wbOM1hAa8kwsbYXdCaA0nl87oxoFci7wYvgz79YT4rVFXsncv5j7_3KEYafL5NkS1TvCTi6y2xNEMEs0ogz0NVN/s1600/DSC05447.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHlTeJhONjsRA2j0cVnBUK8fQLNgqJk_VEhjd_QyDSmvoARaF4_IBe_wbOM1hAa8kwsbYXdCaA0nl87oxoFci7wYvgz79YT4rVFXsncv5j7_3KEYafL5NkS1TvCTi6y2xNEMEs0ogz0NVN/s400/DSC05447.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yet again, God is "shedding some light on the situation".</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUSaUPsoVK2w4wWVmaAmxBOP6LGEQAH1El9Ukjgv98m6S8I83d4fZ2FKbqxGCVut703Blro2brNP7Md-pIjQoWVMlpSayBhqQywBP8Mrz72VxEeYFGCeBhMsAx8t7Y7qJB6X_cpEc3i8WS/s1600/DSC05448.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUSaUPsoVK2w4wWVmaAmxBOP6LGEQAH1El9Ukjgv98m6S8I83d4fZ2FKbqxGCVut703Blro2brNP7Md-pIjQoWVMlpSayBhqQywBP8Mrz72VxEeYFGCeBhMsAx8t7Y7qJB6X_cpEc3i8WS/s400/DSC05448.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My boy, St. Andrew</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY-iekyJ44mI9O782QgezWe76P6VYPASubj-VnWamPYTBqu6voaa0B2ljmE6VZmGi7tZDDDNe_Qj-3JTasZJN2gUgr0i0VXvw-yqA8fhUtzV3q_z0lzJq3h-399y_u4w9abBYZtxmMzfJe/s1600/DSC05451.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY-iekyJ44mI9O782QgezWe76P6VYPASubj-VnWamPYTBqu6voaa0B2ljmE6VZmGi7tZDDDNe_Qj-3JTasZJN2gUgr0i0VXvw-yqA8fhUtzV3q_z0lzJq3h-399y_u4w9abBYZtxmMzfJe/s400/DSC05451.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4yELodBwIEWPNf6HmvK652th5qsNMiAH8M_HKUGmy34-RCkZiAwnuGevpNSTKOxFpzFexYAWJcRCrPyh1YigVEK0vi413J58HiPHPBs-lmter6dXLhaGQ9ZSLdsnICHHwTkF8Hx_JbnnZ/s1600/DSC05457.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4yELodBwIEWPNf6HmvK652th5qsNMiAH8M_HKUGmy34-RCkZiAwnuGevpNSTKOxFpzFexYAWJcRCrPyh1YigVEK0vi413J58HiPHPBs-lmter6dXLhaGQ9ZSLdsnICHHwTkF8Hx_JbnnZ/s400/DSC05457.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9OUFrVVCL2i4mRUvaQM745ueZDjK0r8Sp3nnV_9ZaGl6fMo07N9AgVZ62y4hDhHDvHPoKbtaycYwgmJbw0Bh3ydJpepqLczYAUpovZy_rs6co9bJrq4YWhgo2j2KxlwVRSNCexBPhVHLk/s1600/DSC05459.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9OUFrVVCL2i4mRUvaQM745ueZDjK0r8Sp3nnV_9ZaGl6fMo07N9AgVZ62y4hDhHDvHPoKbtaycYwgmJbw0Bh3ydJpepqLczYAUpovZy_rs6co9bJrq4YWhgo2j2KxlwVRSNCexBPhVHLk/s400/DSC05459.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where have you seen an organ like this? Nowhere... that's why Rome is so great :-D</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxSQjii2agq3t2ThSc_aUJZA7vcMi4BZALvNShzy_scispsVqA8-bu9clPWZhdsrElKpxjsHSbshPBe6crzZsTPpf1ziTXbfzfBMpCr4vt0jSs8lrF5aGtskQpebOIrbjDndwk3gJtqftt/s1600/DSC05463.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxSQjii2agq3t2ThSc_aUJZA7vcMi4BZALvNShzy_scispsVqA8-bu9clPWZhdsrElKpxjsHSbshPBe6crzZsTPpf1ziTXbfzfBMpCr4vt0jSs8lrF5aGtskQpebOIrbjDndwk3gJtqftt/s400/DSC05463.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Again, Jesus and his posse. They're kind of a big deal.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2w8eKRtvNIEUhuz4TdyEg6ny6ICqD9Y4zVz3NQFk7znAsYJu3rZwgzyPSo6CNxbL48A9-s74LVHIB0tmNodGaZJiIq4kQ0U7XOl-Odc7ElgDROEPGIE6Hn80LamTJVrQJAv4dXrvQNb9d/s1600/DSC05466.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2w8eKRtvNIEUhuz4TdyEg6ny6ICqD9Y4zVz3NQFk7znAsYJu3rZwgzyPSo6CNxbL48A9-s74LVHIB0tmNodGaZJiIq4kQ0U7XOl-Odc7ElgDROEPGIE6Hn80LamTJVrQJAv4dXrvQNb9d/s400/DSC05466.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's it, the chair of power, the <i>Cathedra Romana</i>.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4sNP0DqK0gC1pLua-bsnDIgUrjFt-9YfPKLeSBi2aNukQ9Cf56zt79GsRlQ8hiYGOhk5v83Lspcq_3VjAbDZEtXeFi4Ul6V1RwoYkrHSwCn57a1Uzgcg74sGIhMjWBXFwrpctPB5t10JP/s1600/DSC05468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4sNP0DqK0gC1pLua-bsnDIgUrjFt-9YfPKLeSBi2aNukQ9Cf56zt79GsRlQ8hiYGOhk5v83Lspcq_3VjAbDZEtXeFi4Ul6V1RwoYkrHSwCn57a1Uzgcg74sGIhMjWBXFwrpctPB5t10JP/s400/DSC05468.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The high altar</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUtlXbcTlk65Wb4rLCv9Lw6drB2qH2IVfIxn_tU50Hke8UVHHmkVO3oT6pv5dd1mR6X7OH36Ryta9FDVKAPl1U3syP3sgA4FojpK4Z9ZHIoR95yinny83xkpSMy2_AM3lDARwfFPpMIB-y/s1600/DSC05471.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUtlXbcTlk65Wb4rLCv9Lw6drB2qH2IVfIxn_tU50Hke8UVHHmkVO3oT6pv5dd1mR6X7OH36Ryta9FDVKAPl1U3syP3sgA4FojpK4Z9ZHIoR95yinny83xkpSMy2_AM3lDARwfFPpMIB-y/s400/DSC05471.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Blessed Sacrament Chapel. Jesus is right in there!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaJ8x3zcxO-KCiG82Xac_dQs0GhmbPNFhJPXXaVrUqGyMOM9mSOGC3AmN7WRq6giPE1hJBhUlCHPokonW7j-ibHRx0nmrWR5D5vEONJD871B8sDW4PjinE-gQyMz_QPSWp08aeEuJhPHxB/s1600/DSC05476.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaJ8x3zcxO-KCiG82Xac_dQs0GhmbPNFhJPXXaVrUqGyMOM9mSOGC3AmN7WRq6giPE1hJBhUlCHPokonW7j-ibHRx0nmrWR5D5vEONJD871B8sDW4PjinE-gQyMz_QPSWp08aeEuJhPHxB/s400/DSC05476.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Talk about a tabernacle... wow!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJo-nIPKIn76b-p0pGHSL-GB2_I9vPDW-dFZuHV7u_WQPKodFKznaPQeof8QtqMKHfoWhNu0vT2fGpSkg5ZaeE_Eg1RzKbqZvG0L67JfEynTJPsUcGtFWRaZBW1uD3b3rsSAksLihMBshL/s1600/DSC05484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJo-nIPKIn76b-p0pGHSL-GB2_I9vPDW-dFZuHV7u_WQPKodFKznaPQeof8QtqMKHfoWhNu0vT2fGpSkg5ZaeE_Eg1RzKbqZvG0L67JfEynTJPsUcGtFWRaZBW1uD3b3rsSAksLihMBshL/s400/DSC05484.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's Jesus. If you haven't met him yet, take the time to. He's the man.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7yRV0nqLKXSi75tTLvkiZrpEwkb2WOiCcbeut757KKBjSmWvDwaD-sMVm4TNuhTs_ItqsIg0UK0xOWJpluBOQFl9ttkoF6kuARJjdwmeRrIvbG8T1ULX1HgAD5nXQ70MN1sdN73WsjAlS/s1600/DSC05481.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7yRV0nqLKXSi75tTLvkiZrpEwkb2WOiCcbeut757KKBjSmWvDwaD-sMVm4TNuhTs_ItqsIg0UK0xOWJpluBOQFl9ttkoF6kuARJjdwmeRrIvbG8T1ULX1HgAD5nXQ70MN1sdN73WsjAlS/s400/DSC05481.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I really liked this shot, St. Peter looking out from behind the high altar of his successor's seat of power. Kind of a striking image, if you ask me.</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgghwmuog7LlHY9F4CVy-Mi-3QQQiLrfLazEFCLL1wA-g73sVGBp2jHxA2q-EvFyTPWY8ja2BFA1TqkUlNoSJacCCmf00gwSPKdsRy8_p_z9O6UcHrlQ39zlcwOMj8OgQrSNxAG-AcTFCEl/s1600/DSC05487.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgghwmuog7LlHY9F4CVy-Mi-3QQQiLrfLazEFCLL1wA-g73sVGBp2jHxA2q-EvFyTPWY8ja2BFA1TqkUlNoSJacCCmf00gwSPKdsRy8_p_z9O6UcHrlQ39zlcwOMj8OgQrSNxAG-AcTFCEl/s400/DSC05487.JPG" width="400" /></a></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">My favorite feature of this basilica, while a morbid one, was the big statues of the 12 Apostles, depicting their means of martyrdom. So Sts. Peter and Andrew had crosses, St. Bartholomew was holding his skin (ew!), and so on. It’s a beautiful church, with an intricate ceiling and gorgeous mosaics of Christ and the Apostles. The baldacchino (altar canopy) is also really cool looking. From the altar to the back of the cathedral is mostly original; the rest of the church was mostly rebuilt after some fires.</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">Just across the street is another “kind of a big deal” place: The Scala Sancta (Holy Steps). These are the steps from Pontius Pilate’s praetorium, which Christ climbed on His way to trial. They were where He was condemned to death, and they’re now in Rome for pilgrims to visit.</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">Since they have such a sorrowful connotation, pilgrims are only allowed to climb the steps on their knees. This is considered an act of penance and, I believe, there is a plenary indulgence associated with this. It’s flanked by 2 sets of regular steps for those not climbing the Scala Sancta. The steps all lead up to the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sanctum Sanctorum</i> (Holy of Holies), which was the personal chapel of the Popes before the Papacy moved to the Vatican. It’s a beautiful little chapel, with some really impressive frescoes and lots of gilded adornments.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjFwOY3QMp5YnL_147j3xk5_rTaRzQV3WToMFk1C9mwquN4a0Na0qN_sEmpn3NFRqtbe5sjYFCQ0t5i6wMBGyiZB8AgX9B2JuE6-_hxDW3q1ckhG05CAf9CAHuTVzhP8uSSIzLi8ZGwtH/s1600/DSC05498.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjFwOY3QMp5YnL_147j3xk5_rTaRzQV3WToMFk1C9mwquN4a0Na0qN_sEmpn3NFRqtbe5sjYFCQ0t5i6wMBGyiZB8AgX9B2JuE6-_hxDW3q1ckhG05CAf9CAHuTVzhP8uSSIzLi8ZGwtH/s400/DSC05498.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chris making his way up the <i>Scala Sancta</i>.</td></tr>
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">After heading back to the house to quickly recuperate, we hopped back on the bus and went a good way out of the center of Rome to meet Fr. Al, a close friend of Vince’s. Fr Al is a Trinitarian and used to teach at DeMatha before being assigned to work in Rome. He’s still working with students, though. No surprise there.</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">We had a great time at dinner with Fr. Al. Plenty of wine, lots of laughter, and REALLY good pizza. A bunch of us had Pizza Carbonara, which is t he pizza version of the pasta we had the other night. DELICIOSO!<br />
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">So, another wonderful day in Roma. Tomorrow: taking it easy, visiting St. John Outside the Walls, and maybe a few other fun things along the way.</div>Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08988401053578820461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2808760505361228285.post-67372595835472138862011-05-29T14:00:00.001+02:002011-05-29T14:37:33.220+02:00Day 5- "St. Francis was like the Beatles"<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Today, we went to Assisi. Talk about a lovely little Italian country village... it's everything I expected when I thought of Italy. Although Assisi is in Umbria, I felt like I was on vacation in Tuscanny.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">So we woke up at the crack of dawn (again) and made way for Roma Termini, the main train station of Rome. We had to take the bus to get there. After running through the sketchiness of Termini to make sure we didn't miss our train, we had a wonderfully uncomfortable 2-hour ride out to Assisi, which is to the northeast of Rome. All I can say is that I really appreciate our American transit systems, despite all their shortcomings... at least we make things comfortable for rides longer than 30 minutes. This train was hot, it was muggy, and it wasn't airtight enough. Every time we passed another train, particularly in a tunnel, the cabin pressure would suddenly increase. That, and the trains just suddenly come up on you and scare the crap out of you. At least I had good company! While we weren't sleeping, Fr. Frank, Nick, and I were busy solving the world's problems (mostly Nick and Fr, chatting about development and class issues in Baltimore city; looks like we've got some big ideas coming!).</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">But that was a minor discomfort compared to the awesomeness of Assisi. We got into town at the base of Mt. Subasio (don't ask me how tall it is; I have no idea!). Down in that part of town is the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli (St. Mary of the Angels), which houses the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porziuncola">Porziuncola</a>. That is the original church where St. Francis started his religious movement.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">The Porziuncola os a beautiful little church (chapel, really), given to St. Francis by the abbot of St. Benedict of Mt. Subasio (according to Wikipedia... lol). at any rate, it was in bad condition and St. Francis fixed it up for his own use. Inside (and out) are some beautiful paintings of the Holy Family, Jesus, saints, etc. On the altar inside is currently a relic of St. Clare; a strand of hair kept inside a glass reliquary. Sadly for you, the Franciscans won't allow pictures to be taken inside the Basilica (reasonablly so; it's a measure to preserve the holy site). But it's certainly a gorgeous chapel. No wonder it was St. Francis's favorite place in the world. You could certainly feel a strong divine presence while praying in there, as though Francis himself were sitting in one of the pews with us. And this was just the beginning of the day!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Also, there's a plenary indulgence for praying in the Porziuncola. Whoop whoop! And just to clarify, the Porziuncola is a very small chapel INSIDE the basilica. There is also a place inside the basilica called the Transito (transition). This is where St. Francis died; where he made the "transito" from this life to the next. It houses a relic of the saint: his belt, which is little more than a piece of rope. He was a very humble man and basically cast off all material possessions and lived a life of poverty.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.hotelfratesole.com/files/2010/09/Assisi-La-Porziuncola.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.hotelfratesole.com/files/2010/09/Assisi-La-Porziuncola.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"> The Porziuncola</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.tanogabo.it/religione/images/Porziuncola01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="http://www.tanogabo.it/religione/images/Porziuncola01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">Not a great picture of the inside, but the best I could find at 1am...</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">We went through the back of the Basilica and monastery, through the rose garden, and into the gift shop (which was very nice, even compared to the shop next to St. Peter's). Two things to say here: First, the rose garden is significant because St. Francis, in his prayer, would often strip down and roll around in the rosebushes as penance (or something along those lines). It was all about more closely aligning himself with the suffering and humanity of Christ (see a recurring theme among the Italian saints?). Second thing: you walk through the garden in an enclosed hallway. Inside the hallway is a statue of St. Francis. Doves nest near the statue, as well as ON it. I was lucky enough to get a picture of a dove sitting in his hands. Even in death, Francis continues to instruct the animals about the Gospel ;-)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7zo0oezZzvKCsCqIVBoeNyOEZ-lYhAidheaC7z9erNjBbEcB8K_Iqcsj7ibSv5kzeHcFApF1HEhYMlUNhk4PrNMX9H4tUMJiHXVh3C4PZozD7OTKS4L42Nrnk1bee3ei4t7iFItPJLp7b/s1600/DSC05087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7zo0oezZzvKCsCqIVBoeNyOEZ-lYhAidheaC7z9erNjBbEcB8K_Iqcsj7ibSv5kzeHcFApF1HEhYMlUNhk4PrNMX9H4tUMJiHXVh3C4PZozD7OTKS4L42Nrnk1bee3ei4t7iFItPJLp7b/s400/DSC05087.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Just a view of the street from the outside of the basilica.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi45baurFx4HThSST5eGmTO5RP3QNMMla953p-ymqLxVDrQk-XZRM4k1HMCv3kOyBJ7_rvgfp4iW3ytE0jGocd55GC-0jTRnltVd9vWTT6BawgN4HGhn24XXlftaxxPkGfl8MEk-P1_kX69/s1600/DSC05090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi45baurFx4HThSST5eGmTO5RP3QNMMla953p-ymqLxVDrQk-XZRM4k1HMCv3kOyBJ7_rvgfp4iW3ytE0jGocd55GC-0jTRnltVd9vWTT6BawgN4HGhn24XXlftaxxPkGfl8MEk-P1_kX69/s400/DSC05090.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The front of the basilica</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwZMRzr1mRczBpURk10iPo_wcYTffns5RplU0Veasvuzh8aIqKIagAaD2MRbte9JSezllVhGUGEjK7FOa1OkPuNWtADVHvegitSCzaunGkmKcKWjhHe6EvktXR7nhpjtInDWeGSk5qJk2Y/s1600/DSC05093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwZMRzr1mRczBpURk10iPo_wcYTffns5RplU0Veasvuzh8aIqKIagAaD2MRbte9JSezllVhGUGEjK7FOa1OkPuNWtADVHvegitSCzaunGkmKcKWjhHe6EvktXR7nhpjtInDWeGSk5qJk2Y/s400/DSC05093.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The Blessed Mother above the main entrance.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhO1Pbx1zFHJIKu913txu6-RfNQxJwuKRL6nN-FsmCvnd_KiiVsPCfbWZjOqdFG-77LNn3kkbDtpf-6QuMh921yqvlh9zWVWEpYvc0Rfn-CD9WRR6eHEcFb9PWmWJgUgyL1PhHllkCXiwx/s1600/DSC05094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhO1Pbx1zFHJIKu913txu6-RfNQxJwuKRL6nN-FsmCvnd_KiiVsPCfbWZjOqdFG-77LNn3kkbDtpf-6QuMh921yqvlh9zWVWEpYvc0Rfn-CD9WRR6eHEcFb9PWmWJgUgyL1PhHllkCXiwx/s400/DSC05094.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> St. Francis continues to teach the animals :-)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsKz4xWtvTt5IdrZ13HpT1tncNZpo5ygcAn4jeiKorUd4q-txpfkPI7zlO6ijfKwOiRg_l0il_4omclII2axEzexuny3qjZGmxio15yLHJLQy-WbV_QTGPezLGDIQ3hLxA9T8XL2S38WD0/s1600/DSC05095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsKz4xWtvTt5IdrZ13HpT1tncNZpo5ygcAn4jeiKorUd4q-txpfkPI7zlO6ijfKwOiRg_l0il_4omclII2axEzexuny3qjZGmxio15yLHJLQy-WbV_QTGPezLGDIQ3hLxA9T8XL2S38WD0/s400/DSC05095.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The rose garden</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbD2pVp-vg3cMciaWB8HqdVHNQ8Hh6JB8xyLf_Aq6X-jH7F1amk9YmXiAWrSH16dlP-wJakUOQesHDfmCD502TDYDSnrA0xio4uuCO2R9_SMPg7eTGF3A3lB7c6NIHPDu5uYqj1q5arUWi/s1600/DSC05098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbD2pVp-vg3cMciaWB8HqdVHNQ8Hh6JB8xyLf_Aq6X-jH7F1amk9YmXiAWrSH16dlP-wJakUOQesHDfmCD502TDYDSnrA0xio4uuCO2R9_SMPg7eTGF3A3lB7c6NIHPDu5uYqj1q5arUWi/s400/DSC05098.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"> The outside of the basilica</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Next stop was up the hill to the entrance to Assisi proper. (A side note, Matt and I stopped for gelato; I had "Melone" (melon)... yum!) Since we were all pretty much starving, we walked to the central piazza of the town and sat down in a little bar for some lunch. I just had a Caprese flatbread sandwich and a beer (Tuborg), but it was somehow enough to get me through 'till dinner. We got cannolis for dessert, which weren't all that good... but Umbria (the region we were isn't known for them. So what do you expect?<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9JABqfue72HpGrpLNU-DWgw_OvXNBkXZlsbNthlST2noDmZFtlEDLpW9FYXLFQ6ec_grtXQ_Fk8Sp0D8eBhe8CiQCS3BCd-R0JBZ-Sz_2wv4DwJcZPNkGHBE5o30jWXfIic3ci8vm_7l9/s1600/DSC05099.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9JABqfue72HpGrpLNU-DWgw_OvXNBkXZlsbNthlST2noDmZFtlEDLpW9FYXLFQ6ec_grtXQ_Fk8Sp0D8eBhe8CiQCS3BCd-R0JBZ-Sz_2wv4DwJcZPNkGHBE5o30jWXfIic3ci8vm_7l9/s400/DSC05099.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The good shepherd tends to one of his flock.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG55dvnYGhWUKHnm2GzSrQE4iU0JxwoJ4Vdz7fweZotHhxqLmIl-RbpoPh9O0WbpjPP1eIfCuOa62FzGrBoosr38eyZ9dvkwSxLkIlX1RWDA5KBHQycdEVMP_yBoQ8tlQBtFNGR_E4ABhj/s1600/DSC05100.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG55dvnYGhWUKHnm2GzSrQE4iU0JxwoJ4Vdz7fweZotHhxqLmIl-RbpoPh9O0WbpjPP1eIfCuOa62FzGrBoosr38eyZ9dvkwSxLkIlX1RWDA5KBHQycdEVMP_yBoQ8tlQBtFNGR_E4ABhj/s400/DSC05100.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"> Just waiting for the bus.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZcV-5vQtHteGID6uvW7Lxe2BAlOvgASqDdieFapOwq1tcU0PICUdoKDuYpRRKg__RSSdsBAE0fL8fcAVS9GbbANGiTe_kGijJfxSuNytPZ-WnaSArw9n3vpNADab2elYzcEa77kAHF6rU/s1600/DSC05109.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZcV-5vQtHteGID6uvW7Lxe2BAlOvgASqDdieFapOwq1tcU0PICUdoKDuYpRRKg__RSSdsBAE0fL8fcAVS9GbbANGiTe_kGijJfxSuNytPZ-WnaSArw9n3vpNADab2elYzcEa77kAHF6rU/s400/DSC05109.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> Beginning the hike up the hill from the bus stop.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8PKLNZ75yxfKThOHHpOBP3aazgK7DPsPKD0h-AxyccfIbihJ7K5qDmstSQyqVMGTf8aHBLrEjDaZGUfUe-twD0R1nj0SsSVyR6SuAZOp9EqBaSHd3rMCVtY5QIAzpeH5x4ATzmPX2TvJo/s1600/DSC05115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8PKLNZ75yxfKThOHHpOBP3aazgK7DPsPKD0h-AxyccfIbihJ7K5qDmstSQyqVMGTf8aHBLrEjDaZGUfUe-twD0R1nj0SsSVyR6SuAZOp9EqBaSHd3rMCVtY5QIAzpeH5x4ATzmPX2TvJo/s400/DSC05115.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> This was the view from the BATHROOM. I'll have a window like this in my Tuscan vineyard home one day...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbhoZU2xxEDkvBK_i5eejCKaVwwu18p24Uwusj-jUmRAhvt9BmxA_v5_HBeaO1V8cC94B2_q9v-KEL9cOwy41V7fdJAl2pXy-p-ozjjPgkboBG8mAQlWSdCinYursyjBad-2ryC1AZWxVl/s1600/DSC05126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbhoZU2xxEDkvBK_i5eejCKaVwwu18p24Uwusj-jUmRAhvt9BmxA_v5_HBeaO1V8cC94B2_q9v-KEL9cOwy41V7fdJAl2pXy-p-ozjjPgkboBG8mAQlWSdCinYursyjBad-2ryC1AZWxVl/s400/DSC05126.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> What a lovely little town.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZwVV4h57g2yFEt8H3Yy3im3OO5LRx79Qi7hkvA2KzwXjV4tK5UBxvUa5gprGy-kideoS6lYlZi4wwuCuzDqfn-PY4TY_MaLmW1WgiIGGfaDcdi_r_6ANUmbA2d_khdkzJ8ydQPQBEHszm/s1600/DSC05123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZwVV4h57g2yFEt8H3Yy3im3OO5LRx79Qi7hkvA2KzwXjV4tK5UBxvUa5gprGy-kideoS6lYlZi4wwuCuzDqfn-PY4TY_MaLmW1WgiIGGfaDcdi_r_6ANUmbA2d_khdkzJ8ydQPQBEHszm/s400/DSC05123.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> On the left is the gate into town. You can see how hilly it is!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiadoCpho9JS4e-pCVJvCU9tVY0ohyphenhyphen2YSNDF1dXm6MBUKaTVvVUaSJsmk64x2Z43Q6EqZK3unNRtxVfrSftCLalKGP_14S-d4bAnl7HrXGOBrq7HpIbvOgqJR8r5hXIBCXObzV7y0hWjMCH/s1600/DSC05128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiadoCpho9JS4e-pCVJvCU9tVY0ohyphenhyphen2YSNDF1dXm6MBUKaTVvVUaSJsmk64x2Z43Q6EqZK3unNRtxVfrSftCLalKGP_14S-d4bAnl7HrXGOBrq7HpIbvOgqJR8r5hXIBCXObzV7y0hWjMCH/s400/DSC05128.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> View over the Umbrian countryside<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6jyKECuLAhRWI9vtaHeUw22Z3VqwRmM8Qr-Dx1WSB4LJUdgx_gXh8CpLaus93zh6qPv17S3_3zI00dbK7fhUGXZQC5ziaRWSrBm6yxG91Q3kBMNuAvs-mS30XOSfdlzMsKjWjxxwbtUi3/s1600/DSC05132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6jyKECuLAhRWI9vtaHeUw22Z3VqwRmM8Qr-Dx1WSB4LJUdgx_gXh8CpLaus93zh6qPv17S3_3zI00dbK7fhUGXZQC5ziaRWSrBm6yxG91Q3kBMNuAvs-mS30XOSfdlzMsKjWjxxwbtUi3/s400/DSC05132.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> The central piazza of Assisi</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">By the way, the ride up the hill was beautiful. From the road, there's an incredible view of the town, which is dominated by the Basilica of St. Francis. It's just massive.. and we were all really excited to go there.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCkP5X82mKO6UTtSS5XxyzQ7CMScK44gD5bkSUc2cM5Lf70KFrCBzgclL1nz5w7spqRSpMYIY8ataKxGUX1xiMwA5lpeHpEv0dYCVPsu9QC8q13HbNry7iIyibXtExwa35twSveC6tg74O/s1600/DSC05112.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCkP5X82mKO6UTtSS5XxyzQ7CMScK44gD5bkSUc2cM5Lf70KFrCBzgclL1nz5w7spqRSpMYIY8ataKxGUX1xiMwA5lpeHpEv0dYCVPsu9QC8q13HbNry7iIyibXtExwa35twSveC6tg74O/s400/DSC05112.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The basilica, from down the hill.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnhKixFw71v9MqjLV-_Ti5jDbgY5tzNWgAkmYRIi87PHrne-rjAOVGr2_Ktg9TVOCI4TM81RcIojY_s9dLK6NJp5LIFPin_zn7bFR0Qs7Al11RbzhtK6q4OOvEFzf4y86Y3r_TdFmlD4tX/s1600/DSC05149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnhKixFw71v9MqjLV-_Ti5jDbgY5tzNWgAkmYRIi87PHrne-rjAOVGr2_Ktg9TVOCI4TM81RcIojY_s9dLK6NJp5LIFPin_zn7bFR0Qs7Al11RbzhtK6q4OOvEFzf4y86Y3r_TdFmlD4tX/s400/DSC05149.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Just a view of the hillside. Glorioso!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim2UYB4XmAGDCVk468Nal_5dtE15l61CsKoqTtArdxqQjXS4Lf_DT8Chkk0STuMk1u0Y2yh5qA_cfNg7tExTohkAjJUujP9jXe6WTH58QxuF7Nw2UfuvvnKQZIYDPshY-wedLj39zSf1-f/s1600/DSC05157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim2UYB4XmAGDCVk468Nal_5dtE15l61CsKoqTtArdxqQjXS4Lf_DT8Chkk0STuMk1u0Y2yh5qA_cfNg7tExTohkAjJUujP9jXe6WTH58QxuF7Nw2UfuvvnKQZIYDPshY-wedLj39zSf1-f/s400/DSC05157.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> A random church we stopped in.... don't remember the name, but it was nice.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7E1G7hyphenhyphen55LPahWnkBkpXXvCN43Bq_MqjEu21oS2NollxkOE8csysIjrlMb29zEp_ERCwFtOWNDoIaaLsru8Nw1fK9R5DxkF080kP9B47E2rzoPls_sqUVf8ZN5i3Sul2QY7pfHVNtLduX/s1600/DSC05165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7E1G7hyphenhyphen55LPahWnkBkpXXvCN43Bq_MqjEu21oS2NollxkOE8csysIjrlMb29zEp_ERCwFtOWNDoIaaLsru8Nw1fK9R5DxkF080kP9B47E2rzoPls_sqUVf8ZN5i3Sul2QY7pfHVNtLduX/s400/DSC05165.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> So... many... hills!</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">So, I'm going to have to disappoint you this time... the churches in Assisi won't allow pictures inside ("NO PHOTO!!!") because the frescoes are all very fragile. Also, it's apparently somewhere in Italian law that you can't take pictures in churches (as if that stops folks from snapping pictures of things in St. Peter's...). At any rate, they were all beautiful places.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">The first one we popped into was an old temple to the goddess Minerva. It was converted into a Christian church back in the day (for the win!). Not a whole lot to say about this one, although its interior is very nice. And it's a converted pagan temple ;-D </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB7yEzyh21fwFIIUBf3uITzXCYVaBjjF-X-iaxAflR5Jy-1x8KnZpL8dKcK9sthvngK26SYZJtYP-qH_CVSN83Lwm7jOfnKZcW50_1ocCgH_mXyRBtbcabD0H5COAzv_6A_sqnRoFxRGgc/s1600/DSC05133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB7yEzyh21fwFIIUBf3uITzXCYVaBjjF-X-iaxAflR5Jy-1x8KnZpL8dKcK9sthvngK26SYZJtYP-qH_CVSN83Lwm7jOfnKZcW50_1ocCgH_mXyRBtbcabD0H5COAzv_6A_sqnRoFxRGgc/s400/DSC05133.JPG" width="300" /></a></div> Outside of the temple<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9jyricPxnFrqx-PzP6TxsgQYGC0DlhxsvvGyPTB3pjtShqSgr2btNGixYtXdjOyRpbOTEAg9dAcMjeHkd8XiDF-PgMHiwo-3Nw2b8251-dIWFH1xvv8Uk40xn9tDjGptRWDHZXbYyOylZ/s1600/DSC05138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9jyricPxnFrqx-PzP6TxsgQYGC0DlhxsvvGyPTB3pjtShqSgr2btNGixYtXdjOyRpbOTEAg9dAcMjeHkd8XiDF-PgMHiwo-3Nw2b8251-dIWFH1xvv8Uk40xn9tDjGptRWDHZXbYyOylZ/s400/DSC05138.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>The beautiful altarpiece inside</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Next, we stopped at the Basilica of St. Clare. It was closed for lunch (why don't we shut down for lunch in the US??), so we turned around to head to the Basilica of St. Francis for our tour. We met the Padres outside the main entrance and met up with our tour guide, a Franciscan brother who just happened to have studied at Catholic University. As is common with Fr. Frank, we had connections yet again!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAwfdhvG1pl0oeGH0CoRywm6ipFOOGcmSRiPaf5PUYAPOSrYafGKpRWA3z2Pi7SSmCVZ0XSmem5Rtuf3aLzLnJRgzuKNzQSgqqBgdQzMEu_QafE6YLEabxBGNoSIPrUNj7NYrPYPYi-x6P/s1600/DSC05169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAwfdhvG1pl0oeGH0CoRywm6ipFOOGcmSRiPaf5PUYAPOSrYafGKpRWA3z2Pi7SSmCVZ0XSmem5Rtuf3aLzLnJRgzuKNzQSgqqBgdQzMEu_QafE6YLEabxBGNoSIPrUNj7NYrPYPYi-x6P/s400/DSC05169.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Walking up to the basilica</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_8TvZT9lt3fvoTLq5J6VAuoYjXAeR9wq_UPt4bHVawvfM-ayTaGBd1I5SI6MTCZuagg9g9RaRZvsfTRqr9ocR_eqh9q7l2ahCb7fKi0g8oY-3RphoyG6TPCl4Bh9iFGXkN5auiOO8Um2m/s1600/DSC05170.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_8TvZT9lt3fvoTLq5J6VAuoYjXAeR9wq_UPt4bHVawvfM-ayTaGBd1I5SI6MTCZuagg9g9RaRZvsfTRqr9ocR_eqh9q7l2ahCb7fKi0g8oY-3RphoyG6TPCl4Bh9iFGXkN5auiOO8Um2m/s400/DSC05170.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Long walkway...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3lHgoQIQ_74xl1bxTkz8NrzGXYZ-9GnGzH9WvP_eQ_SBZBDmc-OWE0hASC4HgWE0xpSsPsfrACCjK0jg9SnlPjZ8anbCp8cWA2IdenEevCmQOxmKCw2WyMRYMg26O4m2NBvxKEBLOjHsm/s1600/DSC05173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3lHgoQIQ_74xl1bxTkz8NrzGXYZ-9GnGzH9WvP_eQ_SBZBDmc-OWE0hASC4HgWE0xpSsPsfrACCjK0jg9SnlPjZ8anbCp8cWA2IdenEevCmQOxmKCw2WyMRYMg26O4m2NBvxKEBLOjHsm/s400/DSC05173.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> There was a gorgeous view from the talk of the piazza.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzsilr6IHKKxX5FBDvF78mbFR3w0O54sH3JTnAjk3H2MTbjH81FOVeG_5auuZ3A2K1mSKC6GH_oIaTWWlLO3PjNfQoAoRQp3skl69uJXxgaaouW-D97GKbxSqBXWN3ObRMEnSm3J6HSylC/s1600/DSC05186.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzsilr6IHKKxX5FBDvF78mbFR3w0O54sH3JTnAjk3H2MTbjH81FOVeG_5auuZ3A2K1mSKC6GH_oIaTWWlLO3PjNfQoAoRQp3skl69uJXxgaaouW-D97GKbxSqBXWN3ObRMEnSm3J6HSylC/s400/DSC05186.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The main entrance of the basilica</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqGvRFpC1vE5mxu79jH6Gv7vucO4nQg9oUEwrrjqSAzpJsTo3yg0vIo1C2QD3t58VAeJNZBZDu9KQRQU-LY0OPsFWgR7MIzz8e5iHljzl0HT95aD-R6pA5gFGkcLLbYmn5wtJ8GtP1bg6w/s1600/DSC05189.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqGvRFpC1vE5mxu79jH6Gv7vucO4nQg9oUEwrrjqSAzpJsTo3yg0vIo1C2QD3t58VAeJNZBZDu9KQRQU-LY0OPsFWgR7MIzz8e5iHljzl0HT95aD-R6pA5gFGkcLLbYmn5wtJ8GtP1bg6w/s400/DSC05189.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> "Tau PAX!"</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxusnRUyiKayWCTYUf4zbxHWzLZA4zeYzwt8bavwVTZww6JVZMBKxAegBNYb5k8ODNLYseVDTzyILD9mGUgim_NPgzuF_MwJojhF-FyE9mglsV3I-hNNWvbelCqOhIKmCjEn-BQlrqgiaD/s1600/DSC05191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxusnRUyiKayWCTYUf4zbxHWzLZA4zeYzwt8bavwVTZww6JVZMBKxAegBNYb5k8ODNLYseVDTzyILD9mGUgim_NPgzuF_MwJojhF-FyE9mglsV3I-hNNWvbelCqOhIKmCjEn-BQlrqgiaD/s400/DSC05191.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> View from the piazza</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7qf1lfCucfcO5WKbs5548LbqXIOuMyPzEEsBDg8r9wwFnOPBO3v2lfbdXrQ_TnCQJqTgY_QfNSK3Lf22lnB2jLDL-EV08l7IizfOfExeaQaRErl-L7T9lASq1yBjNxBv5oY_8AC4pfKr5/s1600/DSC05194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7qf1lfCucfcO5WKbs5548LbqXIOuMyPzEEsBDg8r9wwFnOPBO3v2lfbdXrQ_TnCQJqTgY_QfNSK3Lf22lnB2jLDL-EV08l7IizfOfExeaQaRErl-L7T9lASq1yBjNxBv5oY_8AC4pfKr5/s400/DSC05194.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The entrance to the lower basilica</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">First, we saw the lower basilica, which was very dark (in an attempt to set the mood, honestly) because it's the resting place of St. Francis. He was buried beneath the main altar way back when. After a while, some people started to doubt whether he was actually there, since you can't see him from there (he was completely buried under the stone in a sarcophagus), so the Pope at the time gave the Franciscans permission to dig underneath to find Francis's tomb and verify his physical presence. They were only allowed to dig at night, so as to not distract pilgrims to the site, so they covered the excavations with a big screen and platform that the Papal chair sat on. Nice job!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">After only 50some days of digging, they found and verified Francis's remains. Eventually, the Franciscans built another chapel beneath the lower basilica where pilgrims can pray before the now visible sarcophagus. It's a beautiful chapel and, again, you could clearly feel Francis's presence there, keeping an eye on all his loyal fans and followers.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.franciscanfriarstor.com/archive/stfrancis/images/tomb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="331" src="http://www.franciscanfriarstor.com/archive/stfrancis/images/tomb.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> It was a moving opportunity to pray before the tomb of such a holy man.</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Next, we went to the upper basilica, which is a completely different looking place. The lower basilica looks like a traditional Roman-style church, whereas the upper is an Italian Gothic style. Very different, but similar in their themes: both make parallels between the lives of Francis and Christ. He tried to make his life mimic Christ's as much as possible, and the artists certainly did a good job of portraying that. A few things of note:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">- There's a very famous fresco in the lower church that is considered to be the most accurate depiction of Francis's face and such.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">- There's another famous fresco referred to as the "Hitchhiking Madonna", where Mary is telling Jesus to bestow His first blessing on Francis, rather than St. John, the "Beloved Apostle".</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">- In the upper church, the ambo has a column directly above it, with a sculpted hand "holding" it up. This is a joke, in true Franciscan style, to remind any priest standing there to keep his homily short, lest the hand get tired and drop the column on his head!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">- The basilica is just beautiful; I wish I had pictures to share with you. Every wall is covered with amazing frescoes. depicting parallels between the lives of Francis and Christ.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l93sl9w2i51qc833ro1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l93sl9w2i51qc833ro1_500.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The "Hitchhiking Madonna"</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://uploads6.wikipaintings.org/images/cimabue/madonna-enthroned-with-the-child-st-francis-and-four-angels-1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="328" src="http://uploads6.wikipaintings.org/images/cimabue/madonna-enthroned-with-the-child-st-francis-and-four-angels-1280.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">"Madonna Enthroned" with St. Francis on the right</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">So, some cool stuff about San Francesco...</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> - He was the son of a wealthy cloth merchant. He stole some cloth and a horse from his father to pay for renovations to a church. This caused a huge rift between them that climaxed in a very public argument. Francis stripped off his clothes in the main piazza and told his father that he renounced everything he'd given Francis, and that he would only call God his father.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">- He was the first person known to have received the stigmata. Apparently he tried to hide his wounds, but they just bled through his socks and gloves. There’s a neat fresco in the basilica showing the vision he had when he received the wounds of Christ. He saw Christ surrounded by seraphic wings, floating in the sky, as beams of light emanated from Christ to Francis in the places where the wounds appeared (hands, feet, side).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://wwwdelivery.superstock.com/WI/223/1039/PreviewComp/SuperStock_1039-15135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="http://wwwdelivery.superstock.com/WI/223/1039/PreviewComp/SuperStock_1039-15135.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Francis returning his clothes to his father</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.padrepioinscotland.org.uk/images/St%20Francis/francis_stigmata_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.padrepioinscotland.org.uk/images/St%20Francis/francis_stigmata_large.jpg" width="283" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Francis receiving the stigmata</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">After the Basilica San Francesco tour, we had just enough time to go up to Basilica Santa Chiara to see her body and the San Damiano Cross. As you walk inside the basilica, you are directed to a side chapel off to the right, where the original San Damiano Cross is hanging in the sanctuary. The story goes that Francis was praying in San Damiano Church and the crucifix actually spoke to him. It said, "Francis, Francis, go and repair my house which, as you can see, is falling into ruins". This he took literally, which is why he stole some of his father’s cloth to sell, as mentioned before.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc9wR64EpS5aIS6NMmy1B_abU1Pi3D1uLsPKnzWwgRiWSrR5JEWHzUYGEgC2mw6gVRuoHdXwOwUuTHk3auwn5aGW9q2ORAYKobKwKajaM99yylPJ5jBQTGRhbsllHSuPz6oqnMWcWF0wQ/s1600/St+F+Crucifix.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc9wR64EpS5aIS6NMmy1B_abU1Pi3D1uLsPKnzWwgRiWSrR5JEWHzUYGEgC2mw6gVRuoHdXwOwUuTHk3auwn5aGW9q2ORAYKobKwKajaM99yylPJ5jBQTGRhbsllHSuPz6oqnMWcWF0wQ/s400/St+F+Crucifix.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"> The San Damiano Cross, as seen inside the Basilica of St. Clare.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">After seeing the cross, we went down into the crypt to see St. Clare. She’s in a glass coffin (incorrupt) behind a window in the basement. Couldn’t get close enough to make anything a 3<sup>rd</sup> class relic, but she was right there! Down the hall were some other relics of St. Clare, as well as St. Francis (including his bloodstained socks, which he used to attempt to hide the stigmata).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://wwwdelivery.superstock.com/WI/223/1848/PreviewComp/SuperStock_1848-211348.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://wwwdelivery.superstock.com/WI/223/1848/PreviewComp/SuperStock_1848-211348.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> St. Clare of Assisi</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">The train ride back to Roma was uneventful. I sat with Fr. Kyle, and we both slept for a good half of the trip. Unfortunately, the chairs force you to sit up fairly straight, so my head kept falling forward. But at least this one had working air conditioning. PTL!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">We took the bus back to the house and made preparations to go to dinner. We ended up bussing to dinner, also, because the restaurant was up near the Vatican. This was, hands down, the best meal we’ve had here so far. The house specialty (the name of which I don’t remember) was basically carbonara, but with rigatoni. Also, it tasted better than carbonara. The entire table, except Dan and the Fathers, ordered it. Molto bene! Bellissimo!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLaxLbY8Pc3CWDJvZlj1HF4GQzivSmomIZmz3J_diacmTE4rELH3dqpThxFxI4UpsHeP5pHNDRYBTheZJJyLiDbybLI49Dv-Slh9Ai_UkZFiEhF025l_rYMHD4yvcSA7bzYeEpZlb7WnG2/s1600/DSC05203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLaxLbY8Pc3CWDJvZlj1HF4GQzivSmomIZmz3J_diacmTE4rELH3dqpThxFxI4UpsHeP5pHNDRYBTheZJJyLiDbybLI49Dv-Slh9Ai_UkZFiEhF025l_rYMHD4yvcSA7bzYeEpZlb7WnG2/s400/DSC05203.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Delicioso! I LOVE Italy; this meal made the trip perfect :-D</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">We walked along the Tiber to get back to the house. Chris and I stopped at Castel Sant’Angelo to take a few pictures of the castle and the Bernini sculptures along the bridge. What ensued next was, in short, an epic Eagle Scout fail.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Chris and I began walking along the river since we’d fallen behind and lost the group while being photography nerds. We thought the Tiber would guide us right back to the house. In theory, this was a correct assumption. In reality, things began to look unfamiliar. The sidewalks along the Tiber got smaller, until giving way to just busy roads. We snaked along one block down from the river, but all the roads were diagonal, so we zig-zagged back and forth. Eventually, we started getting concerned because the neighborhood looked a little sketchy for the Ponte Sisto area. Also, we just didn’t recognize anything. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Finally, after walking for a little over a half hour and starting to get worried, we found a map. It showed the Tiber running East-West, which is wrong, along with labeled bridges and a big square showing where we were. After looking for the Ponte Sisto in relation to the big square and Castel Sant’Angelo, and with a groan of frustration, we discovered our fears were worse than expected. We thought we’d just passed the house… oh no. We went in the OTHER DIRECTION! In other words, we had a 30-minute hike back to Sant’Angelo, PLUS another 30 minutes to the house. YAY!!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">So we made the trek back rather briskly, because try as we might, we still stick out as Americans (especially with my lax bro hair and touristy backpack). We ended up getting back right around midnight and, thankfully, we weren’t the last ones back. If that had happened, since we didn’t sign out individually, the inside deadbolt to the door would’ve been thrown by someone else coming in and we would’ve had to spend the night on the curb. Whoo! </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">What a day! After hiking the hills of Assisi and running around Rome all night, I got in a good shakedown for Philmont ;-) And even though the Eagle Scouts failed miserably (we’re not city folk… we work best in the woods!), we did get a good story out of it! And some great photos, as well:<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNBd7aLg7bDRKmI-2_7Qa4mhM9wry4Cm0N0d-LWnxwzSJCyFYip0-IKclZf2wcVey1ZClAmOMjBFuy5f0TFkjB-3t_mlmySQPVows2hUOuWtKWXvSoE1ySAtZT41bHFA7z6sOxw0zahDIe/s1600/DSC05209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNBd7aLg7bDRKmI-2_7Qa4mhM9wry4Cm0N0d-LWnxwzSJCyFYip0-IKclZf2wcVey1ZClAmOMjBFuy5f0TFkjB-3t_mlmySQPVows2hUOuWtKWXvSoE1ySAtZT41bHFA7z6sOxw0zahDIe/s400/DSC05209.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Basilica San Pietro at night</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJEGXV5tdLnAFahtUdaNBGgktXeQzy_F9x-X7UTHMfbl9T7vm1ysLLb2aF9LaBuGnRy7uUgf1P8ZTNJ6SkXh5_mgeGV-m24UjhXgSfO2TwrkIwv8-7N8cl94Q3mqNSkXHxreICw7-WpYX8/s1600/DSC05221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJEGXV5tdLnAFahtUdaNBGgktXeQzy_F9x-X7UTHMfbl9T7vm1ysLLb2aF9LaBuGnRy7uUgf1P8ZTNJ6SkXh5_mgeGV-m24UjhXgSfO2TwrkIwv8-7N8cl94Q3mqNSkXHxreICw7-WpYX8/s400/DSC05221.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Castel Sand'Angelo</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeZR9JdmNEQtSE50pqiIj735gtvbxKvTEnuc38uY9gK_WHxwq2TWEPYAIN8W_b-lBqqaJtj43FBExNCIIUmSUjb-_2Flv4UK2Ofa0RcqerQ3OtGUprjuIuSXBwn41fWX2TVXo01-6GGpw4/s1600/DSC05219.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeZR9JdmNEQtSE50pqiIj735gtvbxKvTEnuc38uY9gK_WHxwq2TWEPYAIN8W_b-lBqqaJtj43FBExNCIIUmSUjb-_2Flv4UK2Ofa0RcqerQ3OtGUprjuIuSXBwn41fWX2TVXo01-6GGpw4/s400/DSC05219.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> One of Bernini's sculptures on Ponte Sant'Angelo</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8SsPgZoJdCOFYV6r09R4HAu0HoohfT2Jtc6_i6sOIfiauTpoxipQOEGS60n8hPpQq3aBX7vE91lOoSO5qgkWO-tz2fkHdJCwl4cREfPD613t-1VFw1g7UlqJQz0IcN4YGxeeWAzDfK7N0/s1600/DSC05218.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8SsPgZoJdCOFYV6r09R4HAu0HoohfT2Jtc6_i6sOIfiauTpoxipQOEGS60n8hPpQq3aBX7vE91lOoSO5qgkWO-tz2fkHdJCwl4cREfPD613t-1VFw1g7UlqJQz0IcN4YGxeeWAzDfK7N0/s400/DSC05218.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Another shot of the basilica</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">So, tomorrow: early morning Mass in the Clementine Chapel (the place in St. Peter’s closest to Peter’s tomb), some of the patriarchal basilicas, and lunch with the Pallottine Missionary Sisters.</div>Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08988401053578820461noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2808760505361228285.post-25173013046808931992011-05-26T01:35:00.001+02:002011-08-08T04:33:59.596+02:00Day 4- "Holy Mother, it's the Holy Father!", and other Papal excitementWell, today was fun. Tiring, but lots of fun.<br />
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Got up at the crack of dawn for an early breakfast. Same deal as yesterday: lots of cheese, proscuitto and such, rolls, yogurt. We got dressed and headed over to the Vatican.<br />
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Quick side note/rant: I am SICK of wearing pants! Since we're hitting up so many religious things, pants are basically a must. Rome is hot this time of year, and muggy all year round. Today, there wasn't a single cloud in the sky. All I can say is that I was thrilled to get into the shade at lunchtime. But more on that later.<br />
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So we went to <i>Piazza San Pietro</i>, flashed our tickets (not! Italians don't care about security!), and got great seats about halfway up the section of seating (which was effectively 3/4 of the way up the circular part of the Piazza). We were right in the middle, along the fenced-off aisle which, we thought, the Popemobile would drive right up.<br />
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Since we got there so early (9:30am for a 10:30am audience), we were just sitting there, out in the open, on a cloudless sunny day in Rome, baking. I've basically never been more uncomfortable in my own clothes. But I shouldn't complain; the Padres were both in their clerics (I mean, it's the Vatican... clerics are kind of required dress). In the end, it was worth it for the experience.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAOwJ7GgaVkyHJ7PgOHw6qORJENyFHuozTE2h1Sj_QnIiSUc1l1M_IN0YNqICoJQyhJRL3amH9xWj-yPiJRhwgj9zTzq2dIJKZ0A71YJ0-zoed9-WbpOxjXQhV8g-BcBaIGIEvPAeu07nq/s1600/DSC05049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAOwJ7GgaVkyHJ7PgOHw6qORJENyFHuozTE2h1Sj_QnIiSUc1l1M_IN0YNqICoJQyhJRL3amH9xWj-yPiJRhwgj9zTzq2dIJKZ0A71YJ0-zoed9-WbpOxjXQhV8g-BcBaIGIEvPAeu07nq/s400/DSC05049.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting to see the Pope</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMKafyHAEkzoJXBCOlUXGQY1ZYey092MJuAfD8BPOlxxYqHebHG0O1qYaZTBVV9O6uXC8g4t0A2d_lWncpChFcrCkvfN94WuMbTU2S4DXXpIrXl2dBCZP872oll4NhD40inNXwh556DgKd/s1600/DSC05051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMKafyHAEkzoJXBCOlUXGQY1ZYey092MJuAfD8BPOlxxYqHebHG0O1qYaZTBVV9O6uXC8g4t0A2d_lWncpChFcrCkvfN94WuMbTU2S4DXXpIrXl2dBCZP872oll4NhD40inNXwh556DgKd/s400/DSC05051.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There was a big old grandstand right there on the steps of <i>San Pietro</i>.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAwTjmlEqu58JjIIAtexl44fJTNxhk38TWZsAwVCFj-nwTDPEOzNh6n3xdInFb9kSt7-rhCZiP-S2U-pXGiRHmTvLvuN794FaVONWMnkkrtVyGZmUmjwxCNBhLhl1r5R62ilm23af6TitD/s1600/DSC05052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAwTjmlEqu58JjIIAtexl44fJTNxhk38TWZsAwVCFj-nwTDPEOzNh6n3xdInFb9kSt7-rhCZiP-S2U-pXGiRHmTvLvuN794FaVONWMnkkrtVyGZmUmjwxCNBhLhl1r5R62ilm23af6TitD/s400/DSC05052.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Huge crowd showed up to see Papa Benny. Because he's the man.</td></tr>
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Sooo, His Holiness was late, which was very un-German of him. Our people are always on a very tight schedule and are usually good about being on time.At any rate, he came out from the side of the Basilica in the open-top Popemobile, waving to the crowd. At first, we couldn't see his ride, so it looked like he was just floating along like the Mother Superior in <i>The Blues Brothers</i>. Haha...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5XVdUv6iqDeab0Njh504QAJbBSz8_XWrZOnON4lMeA7t9wBjYbI8hRvSZHoLJfv8Zr0BSOXXRjuIxh1SsNdmfYPvCl0BjZMVYMxGZNyxkq1ETI0Fs0ukGiCSksujSgBr0nQTjpiTcm8wf/s1600/DSC05054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5XVdUv6iqDeab0Njh504QAJbBSz8_XWrZOnON4lMeA7t9wBjYbI8hRvSZHoLJfv8Zr0BSOXXRjuIxh1SsNdmfYPvCl0BjZMVYMxGZNyxkq1ETI0Fs0ukGiCSksujSgBr0nQTjpiTcm8wf/s400/DSC05054.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was kind of like the beginning of a rock show. But I mean, it's the Pope.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioa51mG92pLl5VLCJGsJJGTax_9QxfSFNLDKsB8T3DxxENIWssm4kT-ZMxGn3u-M5Lp85UDcqAJdxCuRDLFbfdaRLRXZ5x5qfEqjZ_SfWE43IOJwmuu9jBu0x2vPvWluiPQ7RUDc72wbYZ/s1600/DSC05056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioa51mG92pLl5VLCJGsJJGTax_9QxfSFNLDKsB8T3DxxENIWssm4kT-ZMxGn3u-M5Lp85UDcqAJdxCuRDLFbfdaRLRXZ5x5qfEqjZ_SfWE43IOJwmuu9jBu0x2vPvWluiPQ7RUDc72wbYZ/s400/DSC05056.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was about the closest we got to him. Cool!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWXrkRLtDjM49auETTLRFzZvlD_8_IXL03JQtznNBqIMWrVNxwRXXLeZoSsx6JnE9sW8CImoxIwc2hH3kikZ2IlYTV22eU2MqBRHIIkt5H36u5jK9DYuRHO0yYLple5nwJ5i-sSAFeUkGd/s1600/DSC05058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWXrkRLtDjM49auETTLRFzZvlD_8_IXL03JQtznNBqIMWrVNxwRXXLeZoSsx6JnE9sW8CImoxIwc2hH3kikZ2IlYTV22eU2MqBRHIIkt5H36u5jK9DYuRHO0yYLple5nwJ5i-sSAFeUkGd/s400/DSC05058.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Okay, I lied. I guess this was a little closer. But there he is! Papa Benny: the man, the myth, the legend.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOZ0zPNy7kbFu06dfoPKiY99hoMBOeI_48wb8hNnqkbR22UCNfdEINyyQg77TVVbrJnlMexEq8q0INWIlglpE0b7-O7wsBK8LI4DOHqjxBW2Ri81a6xKTg1zveUTZeO4YqUpp5KaSja3r8/s1600/DSC05059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOZ0zPNy7kbFu06dfoPKiY99hoMBOeI_48wb8hNnqkbR22UCNfdEINyyQg77TVVbrJnlMexEq8q0INWIlglpE0b7-O7wsBK8LI4DOHqjxBW2Ri81a6xKTg1zveUTZeO4YqUpp5KaSja3r8/s400/DSC05059.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Your eyes do not fool you; the Popemobile drove right up the front steps of <i>San Pietro</i>.</td></tr>
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So after riding around the perimeter of the crowd, he came back to the center and they drove up the ramp on the Piazza to the platform in front of the steps to the basilica. It was really disappointing that he didn't come down our aisle, because he would've been FIVE FEET AWAY! But oh well.<br />
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There was a reading from Scripture proclaimed in Italian, followed by Papa Benny's short homily, also delivered first in Italian and then in a number of other languages (French, German, English, Spanish, etc.). Since he's German and has such a thick accent, it was hard to understand him in English... but it was about Jacob wrestling with the angel and how it;s just like our personal struggle with prayer and faith. Basically, he was giving a "don't give up; keep fighting" message. Good and uplifting.<br />
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Then, we went through a series of greetings, group introductions, and the Pontifical blessing, again done in the various languages. This was really boring, mostly because we were swimming in sweat and only understood one or two of the languages spoken. That, and all the cheers from the various groups when they were announced. Also, a fair number of the English-speaking groups of pilgrims sang for Papa B when they were introduced. Nice gesture, but again, we were getting hot and impatient. The best part was when Benny made a point to wave to all his German brethren for each group that was announced. No surprise there! haha<br />
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Would I do it again? Probably not. The <i>Angelus </i>on Sunday will be much faster and still nice, since we'll get to see him again. It was also just so dang hot today. Would I recommend it? If you've never been before, ans especially if you're like me and have never seen the Pope in person, then yes. Otherwise, no. It was a lot of pomp, but again, still really neat to have done.<br />
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The next big item on the day's agenda was lunch at the NAC. The NAC is the Pontofical North American College, the American seminary in the Vatican. Every American diocese can send 2 or 3 seminarians to study there, often to continue with higher degrees as well. It's a beautiful campus, just up the hill from St. Peter's.<br />
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We had lunch in the refectory with the seminarians from Washington, DC, since we're visiting from that (arch)diocese. That being said, the majority of the group is from Baltimore, the Premier See, the original archdiocese. Anyway, we had a good time visiting and eating with the guys. They're all very friendly. They're all also members of our Knights of Columbus council. Two are charter members, and one of those 2 was the Charter Grand Knight! Heckyes!!<br />
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After lunch, a couple of the guys took us up to the roof to see the gorgeous view of the city. Since it's up on a hill, you can see the entire city. WOAH! Talk about lucky. The rooftop is about the same level as halfway up the dome of St. Peter's, so we were way up there. Got some awesome pictures and had a nice visit with the seminarians.<br />
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We then made the trek back to the house, which wasn't too bad, although we were all dead tired. Fr. Frank took the opportunity to give us the St. Vincent Pallotti tour inside the house itself. If I haven't explained before, the Pallottine Generalate is actually 3 buildings combined: an old convent and 2 other large houses that have been connected. Unfortunately, they weren't connected inside, except on the 1st floor. So to get from our rooms to the rooftop terrace, we have to go all the way down, then all the way up. The place is like a maze!<br />
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Anyway, Fr. Frank took us to St. Vincent's old room, where he spent most of his ministry and where he died. It's been kept in its original state since then, even his bed is there. (Apparently one of the fathers used to climb into the bed every year on the anniversary of St. Vincent's death and hope to die there. So they enclosed it in a glass case. LOL!) St. Vincent was very focused on Jesus's humanity, and tried to align himself with His suffering, to the point that he would kneel in prayer for hours on a very uncomfortable, slanted wooden kneeler. He also used crucifixes that typically depicted Jesus with lots of blood, as a reminder of the extreme act of love our Lord performed for us.<br />
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Fr. Frank also took us into St. Vincent's personal chapel, which was loaded with 1st class relics (bone fragments) of various saints... felt like a really holy place. There was also another room with artifacts from St. Vincent's life: cassocks, religious articles, and even his snuffbox. (We thought that one was funny, just because Fr pointed it out nonchalantly and very quickly moved on... haha) One cool thing in there was a little reliquary St. Vincent would carry up his sleeve (literally). It was common practice in his time for laypeople to kiss the blessed hands of priests, because of what they do on a daily basis in the Mass. St. Vincent abhorred this, so when folks went to kiss his hand, he'd whip out his reliquary. It had a picture of Mary and the baby Jesus on the front, and inside was a fragment of the True Cross, relics of the apostles, and something else which I honestly can't recall (and obviously isn't as cool as the other contents anyway).<br />
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So St. Vincent was pretty much the man. He was really big on priests' personal holiness, so they could guide others to the same holiness. He was also a big supporter of helping people become better apostles of Christ, hence the name of the order: Society of the Catholic Apostolate. St. Vincent was also kind of a rockstar, but not. A very humble man, he made sure to take credit for absolutely nothing. In reality, he did a LOT:<br />
- He was wicked smart... He was offered many academic honors (which he turned down), and even mused on how science and knowledge can lead one to God's infinite love and wisdom.<br />
- He was very holy, but not in a holier-than-thou way. He was confessor and spiritual director to a number of popes, saints, and other important people. So he was to the Church, in a way, what the Secretary of State is to the USA... he was a very respected adviser to those high up in the hierarchy.<br />
- He bilocated AND levitated. Come on now, that's just cool!<br />
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Fr requested that I talk up San Vincenso, so there you go. You can find out more about the Pallottines here: <a href="http://www.sac.info/">http://www.sac.info</a>. And you can "Like" St. Vincent Pallotti here: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/St-Vincent-Pallotti/156609348536?ref=ts">http://www.facebook.com/pages/St-Vincent-Pallotti/156609348536?ref=ts</a><br />
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Moving on quickly, because I'm tired and we're getting up early tomorrow... Dinner was delicious again. We went to another traditional ristorante, where I ordered penne in a spicy tomato sauce, followed by homemade sausage. There was also plenty of wine and sparkling water (remind me later to talk about the Italians and their sparkling water). We stopped at another gilatteria for dessert. Today's flavor: Licorice! Multo bene!<br />
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So, tomorrow. Stay in tune for our dry trip to Assisi. We'll be chilling with Sts. Francis and Clare, and having Mass in one of the town's lovely churches. Get excited!Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08988401053578820461noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2808760505361228285.post-56936868827664056322011-05-26T00:48:00.001+02:002011-08-08T04:24:27.440+02:00Day 3- "...as the prophet Scott Hahn foretold it", or, "Marble is like wood here."Today was a jam-packed day. We visited the major Roman ruins and a LOT of churches, including the titular churches of Cardinals Keeler and Weurl. We also had our first real Italian ristorante dinner. Molto bene!<br />
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We started the morning off again with Mass in the crypt chapel. A couple of us were late and a couple others slept in. No biggie! Then came another lovely traditional Italian breakfast with proscuitto, cheese, rolls, THICK coffee, yogurt, etc. (They eat a lot of meat and dairy in these parts!) <br />
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Once we got our stuff together, we headed out for another exciting day of adventure. First stop was Trajan's (Hadrian's) Forum, which houses Trajan's column. As with all other pagan things, one of the popes decided to Christ-ify it by sticking a bronze St. Peter on the top. It's just across the street from the National Monument of Victor Emmanuel II (called "the typewriter" or "the dentures" by the locals), as well as the main balcony Mussolini used to make his speeches from to the army, which would march down the via.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fr. Frank in Tour Guide Mode</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All the Carabinieri (police) cars were really nice, like this Alpha Romeo.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Column of Hadrian, with St. Peter on top.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Forum of Hadrian.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trying to figure out where to go next.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mussolini's window.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More of the Forum of Hadrian.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Obligatory tourist shot.</td></tr>
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Next (just down the road), something funny happened on the way to the Forum. (If you don't get the movie reference, then you're missing out on a hilarious film.) After purchasing our tickets, we walked down the hill and into the ruins of the Forum. Not much to say about that... they're ruins, they're Roman, and they're kinda cool and very historic. We saw the bottom floor of the main temple (which was, naturally, converted into a church) and also some current excavations.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking to the Colosseum.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"What are we looking for again?" - the woman standing there</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The <i>Forum Romanum</i>.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HnhU0aHmEqqVYHKyI7X1wYlWVkzWfjgKoTrcrSe0mJaHo4fg_U61gDr5lchnZF1Ef7YYsowvIvyi4zlgRV1WlyxS371jtPPhqy8kEOUnSFKYgT9Cou6xJ9CwrAfRIzBlAQjKj6bs68A2/s1600/DSC04862.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HnhU0aHmEqqVYHKyI7X1wYlWVkzWfjgKoTrcrSe0mJaHo4fg_U61gDr5lchnZF1Ef7YYsowvIvyi4zlgRV1WlyxS371jtPPhqy8kEOUnSFKYgT9Cou6xJ9CwrAfRIzBlAQjKj6bs68A2/s400/DSC04862.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking down into the excavated Forum.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcBQNWWCLL74DygAVqiXKjOEzBCuqQ3_qyzUbpdHRPcoYBxE17zdvkw-HcuaSsjgF2j73hT-TvldOHXqee1ixhiIp2u-jHmmiah-uxQ9-rHuZgBvDDUlw72ctPbSGRSK5wpGynOxrlLJYU/s1600/DSC04863.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcBQNWWCLL74DygAVqiXKjOEzBCuqQ3_qyzUbpdHRPcoYBxE17zdvkw-HcuaSsjgF2j73hT-TvldOHXqee1ixhiIp2u-jHmmiah-uxQ9-rHuZgBvDDUlw72ctPbSGRSK5wpGynOxrlLJYU/s400/DSC04863.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking like we're kind of a big deal. Which we are. ;-)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj78wsg_8BMAR63OPOaxAT63XUt1QpwLhKwZIARSQzZV5fmTA2Z8r68vw-7WYbMvpFoHcpkQsHjCJ6UscBRNI9GArI0WGfBLHX7Pjrfq81VUudLhO-6wsZpgm0xY7Aa5hc8dgS72iZ9xdgu/s1600/DSC04865.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj78wsg_8BMAR63OPOaxAT63XUt1QpwLhKwZIARSQzZV5fmTA2Z8r68vw-7WYbMvpFoHcpkQsHjCJ6UscBRNI9GArI0WGfBLHX7Pjrfq81VUudLhO-6wsZpgm0xY7Aa5hc8dgS72iZ9xdgu/s400/DSC04865.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt, our resident Classics major, giving some historical lessons.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCHVhtvdP0VUzi3SoPZr91aPVyaMCn55W52IGbDBy0VBDEsxTHCzVbfN_liRKGjfOJFqli2rjNljTemBoy4hmzKyCFOrES_EcrpSwz5s-67bBeqPe3R-HruF9VMReekuAEC-Oo3PKURxcb/s1600/DSC04867.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCHVhtvdP0VUzi3SoPZr91aPVyaMCn55W52IGbDBy0VBDEsxTHCzVbfN_liRKGjfOJFqli2rjNljTemBoy4hmzKyCFOrES_EcrpSwz5s-67bBeqPe3R-HruF9VMReekuAEC-Oo3PKURxcb/s400/DSC04867.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fr. Frank, again in Tour Guide Mode.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia0q0YoEpXxOZI2M1Y0b_hMvFvH3jgzjzHPW3l1Yxwr0BVeeBxsRbdnzq1eLuJkcEYC8VP64dNtetG-6YHdizyi9ejUFJkAJvYHU5wZoT5BHyQssRzSul6mLK7LbcV2JmCExeLpKGojyb2/s1600/DSC04868.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia0q0YoEpXxOZI2M1Y0b_hMvFvH3jgzjzHPW3l1Yxwr0BVeeBxsRbdnzq1eLuJkcEYC8VP64dNtetG-6YHdizyi9ejUFJkAJvYHU5wZoT5BHyQssRzSul6mLK7LbcV2JmCExeLpKGojyb2/s400/DSC04868.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The <span lang="it"><i>Arco di Costantino</i> (Arch of Constantine).</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fr. Frank and Chris: aka, Jake and Elwood.</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidImg_8Zj-NvtvFSn_w8LWzAYM9hz-ZrRINas7QDj3iAnN0NbYWMDd8aD-E_vJTYquD94Vhlfk7R_bsaurzMOaaPh8913MYXVz0dYW05KZrk_yHCajg0NfAYs5HbIgxHBTml9GSwCdIh40/s1600/DSC04871.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidImg_8Zj-NvtvFSn_w8LWzAYM9hz-ZrRINas7QDj3iAnN0NbYWMDd8aD-E_vJTYquD94Vhlfk7R_bsaurzMOaaPh8913MYXVz0dYW05KZrk_yHCajg0NfAYs5HbIgxHBTml9GSwCdIh40/s400/DSC04871.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Padres, reflecting on the history.</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ63h_6QVNTo0_Zyb9j0daCCjDZHuLqXHMW2v5pq3g2hvvL5gy6a_wXbllUFHNuMF1mIE7ksDukQhqqByB8-uQfv6JTdkE99nWLw9S1i2hmRYEoVFuGg9D4G_d0E8xFtsCp8FMowTwTqxR/s1600/DSC04875.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ63h_6QVNTo0_Zyb9j0daCCjDZHuLqXHMW2v5pq3g2hvvL5gy6a_wXbllUFHNuMF1mIE7ksDukQhqqByB8-uQfv6JTdkE99nWLw9S1i2hmRYEoVFuGg9D4G_d0E8xFtsCp8FMowTwTqxR/s400/DSC04875.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entrance to the <i>Curia</i> (Senate House).</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Many busts.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOfI45tvLR6RdvueG4tcoeBWMcEK025_WI63VNp2Hl7E3KRLPwhyphenhyphen9Xw9Y1TcvAtnrksjZDeGUj-J7v-Rf4KwU1qZGWPJAH4F9XTUQoloAdZ40jWQYpIA4zU6oCv8GsIVBs4j2WAXu0G26g/s1600/DSC04885.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOfI45tvLR6RdvueG4tcoeBWMcEK025_WI63VNp2Hl7E3KRLPwhyphenhyphen9Xw9Y1TcvAtnrksjZDeGUj-J7v-Rf4KwU1qZGWPJAH4F9XTUQoloAdZ40jWQYpIA4zU6oCv8GsIVBs4j2WAXu0G26g/s400/DSC04885.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Excavations</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp4zhpGwUOo6PB4HGTwQtm8eAWgOnsSWoE55Z1QNItm8sv8yiCGIFbEJjX4m0VvQw-kzW-D_M0sxxFPhJOuwoj-loMh_DMCYVlB-aYy_5DVYZt3AatamKnikeFimwtL7JYub3XVROL5SVQ/s1600/DSC04886.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp4zhpGwUOo6PB4HGTwQtm8eAWgOnsSWoE55Z1QNItm8sv8yiCGIFbEJjX4m0VvQw-kzW-D_M0sxxFPhJOuwoj-loMh_DMCYVlB-aYy_5DVYZt3AatamKnikeFimwtL7JYub3XVROL5SVQ/s400/DSC04886.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nick and David taking a load off.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTHdXVu7w9ID6aLARrfb8h-RDVENFFnHPjgLDi4SaZcenMppo3iiZNftc5n2Sm36T98H5QDEYjyuq72_D8Pe7yb047S5bxJM0yZl2aonKpR_zDzBDAGFMLa5M73WjRiSA0XgqctrTwzU7c/s1600/DSC04890.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTHdXVu7w9ID6aLARrfb8h-RDVENFFnHPjgLDi4SaZcenMppo3iiZNftc5n2Sm36T98H5QDEYjyuq72_D8Pe7yb047S5bxJM0yZl2aonKpR_zDzBDAGFMLa5M73WjRiSA0XgqctrTwzU7c/s400/DSC04890.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipL7gN9sk1-LL2qWyBVlB1M5pCVACfGchrkFOmjsSu9h288nM2Hs_YhV22IuCuesglipWG2R7FUS6hQANM5lExf2P3oj_JpvAXwf8HZrXwBD0Dqz9k67B7yvYGFy5KaefwSf80FBDRrwRh/s1600/DSC04892.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipL7gN9sk1-LL2qWyBVlB1M5pCVACfGchrkFOmjsSu9h288nM2Hs_YhV22IuCuesglipWG2R7FUS6hQANM5lExf2P3oj_JpvAXwf8HZrXwBD0Dqz9k67B7yvYGFy5KaefwSf80FBDRrwRh/s400/DSC04892.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMEW3AUnh7myWJ5YnxHg8NXo_PLLkvs7eYK0dZphyiXTgLrvha-Imjjj5wdhE5H8T3rA02MWZMD3BVObZ92Pf4Y-9IqBWra5ymaazPaBaNhJWbF65oUHmY_F5kRp4iwoRLB2XAnZKURKb_/s1600/DSC04898.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMEW3AUnh7myWJ5YnxHg8NXo_PLLkvs7eYK0dZphyiXTgLrvha-Imjjj5wdhE5H8T3rA02MWZMD3BVObZ92Pf4Y-9IqBWra5ymaazPaBaNhJWbF65oUHmY_F5kRp4iwoRLB2XAnZKURKb_/s400/DSC04898.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBtZym5CKzQKeF3L52BYEEjnj14TeM39pYn_bJ0WuhzUrzGf9P5NGNBe4Cx_8LYtpFBbq6oajnE-_Zws2cAXTWvOK-7puKqmBWmA_1gAiA-RSYjN1eaFdU6Py2F56w2m94f54fcJoNgqdn/s1600/DSC04903.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBtZym5CKzQKeF3L52BYEEjnj14TeM39pYn_bJ0WuhzUrzGf9P5NGNBe4Cx_8LYtpFBbq6oajnE-_Zws2cAXTWvOK-7puKqmBWmA_1gAiA-RSYjN1eaFdU6Py2F56w2m94f54fcJoNgqdn/s400/DSC04903.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-EUCrHOvo8jtnqKiHcuPW_R2eXiD6Xsj6ayAsNFYP2tyKCqLi2W4nurU8vCFzEY8tE7Dwfymj4K2yViWTUHqbSv3MN6aCp1HxCr70JVeHaX2H0-hkvo6FTlNgT-mzjbABpwsrHtyu-WWm/s1600/DSC04904.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-EUCrHOvo8jtnqKiHcuPW_R2eXiD6Xsj6ayAsNFYP2tyKCqLi2W4nurU8vCFzEY8tE7Dwfymj4K2yViWTUHqbSv3MN6aCp1HxCr70JVeHaX2H0-hkvo6FTlNgT-mzjbABpwsrHtyu-WWm/s400/DSC04904.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More of the Arch of Constantine.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU3LeIOcpS0YwAtCEjCc7fehdZ11fklFBb42qT9HNI1ct6dmVF9xTBEjga91JPy2xVQD762FeVlyRK6heGSRyUOBR_DjGD3xQYzv5DdpURht3Xpvzb9K6LLYJsKe8nvpvF80QznAdQUzy7/s1600/DSC04905.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU3LeIOcpS0YwAtCEjCc7fehdZ11fklFBb42qT9HNI1ct6dmVF9xTBEjga91JPy2xVQD762FeVlyRK6heGSRyUOBR_DjGD3xQYzv5DdpURht3Xpvzb9K6LLYJsKe8nvpvF80QznAdQUzy7/s400/DSC04905.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice view of the area around the Forum.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_NuS8W0-h8rdZTHcQVNhxe6rq0eIAO6R3CGADC45LSyCVH8b_6gf3sATGPFjMKOBlyKQAcOngZ4_rJuWzbakQxls7uX13SP2CFkr5J5evXG0rYR_F8XD5EUz2DzR6QmvSsgVFN-u4VIV4/s1600/DSC04906.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_NuS8W0-h8rdZTHcQVNhxe6rq0eIAO6R3CGADC45LSyCVH8b_6gf3sATGPFjMKOBlyKQAcOngZ4_rJuWzbakQxls7uX13SP2CFkr5J5evXG0rYR_F8XD5EUz2DzR6QmvSsgVFN-u4VIV4/s400/DSC04906.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arch of Constantine.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Then we walked a few blocks down the via and went to the Colosseum. Fr. Kyle was getting tired of being in the heat and direct sunlight all morning, so he actually bought something from a street vendor: a sweet white safari hat. Super classy.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJVLMQk7OoJ6dmOyaS_TOyZ8MMNOMDZuLIoE-WTTZd_Y7N0R45M5oQVmYicsQrCVz2kh-31wCas_B0z_u62cOc7q-t1uGO52z9-G0n3GQsKgNHXPJyU0w2trPaFG1EDWTBSzOg3GwJs8CX/s1600/DSC04907.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJVLMQk7OoJ6dmOyaS_TOyZ8MMNOMDZuLIoE-WTTZd_Y7N0R45M5oQVmYicsQrCVz2kh-31wCas_B0z_u62cOc7q-t1uGO52z9-G0n3GQsKgNHXPJyU0w2trPaFG1EDWTBSzOg3GwJs8CX/s400/DSC04907.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking to the Colosseum.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihTdSjauq-ME8HtKFbTZkFcQL_4V-u-hV-Q93jWsyj-cXnV-T31Rbw4gOQ-BFNi03826gNfB-f2Xh9k1jm7W2DVTS4AcLy7KzIjN0JO24fEDhJ5pfxWE_CkBAMqb14e29w7WtgkowvZLY9/s1600/DSC04909.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihTdSjauq-ME8HtKFbTZkFcQL_4V-u-hV-Q93jWsyj-cXnV-T31Rbw4gOQ-BFNi03826gNfB-f2Xh9k1jm7W2DVTS4AcLy7KzIjN0JO24fEDhJ5pfxWE_CkBAMqb14e29w7WtgkowvZLY9/s400/DSC04909.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Padre Kyle and his snazzy hat.</td></tr>
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We went into the Coliseum and took in the sights. Again, it's ruins. And it's the Colosseum. Not a lot to say, other than it's much nicer in person. It brings you back in time to when they had tigers popping out of the floor to eat gladiators. Good times! Also, they even had part of the stage reconstructed to show what it would've looked like in ancient times; really helped paint the picture in your mind.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxJu8BkGkoInDb6bCQ1n-D1OlRAFrZrEaIYi5OWxXSnUDaxLPXU9VUyUH1_TXvLxjS6wfIXYMXb4JRJzusbHtOP6xwhuPb5o4YfbbAQacYiv0_5HCXyHr8uygwpf1eXmQ08jLT-ECeJkhN/s1600/DSC04910.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxJu8BkGkoInDb6bCQ1n-D1OlRAFrZrEaIYi5OWxXSnUDaxLPXU9VUyUH1_TXvLxjS6wfIXYMXb4JRJzusbHtOP6xwhuPb5o4YfbbAQacYiv0_5HCXyHr8uygwpf1eXmQ08jLT-ECeJkhN/s400/DSC04910.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was really tourist-y, but still an amazing site.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLipxMOyoyfwKMhwxMHdBfIlvL7j_pqhyphenhyphen5w4LtKQDWW1qjZlCW34k_B44YfZaM1uc5HovPaQSOYOZhkVeg3NEH89iVYEbpg7lrmDNTGP3xfSThHduSokRgawtls5qLcEsmQrWpBJ1TRYUf/s1600/DSC04911.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLipxMOyoyfwKMhwxMHdBfIlvL7j_pqhyphenhyphen5w4LtKQDWW1qjZlCW34k_B44YfZaM1uc5HovPaQSOYOZhkVeg3NEH89iVYEbpg7lrmDNTGP3xfSThHduSokRgawtls5qLcEsmQrWpBJ1TRYUf/s400/DSC04911.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chris and Dan</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHLNJA-N2PrAO4kdw4pqgdk-ECCIs43djNaJOXB2eDS2vvjt19Tm6OB_MHZJd1UQPZkVNtUyfXtMyDhPdZ87U2XicVZg4vDLKG5904YhaohjnTf7a3F8WrsHpBcg3nfzPvTlPPp6dGRsDc/s1600/DSC04915.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHLNJA-N2PrAO4kdw4pqgdk-ECCIs43djNaJOXB2eDS2vvjt19Tm6OB_MHZJd1UQPZkVNtUyfXtMyDhPdZ87U2XicVZg4vDLKG5904YhaohjnTf7a3F8WrsHpBcg3nfzPvTlPPp6dGRsDc/s400/DSC04915.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A nice big cross just inside the entrance. FTW!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEzpulvWe2aI9G5PB4BkAatrK9x0s7TwmZ_8oyFelaIqVTdHmebr36fTw__EJHPtiB-hFpJSLxFTTlRlRk8uNChZ8h-XpCaXMccpi0sG7HutR8w7xXEoNf-6DO-sC4YcYDfEX5mm0xwPAV/s1600/DSC04917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEzpulvWe2aI9G5PB4BkAatrK9x0s7TwmZ_8oyFelaIqVTdHmebr36fTw__EJHPtiB-hFpJSLxFTTlRlRk8uNChZ8h-XpCaXMccpi0sG7HutR8w7xXEoNf-6DO-sC4YcYDfEX5mm0xwPAV/s400/DSC04917.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see where the stage used to be, off to the left.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXJZZhYhhAFCDgGBVxn526YKO_TvlamFjOkUzJTyuAxNMP2X0tIjIOI3DwfAz3V11soH6BvU40z9YqWzQ_MRZrWHYAzyYhyphenhyphenszdP60T3k8cnc-RwRmeUfv88v7Fh_VXKh62E9jaBvZlIx6G/s1600/DSC04918.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXJZZhYhhAFCDgGBVxn526YKO_TvlamFjOkUzJTyuAxNMP2X0tIjIOI3DwfAz3V11soH6BvU40z9YqWzQ_MRZrWHYAzyYhyphenhyphenszdP60T3k8cnc-RwRmeUfv88v7Fh_VXKh62E9jaBvZlIx6G/s400/DSC04918.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_RgaE2WghxP07hKmvzDeGRk9joY32odsf9tHZMzgGcG7YZGOCoDkNsKisDo_9tc45otbBvYfSBrz19uGw4IL8Pvl1C0q9lvVjZv9glqTiP5TMEkCKOgqO-KLJ0rozjCjWiiJY3CCmKicY/s1600/DSC04920.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_RgaE2WghxP07hKmvzDeGRk9joY32odsf9tHZMzgGcG7YZGOCoDkNsKisDo_9tc45otbBvYfSBrz19uGw4IL8Pvl1C0q9lvVjZv9glqTiP5TMEkCKOgqO-KLJ0rozjCjWiiJY3CCmKicY/s400/DSC04920.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Anyway, we then also went up to the 2nd floor of the building. It was neat; great views of the city and the nearby Forum. While a few of the guys went into the gift shop, Fr. Kyle and Matt did a quick lap around the Colosseum while the rest of us took in the sights from that level.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5XgYszapQGn4PKzIYCrg-2aYRwEM9YqCEtPyu_hvtE3O29tsESODHw_dlRI3uK6buY5UvB8lkr4Cyb7M9eJirlQw0XVe8ahjXRrJlZoGoFuYdto0IBrwSYxVGHD4MO5tC2T4rjqQOoB_R/s1600/DSC04927.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5XgYszapQGn4PKzIYCrg-2aYRwEM9YqCEtPyu_hvtE3O29tsESODHw_dlRI3uK6buY5UvB8lkr4Cyb7M9eJirlQw0XVe8ahjXRrJlZoGoFuYdto0IBrwSYxVGHD4MO5tC2T4rjqQOoB_R/s400/DSC04927.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loving life here in Roma!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfT-zw157wzshOA1UX5E1r2ETKDDsh1jhQ_TSGaWklWckUnM-bf_ZG6TajLz1oks1QpP67wWglspFoKOdTY4e_TQNMaToJYvRf9MtILHPHeaoYGobvL13Bpb4Rt93C18PFR0X7Qqlc2Boi/s1600/DSC04928.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfT-zw157wzshOA1UX5E1r2ETKDDsh1jhQ_TSGaWklWckUnM-bf_ZG6TajLz1oks1QpP67wWglspFoKOdTY4e_TQNMaToJYvRf9MtILHPHeaoYGobvL13Bpb4Rt93C18PFR0X7Qqlc2Boi/s400/DSC04928.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice big shot of the entire floor of the <i>Colosseo</i>.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the 2nd floor.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fr. Frank and Matt, checking the map.</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNf44Mr2KYcK7evBe1BJmkoygp3t2NBqBD4164malDyZHk4Pi2LWyByZ2fEyTcuDmlGfvl8upw-8fpsabaT5Dp_MXQYWdvkLRiDB5XeKEggDFV0b_Yaz-iMi7U1hs0GTlJVcDIb4I1iEfB/s1600/DSC04943.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNf44Mr2KYcK7evBe1BJmkoygp3t2NBqBD4164malDyZHk4Pi2LWyByZ2fEyTcuDmlGfvl8upw-8fpsabaT5Dp_MXQYWdvkLRiDB5XeKEggDFV0b_Yaz-iMi7U1hs0GTlJVcDIb4I1iEfB/s400/DSC04943.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Next was the smorgasbord of church after church. Loads of fun!<br />
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First church on the agenda was <i>San Pietro in Vincoli</i> (St. Peter in Chains), the titular church given to Cardinal Wuerl. (For those of you that don't know, he's the Archbishop of Washington. Also, every cardinal is given a church to be in charge of when he's installed as a cardinal... one of the perks of being a Prince of the Church!) This church was gorgeous, as most in Rome are. It's the basilica that houses the chains that bound St. Peter while he was jailed in Jerusalem AND those that bound him before his crucifixion. As the story goes, when Pope Leo compared the second set to the first set, they miraculously fused together. The chains are now on display in a reliquary below the main altar of the basilica. Really cool church!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Bn_tn5YsuwXr8fUO2ORyXSf-W98jeOMO_ajzGJX18TN2vffxBanLDPqemaTml-svwSK4NsTQQlQUWxiswqHK-NeWJ5YQpZUK7ZtIJFOXEE-35_A3_wLl_gqAIsnebS-N6m-UL3ghV1vd/s1600/DSC04944.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Bn_tn5YsuwXr8fUO2ORyXSf-W98jeOMO_ajzGJX18TN2vffxBanLDPqemaTml-svwSK4NsTQQlQUWxiswqHK-NeWJ5YQpZUK7ZtIJFOXEE-35_A3_wLl_gqAIsnebS-N6m-UL3ghV1vd/s400/DSC04944.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside of <i>Vincoli</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cardinal Wuerl's crest on the front door.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBG2jI_vCDuD9gYVx-76_8QhcnsDMX0tEBU6g4Gf6E-YCkBfyXzDyinqy867qWIeI8C4jLGbDGka4DzsOhCFXY8ERiMpZgsHn08stwgkD45PJlo91blDCfz6x7z3z0lP488WQZGZJFq7IP/s1600/DSC04947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBG2jI_vCDuD9gYVx-76_8QhcnsDMX0tEBU6g4Gf6E-YCkBfyXzDyinqy867qWIeI8C4jLGbDGka4DzsOhCFXY8ERiMpZgsHn08stwgkD45PJlo91blDCfz6x7z3z0lP488WQZGZJFq7IP/s400/DSC04947.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful fresco on the ceiling</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ZtqS5ESehFpP989zvtJUyTDq00t3x5-R9AVRPlW7KJjJjsG-pzq8wFagKQrsk2lEXBdPN3_-iG7IjD0FzjNRr8lsvs7rfWspT-5DKsJyitR5Dv6_ZddLib6QGvhyphenhyphenYubn6L9WYsHLKD42/s1600/DSC04950.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ZtqS5ESehFpP989zvtJUyTDq00t3x5-R9AVRPlW7KJjJjsG-pzq8wFagKQrsk2lEXBdPN3_-iG7IjD0FzjNRr8lsvs7rfWspT-5DKsJyitR5Dv6_ZddLib6QGvhyphenhyphenYubn6L9WYsHLKD42/s400/DSC04950.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View down the center aisle toward the sanctuary.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmzLIeawgpGXkYm1pzly3IVfL-6xHnFtBfunQ6VpGC_18wDgUvoLqAhDnQjXN2r3o48K9Xwz28SMYq6-75ES288sCU3olzrNWETVTvshqM6sTo5fWKOlouEuLaN5O_tWxjy0HMUpD6fFNt/s1600/DSC04951.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmzLIeawgpGXkYm1pzly3IVfL-6xHnFtBfunQ6VpGC_18wDgUvoLqAhDnQjXN2r3o48K9Xwz28SMYq6-75ES288sCU3olzrNWETVTvshqM6sTo5fWKOlouEuLaN5O_tWxjy0HMUpD6fFNt/s400/DSC04951.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cardinal Wuerl's <i>cathedra</i>, with the Chains of St. Peter in the back.</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXc81vlYHL90123Vmz2ierRxzxb0ropY1RvHWFeoVgbHg16ZTppC0lwgDkoQjwBSzWGYP2439Gi_buMEjh51DsOW7CMNdCcS4jUjXPhPMmGKH4zdKn1m2WXOXY0aGeCd2qNXqBQbOrrpGl/s1600/DSC04953.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXc81vlYHL90123Vmz2ierRxzxb0ropY1RvHWFeoVgbHg16ZTppC0lwgDkoQjwBSzWGYP2439Gi_buMEjh51DsOW7CMNdCcS4jUjXPhPMmGKH4zdKn1m2WXOXY0aGeCd2qNXqBQbOrrpGl/s400/DSC04953.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Peter's Chains</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-XoMm7x-2ARQ5ZtHdIDJZHEwfn7stK40ZH8W5STtT7Cek0mpnSDZ5fqQuwARFZJvwVkdwLCXe-KXjcFlE0FyYfkOrA2lhKZ2EeP65RtxKWoBlw07JUjbd4T7azk-KCRHVMGuQityZyPub/s1600/DSC04956.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-XoMm7x-2ARQ5ZtHdIDJZHEwfn7stK40ZH8W5STtT7Cek0mpnSDZ5fqQuwARFZJvwVkdwLCXe-KXjcFlE0FyYfkOrA2lhKZ2EeP65RtxKWoBlw07JUjbd4T7azk-KCRHVMGuQityZyPub/s400/DSC04956.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Really intricate organ, off to the left of the sanctuary</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgJk5TTye1q9J_ddf_xCQRZ2XO_t3IVJCflXLHrsFlzjsPoXQuaOTGxBv_clJGtYB1cgr0k9Q2YjUL1K04hIfgT3bh95MU6Scad1l_4dLduPQmNB8uOJL6hFOXN-_yFbSpSaJYjlPfGSKd/s1600/DSC04957.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgJk5TTye1q9J_ddf_xCQRZ2XO_t3IVJCflXLHrsFlzjsPoXQuaOTGxBv_clJGtYB1cgr0k9Q2YjUL1K04hIfgT3bh95MU6Scad1l_4dLduPQmNB8uOJL6hFOXN-_yFbSpSaJYjlPfGSKd/s400/DSC04957.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Off to the right, a famous scene by Michelangelo.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ZHdWrcmp-fq3quSkyT9U57-9uDn5x1q_wvP5CORKfXyJNv02c9aus4fWMxeMMgCZdMxQpDPARlg3Yw9kHF1aMl1WUga-ErsvuRVzlh_hZxo_OPPtlSLaez45NDmdik7ZVCJB2Qr_Fpah/s1600/DSC04962.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ZHdWrcmp-fq3quSkyT9U57-9uDn5x1q_wvP5CORKfXyJNv02c9aus4fWMxeMMgCZdMxQpDPARlg3Yw9kHF1aMl1WUga-ErsvuRVzlh_hZxo_OPPtlSLaez45NDmdik7ZVCJB2Qr_Fpah/s400/DSC04962.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The <i>baldacchino</i> over the altar</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angel of Death?</td></tr>
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Between <i>Vincoli </i>and the next church, we passed the old gate and the original wall to the city. Cool, historic, old, all that jazz.<br />
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Next on the menu was Santa Maria della Vittoria. This is one of the locations from <i>Angels & Demons</i>, all of which we will have visited by the end of the trip. The most famous piece in the church is Bernini's masterpiece, <i>St. Theresa in Ecstasy</i>. It's a really cool sculpture of an angel piercing St. Theresa of Avila with a spear. Her diary said that, in her dream, she felt on fire with love for God as the angel plunged his spear into her. Very interesting. Also in this church is a gorgeous piece behind the sanctuary. It's similar to the one in the back of St. Peter's, but smaller and with the Blessed Mother in the middle.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSEaDpXS4Nsh_NMMHaszxfK2f1WBKfKx4qFLs-GBYaD3sfpqLGFB0NXaz0EcA-3j89IdKvOLAla-c3_HFZxWKLla0_11Lkl_5i924pMQrQJQImGEI8Mj_7b7q4Ivoi8-B0YMdzGnx0ZlXc/s1600/DSC04977.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSEaDpXS4Nsh_NMMHaszxfK2f1WBKfKx4qFLs-GBYaD3sfpqLGFB0NXaz0EcA-3j89IdKvOLAla-c3_HFZxWKLla0_11Lkl_5i924pMQrQJQImGEI8Mj_7b7q4Ivoi8-B0YMdzGnx0ZlXc/s400/DSC04977.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>St. Theresa in Ecstasy</i></td></tr>
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Next was the Basilica of <span lang="it"><i>Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri (</i></span>St. Mary of the Angels and the Martyrs), the titular church given to Cardinal Keeler (Baltimore). This one was even bigger than <i>San Pietro in Vincoli</i>... felt like a miniature Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. It's built into the <i>frigidarium</i> of the Baths of Diocletian. The neat feature of this church is a little hole in one of the corners of the ceiling. It lets a beam of light into the church at solar noon every day. The beam of light lands somewhere on a line on the floor, which is demarcated for every day of the year between the summer/winter solstice. This solar clock was used to set the official time for the city of Rome. WOW!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk0a60NTKNDJMM-8s8H3V5Yhr51hndHk6LVvsKC9qszvqzJAE8OIqd0Blu1LR3rIeZw05XbrD_-MHYyGI0q0wrrmiHV8SGpnjUQUPUFmOddoFxUPVp_Fsgvlv5-IDyRORskSvkjYri-FsR/s1600/DSC04983.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk0a60NTKNDJMM-8s8H3V5Yhr51hndHk6LVvsKC9qszvqzJAE8OIqd0Blu1LR3rIeZw05XbrD_-MHYyGI0q0wrrmiHV8SGpnjUQUPUFmOddoFxUPVp_Fsgvlv5-IDyRORskSvkjYri-FsR/s400/DSC04983.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the entrance... woah!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWhGN-fTJNJlbh3Uo15MIm309k4O_TjzK7AdVfiA5h9w8UNIVlrNIZlSY7L_WunR7AQHyeJudumlmLWNIQpNfwHpeXnRESKv7C8iC-zHeqI4o93Ws1VV9uPBXq_4yWXfoXFhwncCBmgMoN/s1600/DSC04984.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWhGN-fTJNJlbh3Uo15MIm309k4O_TjzK7AdVfiA5h9w8UNIVlrNIZlSY7L_WunR7AQHyeJudumlmLWNIQpNfwHpeXnRESKv7C8iC-zHeqI4o93Ws1VV9uPBXq_4yWXfoXFhwncCBmgMoN/s400/DSC04984.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The <i>duomo</i> with a big <i>oculus</i> in the middle</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3C57jnS9qPA0Wp6YDQSEa6DijZmMRtWHGJaMZrsSsYp-sMRR9FzdNS39Ctpin0cY6-2tkin0P3DEpMi-2HxqWlXBhQuyfVtuIE5wCb-4Td1IADj9gK7TCNNCxtlSaoe3v060GN45Y-3cS/s1600/DSC04988.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3C57jnS9qPA0Wp6YDQSEa6DijZmMRtWHGJaMZrsSsYp-sMRR9FzdNS39Ctpin0cY6-2tkin0P3DEpMi-2HxqWlXBhQuyfVtuIE5wCb-4Td1IADj9gK7TCNNCxtlSaoe3v060GN45Y-3cS/s400/DSC04988.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The big time line</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi540r93QUFEW4Xy_tZlrkdlJiPh2sT2piuypU12z7nr0dEHVbrpm7PBJ6HQQUj5tnstTeNxiH_JNDzof8t8GhM_HrXzfWd3Sn3OomJc79J2YAfxYjPoJYl3iZvEieauuixtVf29ODuMdc2/s1600/DSC04991.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi540r93QUFEW4Xy_tZlrkdlJiPh2sT2piuypU12z7nr0dEHVbrpm7PBJ6HQQUj5tnstTeNxiH_JNDzof8t8GhM_HrXzfWd3Sn3OomJc79J2YAfxYjPoJYl3iZvEieauuixtVf29ODuMdc2/s400/DSC04991.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's a rather large church, even for Roman standards.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDQKr9gbBHABxJFTrU2ax_zj_xSScEGuP8jRGYesvmHgCpzGlzo3a8xgmmZOSfQ9O9iyb3mri0dzmSYu5N7iChLFhT5vp85IOrIRLP1O9-nwm4Imse3YlFVAzRNKVF2ZQokCnzZWlLy2tL/s1600/DSC04997.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDQKr9gbBHABxJFTrU2ax_zj_xSScEGuP8jRGYesvmHgCpzGlzo3a8xgmmZOSfQ9O9iyb3mri0dzmSYu5N7iChLFhT5vp85IOrIRLP1O9-nwm4Imse3YlFVAzRNKVF2ZQokCnzZWlLy2tL/s400/DSC04997.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's the light hole for the time line.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb-ymcN1byGnKQZ_MQCYbFpsS6bUxJhcQH7o8Nkl9WGqU4fetDBaitpfmGM_Wx9SPsxOmYZsCEYaBKIaMMI_Lq6GU-EretLpE7JSfvDbRlgJcJALMAHFvxUek-_I_mAiV5qiOjdXXv9xR5/s1600/DSC04998.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb-ymcN1byGnKQZ_MQCYbFpsS6bUxJhcQH7o8Nkl9WGqU4fetDBaitpfmGM_Wx9SPsxOmYZsCEYaBKIaMMI_Lq6GU-EretLpE7JSfvDbRlgJcJALMAHFvxUek-_I_mAiV5qiOjdXXv9xR5/s400/DSC04998.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It crosses all the way across the church.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoxJ3XUaAD-SJ-COeta4S9G1gOZRWyFeHEOemFunv8ieYC6PlahzgFs4OU2oF2uvj0wb2nTRx0dqGGRAczBt0kJOtQZjb10Rr5gTQZPDqh6VCiP92XexWrAk8Zn7wrMnmrq7onnAIy65iI/s1600/DSC05002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoxJ3XUaAD-SJ-COeta4S9G1gOZRWyFeHEOemFunv8ieYC6PlahzgFs4OU2oF2uvj0wb2nTRx0dqGGRAczBt0kJOtQZjb10Rr5gTQZPDqh6VCiP92XexWrAk8Zn7wrMnmrq7onnAIy65iI/s400/DSC05002.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sanctuary</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7XEdWkJPuEmqNfEp3ySN5YjEsHmlzDNOXsLVSA5fyV6oy4JR6g0YHqNEuCCW-oCRwrpFqoB-W4QV6P3RghshaSf8vlp2awB2flN0SVtEr27D-109Ob0tqKMc0xE60kpkyQhzNS1H21ZtX/s1600/DSC05003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7XEdWkJPuEmqNfEp3ySN5YjEsHmlzDNOXsLVSA5fyV6oy4JR6g0YHqNEuCCW-oCRwrpFqoB-W4QV6P3RghshaSf8vlp2awB2flN0SVtEr27D-109Ob0tqKMc0xE60kpkyQhzNS1H21ZtX/s400/DSC05003.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great view from the front door... you can see all the way down to the Typewriter!</td></tr>
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After that, we went to the American church in Rome, the Church of <i>Santa Susanna</i>. This one didn't have many outstanding sculptures... what sets this church apart is the frescoes. Since there is very little sculpture, every wall has been painted to make it look like there are tapestries and columns sticking out of it. Really, REALLY, well-done artwork. Over in the attached convent is a little gift shop, which actually stands over the excavation of St. Susanna's family's graves and home. There are 2 sections of glass floor that you can look through to see the excavations. Way cool. We also picked up our tickets for tomorrow's Papal Audience!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhapgT_533hleduKIbkhUbifZw9U-8nQBUejQ2d_kSfABTfxwWF_cRs4URcTpDu8RDSwyfGJdREpVKF7e7tCoftXcG2U0U9pOHIJTfwlSYp5gZ_Xzo_d39Of9kfKo_K9w4ZaSV-crXvkBKw/s1600/DSC05007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhapgT_533hleduKIbkhUbifZw9U-8nQBUejQ2d_kSfABTfxwWF_cRs4URcTpDu8RDSwyfGJdREpVKF7e7tCoftXcG2U0U9pOHIJTfwlSYp5gZ_Xzo_d39Of9kfKo_K9w4ZaSV-crXvkBKw/s400/DSC05007.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even the columns you see on the sides... all frescoes.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY9jiCQLy0hQxbExbQ0b733jAfDiBEbimn3f_0G0cAcCPE-YD-3v5pG9y9ARYNVUvdstehri3E1Gsn0uveTVycg_RlLbrTkx1iDI28-Jc6jL6eFLsUwRm3WNVljv8v0SLmmPlD9Y7puPvb/s1600/DSC05009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY9jiCQLy0hQxbExbQ0b733jAfDiBEbimn3f_0G0cAcCPE-YD-3v5pG9y9ARYNVUvdstehri3E1Gsn0uveTVycg_RlLbrTkx1iDI28-Jc6jL6eFLsUwRm3WNVljv8v0SLmmPlD9Y7puPvb/s400/DSC05009.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Again, (almost) all frescoes.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3rz_r06j2i28FBGgy9fQGlnSJkNIL3CshdxP4pgNjS91kRQkf0vJq7Tgc_acWLzyipzEDlzZD8sVli9F38KVMvuX7mJTBiIiPBMCbk6Wt7DPQ8DXvMHG3eYNqWXLPGNb9ONdlJvFt658A/s1600/DSC05010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3rz_r06j2i28FBGgy9fQGlnSJkNIL3CshdxP4pgNjS91kRQkf0vJq7Tgc_acWLzyipzEDlzZD8sVli9F38KVMvuX7mJTBiIiPBMCbk6Wt7DPQ8DXvMHG3eYNqWXLPGNb9ONdlJvFt658A/s400/DSC05010.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yep, you guessed it... all frescoes (except for the statues up top).</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLdyiDZ3jA5Hx9Nx4MsAP_MirvohzpOkv-i6qItESLAfQbc8sHvFC6rYCZ44cWPTgmgutSD2vCGzrePdbDoV16Kco_AMyqpdHIKFKRbZB-hjwgn1y_9RmLZY8lzS1XwZe2N5OrhRUWKOkw/s1600/DSC05011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLdyiDZ3jA5Hx9Nx4MsAP_MirvohzpOkv-i6qItESLAfQbc8sHvFC6rYCZ44cWPTgmgutSD2vCGzrePdbDoV16Kco_AMyqpdHIKFKRbZB-hjwgn1y_9RmLZY8lzS1XwZe2N5OrhRUWKOkw/s400/DSC05011.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A tomb... I think St. Susanna's tomb?</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRs80lm8iD7HnyVe6nqhYJQoIesWpXbxC2faMOUqH00QF0j05XsONqjVYs59Cxi1zY9BnFvpcBgnB6f9vQUXIKGyBo3T0063_ic2KRE6ZhScdzXPlDg260zxza94TaCMeI0pfMBiWfBwRk/s1600/DSC05012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRs80lm8iD7HnyVe6nqhYJQoIesWpXbxC2faMOUqH00QF0j05XsONqjVYs59Cxi1zY9BnFvpcBgnB6f9vQUXIKGyBo3T0063_ic2KRE6ZhScdzXPlDg260zxza94TaCMeI0pfMBiWfBwRk/s400/DSC05012.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
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Next was the Spanish Steps, and we also peeked into the church at the top of the hill. Another pretty church, not quite as amazing as the previous ones, but still nice. The cool thing about this one was, of course, the steps. The view from the top is incredible, and the steps themselves are very majestic. I felt like I was in that Toto song, <i>The Spanish Steps of Rome</i>. Yeah, I like '80s music. What of it?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSNe8yKaS1SeNfq8Ua95wzPxsCS8bmmA5j1kiAgm6iB0K87ITPSybBFsfM7LYQcS_bkuZAcIN2DJ2cXiXRDX2iswmq7xSx1dd8NCJ-H1Pktd4KO_1U_KUmzl2GHW9dK17fBoQylWq4joB4/s1600/DSC05014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSNe8yKaS1SeNfq8Ua95wzPxsCS8bmmA5j1kiAgm6iB0K87ITPSybBFsfM7LYQcS_bkuZAcIN2DJ2cXiXRDX2iswmq7xSx1dd8NCJ-H1Pktd4KO_1U_KUmzl2GHW9dK17fBoQylWq4joB4/s400/DSC05014.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking the streets of Rome</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgydSHKtJJp1TS5T37Ab_JMPeAy65khy5e7HG64fO0bPIdKHzBmgVCQkZr1kktu-ruTroK2ZnCgy2gu4hkAcjcryRBi_mU0dVdetUXYo8PXuUKQZeYIuEoFktO94csv-EsrsWXN6ACD6kRs/s1600/DSC05015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgydSHKtJJp1TS5T37Ab_JMPeAy65khy5e7HG64fO0bPIdKHzBmgVCQkZr1kktu-ruTroK2ZnCgy2gu4hkAcjcryRBi_mU0dVdetUXYo8PXuUKQZeYIuEoFktO94csv-EsrsWXN6ACD6kRs/s400/DSC05015.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The basilica at the top of the Spanish Steps</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY4G_39_7KZyvH2QVI82f_DiFL_ex4Eff_mkoL9hv4HLN37wFTdo_SIUCUQcQUOnZ92b-PCLNkYUP_DaNnLPP9kPUtmpD7EzbeIQe1BJDbZ_sCPoScO2BODl2XijgifS6ODlsiCVejP-mo/s1600/DSC05016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY4G_39_7KZyvH2QVI82f_DiFL_ex4Eff_mkoL9hv4HLN37wFTdo_SIUCUQcQUOnZ92b-PCLNkYUP_DaNnLPP9kPUtmpD7EzbeIQe1BJDbZ_sCPoScO2BODl2XijgifS6ODlsiCVejP-mo/s400/DSC05016.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the top</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhevT8wJaHL27Eo-EFS8ehEo27RUOHo8jItMIm06URGgoCEAWro5Zejhzre9LcMiZ7XS1JZgZ7ul87Epu7F6K15GtTMuIGmrjwKtauBfkJ97KoTEk-0fs9ZDa2IXc7Urg3xQOSpvx_sE2Dn/s1600/DSC05021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhevT8wJaHL27Eo-EFS8ehEo27RUOHo8jItMIm06URGgoCEAWro5Zejhzre9LcMiZ7XS1JZgZ7ul87Epu7F6K15GtTMuIGmrjwKtauBfkJ97KoTEk-0fs9ZDa2IXc7Urg3xQOSpvx_sE2Dn/s400/DSC05021.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt looking out over the city</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpdGe3lynr7UVoeSRKdUvRToZco-PBW7IuYf_xHXjoEFkzjUhf4UjSflWCiUxW-eztfEufBx8iac5GGTXOQh5NYZKVoXZak9JzkjnNzCFN08m2nPkxvn5j4tFtQ1yJQ9XsoAe28-N4DTlZ/s1600/DSC05022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpdGe3lynr7UVoeSRKdUvRToZco-PBW7IuYf_xHXjoEFkzjUhf4UjSflWCiUxW-eztfEufBx8iac5GGTXOQh5NYZKVoXZak9JzkjnNzCFN08m2nPkxvn5j4tFtQ1yJQ9XsoAe28-N4DTlZ/s400/DSC05022.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_lyq2h2tUaMHNThXx9S__TjPDvkmDJ-jryZffdC0VV9OT5uFKDFFMyOXq4A9SB-TmFldQIMH4eWN5YX-FYYL3sTnmfTnL9nj59i66J5fJ1KQONyUYmOtZYwYNB854WLZVziMSi2Gb5yH8/s1600/DSC05024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_lyq2h2tUaMHNThXx9S__TjPDvkmDJ-jryZffdC0VV9OT5uFKDFFMyOXq4A9SB-TmFldQIMH4eWN5YX-FYYL3sTnmfTnL9nj59i66J5fJ1KQONyUYmOtZYwYNB854WLZVziMSi2Gb5yH8/s400/DSC05024.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We didn't ge tto walk around inside... Mass was going on.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking down on the street from above.</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnyY0e-kGbMzZvDHTjarHnGw02DNqwuimAwVfZpdDQ4kbdgJVlEpEve8TMiM2QO1ZSM4YxZtibsFdtCc49U9SADz51dJBVqnI581r8yE9kW_FV8oPu64xEvQMt_SXfDeDQbMHhXfcvC805/s1600/DSC05026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnyY0e-kGbMzZvDHTjarHnGw02DNqwuimAwVfZpdDQ4kbdgJVlEpEve8TMiM2QO1ZSM4YxZtibsFdtCc49U9SADz51dJBVqnI581r8yE9kW_FV8oPu64xEvQMt_SXfDeDQbMHhXfcvC805/s400/DSC05026.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoUmLIzSU98HMIsn0LWSCfwa0YMJOQXAJB7s3bCiGiYcVhmRoeKJ9nV2UvX1KH7RVPni3vCOvPKzXBCQtTMuns7zJUGtLkhbwnDJLtHwuzvCl4KmclzJrfCsJPpUIY4iLKeIDIb98HS_W4/s1600/DSC05027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoUmLIzSU98HMIsn0LWSCfwa0YMJOQXAJB7s3bCiGiYcVhmRoeKJ9nV2UvX1KH7RVPni3vCOvPKzXBCQtTMuns7zJUGtLkhbwnDJLtHwuzvCl4KmclzJrfCsJPpUIY4iLKeIDIb98HS_W4/s400/DSC05027.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SO many tourists!</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMw2fHyN_b2QMqzfsQUtS0nYRNlFTeP3XDCGNBdn3sG1U6IDtxc7gtq92Ka9-YjYfNNXpTP_K-L7Kp0f-GTQNqataACYrxjDmXrGx1S0-ZgJ_TnwTeiup5RL1IY3uzb0syo3i_fqBJwnIO/s1600/DSC05031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMw2fHyN_b2QMqzfsQUtS0nYRNlFTeP3XDCGNBdn3sG1U6IDtxc7gtq92Ka9-YjYfNNXpTP_K-L7Kp0f-GTQNqataACYrxjDmXrGx1S0-ZgJ_TnwTeiup5RL1IY3uzb0syo3i_fqBJwnIO/s400/DSC05031.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
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Anyway, the Steps are really cool. After we walked down, we all split up until dinner. The Fathers went to have some tea at the British tea house at the base of the Steps. Nick, Matt, and I went to go get stuff at the gift shops near the Vatican, and everyone else went to find a futbol gift shop. We didn't quite make it in time before the shops closed, but we got to chill a little bit in the Piazza, which is always a blessing. It's finally set in that I'm in the Eternal City, spending time in the pinnacle of Christendom. I LOVE it!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjN4EofhIGq_ugEiaiP8VZm8uGJOicUAJYJbZ7P1245unZ_-I75Vmd8Yk2Q4znjp8L2bFCakKBzLNQ0bb0hyphenhypheniN16Gmd9G1VSUaMEwQU1-xdxQwojxkCr0EkgyQbB3Ik_wTEZBbj_h48DQn/s1600/DSC05033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjN4EofhIGq_ugEiaiP8VZm8uGJOicUAJYJbZ7P1245unZ_-I75Vmd8Yk2Q4znjp8L2bFCakKBzLNQ0bb0hyphenhypheniN16Gmd9G1VSUaMEwQU1-xdxQwojxkCr0EkgyQbB3Ik_wTEZBbj_h48DQn/s400/DSC05033.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Castel Sant'Angelo</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ponte Sant'Angelo</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEmp9S205TobBAEQ_dpk4BiCl3RyqJI-XpJ3wpYiQAZ_1QCP_jl-qqPFjqT6cCXMDcS-XuLE9boDb9DqljF5YFb-Q2G1CTba90HLz5c5ODIhtM-tjBY5koavOFcmrBEsCdYwYRg-j7rioQ/s1600/DSC05036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEmp9S205TobBAEQ_dpk4BiCl3RyqJI-XpJ3wpYiQAZ_1QCP_jl-qqPFjqT6cCXMDcS-XuLE9boDb9DqljF5YFb-Q2G1CTba90HLz5c5ODIhtM-tjBY5koavOFcmrBEsCdYwYRg-j7rioQ/s400/DSC05036.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THE VATICAN!!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaAUiJpjoKrHahBJjFIwGuBLnnv0jpWtDYVxUiMzDjCi89yFUxUqH2aG9Ar8FdSjoNuCSAFiZ10fIa40SAXlVqiTXqUTrs7oMTIVLkkQnZaPhCTBGUfI8n_ML1iQA1jkvt5JI-peqxhUpr/s1600/DSC05037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaAUiJpjoKrHahBJjFIwGuBLnnv0jpWtDYVxUiMzDjCi89yFUxUqH2aG9Ar8FdSjoNuCSAFiZ10fIa40SAXlVqiTXqUTrs7oMTIVLkkQnZaPhCTBGUfI8n_ML1iQA1jkvt5JI-peqxhUpr/s400/DSC05037.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt was almost as excited as I was. But not quite. lol</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP0md78pB_0ZTTIDsZF7sGArREJ6J7KPzIpzvUI0E-JcURhMFlQyY3J9HK9zzesZSq8njGXCivQC3WQFdQN43gmgtixkcsVfuHgG5GDjTYpjqj55N4GvYVRN6OoNJ-q1nttmOeeieo-BZV/s1600/DSC05045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP0md78pB_0ZTTIDsZF7sGArREJ6J7KPzIpzvUI0E-JcURhMFlQyY3J9HK9zzesZSq8njGXCivQC3WQFdQN43gmgtixkcsVfuHgG5GDjTYpjqj55N4GvYVRN6OoNJ-q1nttmOeeieo-BZV/s400/DSC05045.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of nice cars in Italy, like this Maserati!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEWah7JA1hjuMjZTHzhKdd9OzSVdl7XTonxWxn9UInFaeJ6qwSMYuUYGmPPzn_Rjjm31Z9dboetyy9LiGBwJnq9ZJaF0Mk_DuMIK0oDLezk11WgkT9SrqGbpgxR3aqctV9r8hd17W7_Hu8/s1600/DSC05047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEWah7JA1hjuMjZTHzhKdd9OzSVdl7XTonxWxn9UInFaeJ6qwSMYuUYGmPPzn_Rjjm31Z9dboetyy9LiGBwJnq9ZJaF0Mk_DuMIK0oDLezk11WgkT9SrqGbpgxR3aqctV9r8hd17W7_Hu8/s400/DSC05047.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some fool outside my window parking like, well, like a Roman.</td></tr>
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For dinner, we went to a nice place about 10 minutes away from the house, across the Tiber. This was a genuine Italian ristorante with excellent food. The house wine wasn't amazing, but it was still very good (as all Roman vino is). I had the antipasti buffet, which had every Italian side dish you could imagine, followed by <i>Pasta Carbonara</i>. That stuff is delicious... spaghetti with a sauce made of eggs, cheese, and BACON! SOOO good; I was incredibly satisfied.<br />
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Sadly, no gelato today. Instead, a few of us just went up to Matt's balcony for a few drinks. We ended up staying up way too late, but it was well worth it to stay up solving the world's problems.<br />
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Ahhh, Roma... Tomorrow: Papal Audience (YAY!!!!!) and lunch at the NAC.Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08988401053578820461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2808760505361228285.post-19599566554378415832011-05-24T02:40:00.003+02:002011-08-07T23:41:48.903+02:00Day 2- "Rome is a city like no other"First thing's first... WOAH! I'm, in love with St. Peter's Basilica. Hands down, the coolest church on earth.<br />
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So, we started the morning with Mass in the Pallottine crypt chapel once again (expect this to be a standard morning tradition), followed by breakfast. We had some delicious homemade rolls with cheese, Nutella, and some kind of bologna that had specks of crack in it... yeah, it was that good! I LOVE Italian food.<br />
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After breakfast, we made the 20-minute trek over to Citta del Vaticano for the Scavi tour. For those of you who haven't been there, the Vatican is a sovereign state and has EXTREMELY high border security... not! We walked up the street leading to Piazza San Pietro, walked between some car barriers, and were finally within the limits of the Vatican... whew! Hard work. ;-)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3CtcFV8TJSQFZNf1s_lXOwAJ-ao0eZAma_8QLcwFVknLkSnFsA6woLYeJwagDcJ9l_PGCt25-LHvd0Kp84t_es7K4MoJlA3ZGQ7r_kga-r86nT3auu80Y7AdbpSHM_pzZF3EXMFX7ND76/s1600/DSC04673.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3CtcFV8TJSQFZNf1s_lXOwAJ-ao0eZAma_8QLcwFVknLkSnFsA6woLYeJwagDcJ9l_PGCt25-LHvd0Kp84t_es7K4MoJlA3ZGQ7r_kga-r86nT3auu80Y7AdbpSHM_pzZF3EXMFX7ND76/s400/DSC04673.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Just before entering the sovereign state of Citta del Vaticano!</div><br />
So, we get to Piazza San Pietro and David, Chris, Dan and I were really excited, since we'd never been before. It was weird because when you enter the piazza, you kind of don't realize you've suddenly entered the state of Vatican City. It was a little surreal, as was the rest of the day.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRBNajIsjMhjFXxbSAiZ6XbcZMYxB7Rm-aw6_k0KQAb6I1Ugs5zQJEjPDU27FVGvgEYUL4dGkVh8aidczG7mXPT3-fRHZYfhIDl1PwbEgJS4lHtCQRBEhbvzpPzPHp6D3TvrcwKi8K-Qx0/s1600/DSC04677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRBNajIsjMhjFXxbSAiZ6XbcZMYxB7Rm-aw6_k0KQAb6I1Ugs5zQJEjPDU27FVGvgEYUL4dGkVh8aidczG7mXPT3-fRHZYfhIDl1PwbEgJS4lHtCQRBEhbvzpPzPHp6D3TvrcwKi8K-Qx0/s400/DSC04677.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> This was when it started to hit me... "I'm at the Vatican!!!"</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzWP6u6_y-ZgFy2SC8UgXd71eyIy30OMjBX1twqGNCcOKdfzPTDc8P-01PRdyEn8-B9dzEJ6jOVgCa6BueoY5Po83nfxGuJGwL1vXTpIzWu1KCfRyAXCmxIg7AXWpjYkv2iu4LGYKswEem/s1600/DSC04682.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzWP6u6_y-ZgFy2SC8UgXd71eyIy30OMjBX1twqGNCcOKdfzPTDc8P-01PRdyEn8-B9dzEJ6jOVgCa6BueoY5Po83nfxGuJGwL1vXTpIzWu1KCfRyAXCmxIg7AXWpjYkv2iu4LGYKswEem/s400/DSC04682.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Vince chatting with a Swiss Guard. He's the only one who knows Italian. ;-)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimJkcTIAylwfALtIhSEK6tFMfkfIr7B7d2EH31bn6iGkR31JnW0lCARKsf1RYIs5ycpabXAVJ_grKp10q18ohYy5tScbca9c1bfdggn9yXcqubcjBFmdA7BWmAIkIt0KB-hNdwC8SVtNVw/s1600/DSC04684.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimJkcTIAylwfALtIhSEK6tFMfkfIr7B7d2EH31bn6iGkR31JnW0lCARKsf1RYIs5ycpabXAVJ_grKp10q18ohYy5tScbca9c1bfdggn9yXcqubcjBFmdA7BWmAIkIt0KB-hNdwC8SVtNVw/s400/DSC04684.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Walking to the Scavi Office for the tour.</div><br />
So after snapping a few photos, we headed over the right side of the basilica and the Scavi Office. (Scavi is "Excavation" in Italian... The Scavi is the excavation of the old necropolis beneath the crypt of St. Peter's, about 7 meters below the basilica floor.) I was told that I couldn't take my backpack on the tour, so Fr. Vinko and I ran around the piazza in the 20 minutes prior to the tour to find a place to put my bag. There's a free bag check, but you had to go through security to do that, and the line was really long. Fools... We asked a bunch of the Swiss Guard and the guy running the bookstore, but no one would hold my bag for me... very Christian of them. We walked back over to the office and I just kind of hid my bag and slung it over one shoulder. The guy in the office said nothing and our tour guide didn't seem to care-- this seems to be the SOP in Italy... all the rules are really just unenforced suggestions. LOL! So Fr. Vinko was a champ for helping me out, but we managed to get in with the backpack anyway.<br />
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The Scavi tour was really cool. We started in the grotto behind the Trophy of Gaius, which is basically a big red wall with some columns and a marble slab in front of it. Beneath the slab was the tomb of St. Peter. We went below ground level to the ancient pagan necropolis and saw a bunch of old mausoleums, which used to be open-air. When Constantine was emperor, he had the entire area built up to support what would become the original basilica. He also encased the Trophy in a larger box... Not sure why, honestly. He could've just built the basilica around the original trophy. It's not that big...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.saintpetersbasilica.org/Necropolis/Pic/Trophy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.saintpetersbasilica.org/Necropolis/Pic/Trophy.jpg" width="321" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Gaius's Trophy. St. Peter's tomb is beneath the columns there.</div><br />
Before continuing, I'll mention that our tour guide failed to warn us about going ahead. She said we'd be going down the stairs into the necropolis, so we did... at the bottom of the stairs was a sliding door, which a random archaeologist came out of, so we walked in. We ended up in a little viewing room next to the "Egyptian Mausoleum" and the door closed behind us, locking us in. About 5 minutes later, our tour guide came in all flustered, and reprimanded us for going ahead because if she didn't go through doors first, they would close before she got in and then she'd have to call the emergency number, blah blah blah. Basically, the tour guides need controls for the doors, end of story. That, and our tour guide was a little sassy about the whole situation, to which the 8 of us just laughed. Good times!<br />
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Anyway, we went further through the necropolis to the early Christian burial ground. Lots of niches in the ground and such. Back when this was all being excavated, archaeologists discovered what appeared to be St. Peter's tomb (which it was) beneath the Trophy of Gaius. When it was opened, however, it was found to be empty. After further excavation into another wall, an Italian archaeologist discovered a small niche hidden in the wall. In it were human remains and a piece of the red wall that said "Here [is] Peter". Following much scientific research on the remains, they are believed to be the remains of the first Pope, although there's really no way to be sure.<br />
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St. Peter's alleged bones are now back in the original tomb. On the other side of the tomb is a slab of marble, which sits behind what is known as the Clementine Chapel. This chapel is just below the crypt level of the basilica and WHERE FR KYLE IS CELEBRATING MASS WITH US ON FRIDAY!!! Really cool that we managed to get it. :-D Wait for pictures of Mass on Friday, or check out Nick's blog to see the pictures he snuck during the tour. Gorgeous chapel.<br />
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After leaving the chapel, we went up to the crypt, where our guide ended the tour and left us to our own devices. We walked around a bit and saw all the sarcophagi of various popes, which was kind of cool. We also saw the place where John Paul II used to be, before they moved him upstairs. We also were able to see the other side of St. Peter's tomb, which is exposed with a beautiful mosaic at the foot of the Confessio, which are the steps (lined with a set of lamps) that leads up to the High Altar.<br />
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At this point, we were able to go upstairs and outside the basilica. We quickly made our way around to the front and walked in the front door. As soon as we walked in, I had the biggest smile on my face... I'd finally made it to the one place I most wanted to see this week: St. Peter's Basilica. We'd seen the facade (restored by the Knights of Columbus!!!) earlier in the morning, as well as the rest of the piazza. Very impressive, but...<br />
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The first thing that came to mind was simply "OhmyGod WOW!". If you've ever seen pictures of the inside of the basilica, they don't do it justice. Not by a long shot. It's hands down, the single most beautiful building I've ever seen, or probably ever will. WOAH! For most of our time in there, I was just in awe, snapping loads of pictures and being shell-shocked that I was finally there. And honestly, it's so massive that the size is indescribable. I literally can't explain it in words. It's just so HUGE!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_eOXPGon33jzLf5ono1IJH0znMdmBYYAmSzxXZdv_F_DSSjge7626EnOC5G7mL1711r4axxxSztdzzp-7JIHgHHzGfcwBU27yBTkBLPS4Z71XYvuVxoHg5scARu0aZQP8wUphoiHmk_6J/s1600/DSC04688.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_eOXPGon33jzLf5ono1IJH0znMdmBYYAmSzxXZdv_F_DSSjge7626EnOC5G7mL1711r4axxxSztdzzp-7JIHgHHzGfcwBU27yBTkBLPS4Z71XYvuVxoHg5scARu0aZQP8wUphoiHmk_6J/s400/DSC04688.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The first view I had inside the basilica. WOW!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZSDMEcf26eCEoCeTgwV9HW0bhfBlF1WBCf9sKROJ3gBMJXl_yIvlmGrc7KMpVELAeNWF0rDYeRBaI1YszrI0uxMAswdJyK9tu5M2UhriBONjAmYaen_tf3hIhrRWGnsIHd4wcHYRHKPV4/s1600/DSC04695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZSDMEcf26eCEoCeTgwV9HW0bhfBlF1WBCf9sKROJ3gBMJXl_yIvlmGrc7KMpVELAeNWF0rDYeRBaI1YszrI0uxMAswdJyK9tu5M2UhriBONjAmYaen_tf3hIhrRWGnsIHd4wcHYRHKPV4/s400/DSC04695.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Those letters are SIX FEET HIGH!!</div><br />
So we walked in and, to the immediate right,, is the Pieta, sculpted by Michaelangelo. The best sculpture in the building, and it's right there when you walk in. The Pieta is a beautiful of the Blessed Mother holding Jesus after He was taken down from the cross. According to Chris, before some fool broke her nose off, the light used to hit it in such a way that, once a day, Christ's whole body was illuminated by the sunlight. Gotta love those simple miraculous coincidences.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_p8EKg4WNGYkPw656VyXyOF3zoalCyyvDGUUsPOFDUU1mf5KeW40YQHiZ9RSceXZh1WDkV0KA-JfbdP10y8ds2QAbE8f4AyMW4c84onEw4KqZOhRo4Fs3jyrVfkoOd0arF-dSxzufJMmA/s1600/DSC04690.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_p8EKg4WNGYkPw656VyXyOF3zoalCyyvDGUUsPOFDUU1mf5KeW40YQHiZ9RSceXZh1WDkV0KA-JfbdP10y8ds2QAbE8f4AyMW4c84onEw4KqZOhRo4Fs3jyrVfkoOd0arF-dSxzufJMmA/s400/DSC04690.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Michelangelo's <i>Pieta</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
Walking toward the back, the next thing on that side of the basilica is what's become the chapel for Blessed Pope John Paul II. It was all roped off, but we're going to try to get in there later this week before or after Mass with St. Peter. The whole place is just full of beautiful sculptures and frescoes that are insanely huge.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOo12f67cZcln5QmbP4mUPpip2Hg8cc3BqzPpptf0uBZwFHBAUr8W-_PCXUoV9RgdR1zbrHEoo40NVz393FczcSkRfkz1wp0OKxOgcg1bUeXRKETGJoORDWRGbIy9klSL8W0XvZaUOeu3D/s1600/DSC04694.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOo12f67cZcln5QmbP4mUPpip2Hg8cc3BqzPpptf0uBZwFHBAUr8W-_PCXUoV9RgdR1zbrHEoo40NVz393FczcSkRfkz1wp0OKxOgcg1bUeXRKETGJoORDWRGbIy9klSL8W0XvZaUOeu3D/s400/DSC04694.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Blessed Pope John Paul II, pray for us!</div><br />
Jump forward to the High Altar. It's (no surprise) beautiful. There's an enormous bronze canopy above the altar, designed by Bernini (he designed a lot of the basilica). In the top is an image of a dove, the sign of the Holy Spirit. Between the altar and the main floor is the Confessio (again, a oval-shaped double stairwell that leads down to St. Peter's tomb and the crypt level). Behind the High Altar is the altar used for daily Mass, which is at the foot of the Chair of Peter. It's been encased in bronze (I believe), with this huge sculpture of clouds, with a sunburst above it. Within the sunburst is a gorgeous stained glass window with, again, the dove in the center. Those of you familiar with the UMD Catholic Student Center will recognize this image... Bernini got his inspiration for this window from the banner behind the CSC's chapel altar ;-)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaFNWocS2r7f1hTyibqDelcNDUzG_p1XMKXyIVqpaporz9wB6eyWCTqEq-tvBMfMe0G8C6dEW845OwhTqFzexc8ux3Jhmb3zbOxN3ys_ea0ktM2ZHUeJclEcYlHT_awOeh55Lwa9IORQn8/s1600/DSC04699.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaFNWocS2r7f1hTyibqDelcNDUzG_p1XMKXyIVqpaporz9wB6eyWCTqEq-tvBMfMe0G8C6dEW845OwhTqFzexc8ux3Jhmb3zbOxN3ys_ea0ktM2ZHUeJclEcYlHT_awOeh55Lwa9IORQn8/s400/DSC04699.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The High Altar and canopy, with the Chair of Peter in the background.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVrN7lkUJ5mXFpYNjcZ7jxq5E24fkHCo3eTEbGnpuA1Ckg_qgUBTH7fSBBwV_RqDFmQZSbsrBj5s9BUZj4JtH-sSE5rvm_2AT6YB3JPKtWKm7z3xGVQwar_YtFd2Ef7yHNSHS0c-BhFgVZ/s1600/DSC04710.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVrN7lkUJ5mXFpYNjcZ7jxq5E24fkHCo3eTEbGnpuA1Ckg_qgUBTH7fSBBwV_RqDFmQZSbsrBj5s9BUZj4JtH-sSE5rvm_2AT6YB3JPKtWKm7z3xGVQwar_YtFd2Ef7yHNSHS0c-BhFgVZ/s400/DSC04710.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Bernini's canopy over the High Altar</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh90auyscSjLjNKThupDeEJnNUxRzpHKKdpI_nO3IgztmrRuuR90iB7chGbiu4MX9jILpMyh1vrruWHDLbjbmJAYa4jPspXuoBBK_OqdoknUH2USFIpAwPOfPGbYYWR1QOfKNG-0orkdfMW/s1600/DSC04711.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh90auyscSjLjNKThupDeEJnNUxRzpHKKdpI_nO3IgztmrRuuR90iB7chGbiu4MX9jILpMyh1vrruWHDLbjbmJAYa4jPspXuoBBK_OqdoknUH2USFIpAwPOfPGbYYWR1QOfKNG-0orkdfMW/s400/DSC04711.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The Confessio, which leads down to the crypt.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGAsMWtdhIhdQy1DSQB_PbBGyKdNc07EEbOmRKh1FIrth5jdl3CZlc5kia5jNOST82T0_6JqdQKA3n6X-DUxPPkwN_2ybiLZG_an4kwGcGL7wlclTM79w35AomitEmEk53HsxQbF5ff3O3/s1600/DSC04713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGAsMWtdhIhdQy1DSQB_PbBGyKdNc07EEbOmRKh1FIrth5jdl3CZlc5kia5jNOST82T0_6JqdQKA3n6X-DUxPPkwN_2ybiLZG_an4kwGcGL7wlclTM79w35AomitEmEk53HsxQbF5ff3O3/s400/DSC04713.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Close-up of the High Altar.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgywcxpfkIEbVKLc8XlLXOUtnAq3SQhRW3bWri7_KaIjjnSC_8pIoMCCRT82G478WKQU6hspyVkVvvvdas6J19U9WjdqHmRkrJ4koz6cNhHYrtMMm-_TA0ykFZ3afFqGuvZxOF04Y-QP-GO/s1600/DSC04714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgywcxpfkIEbVKLc8XlLXOUtnAq3SQhRW3bWri7_KaIjjnSC_8pIoMCCRT82G478WKQU6hspyVkVvvvdas6J19U9WjdqHmRkrJ4koz6cNhHYrtMMm-_TA0ykFZ3afFqGuvZxOF04Y-QP-GO/s400/DSC04714.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Altar, canopy, and Chair of Peter.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq_9hCm0zNAMriM0aaXb1wLOa_fs7eDart7MAy9Ty-1Qa3Y9vWzMvyesuTzpCibwZbQQgXhqW-41Z9keVYGYEEG4redM_8CWd-p4ZrWLnTxXWcO3I3WgucZHYU2Njio2DuEaJs24KupnUr/s1600/DSC04715.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq_9hCm0zNAMriM0aaXb1wLOa_fs7eDart7MAy9Ty-1Qa3Y9vWzMvyesuTzpCibwZbQQgXhqW-41Z9keVYGYEEG4redM_8CWd-p4ZrWLnTxXWcO3I3WgucZHYU2Njio2DuEaJs24KupnUr/s400/DSC04715.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The Duomo, directly above the canopy. It's much higher than it looks!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirvGIKnTAe9MaRAJZmSnLASVc3WjLn24CkWQnsc1qVgmkoK169eu3Nktf5TMggxmfbSwgw6cYkWeKgDnufx78l5Xp3TnlcP2T7YeTH62ZPiyJ9IxZqRFbkvxKIcP36jonR-k-k0betCYnE/s1600/DSC04716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirvGIKnTAe9MaRAJZmSnLASVc3WjLn24CkWQnsc1qVgmkoK169eu3Nktf5TMggxmfbSwgw6cYkWeKgDnufx78l5Xp3TnlcP2T7YeTH62ZPiyJ9IxZqRFbkvxKIcP36jonR-k-k0betCYnE/s400/DSC04716.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> A cool perspective shot of one of the canopy's columns.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZX1RNUd93NmRjeZ9gzjrf7tYEYthrNdswEKTtoOHzVMeBmMsoNdEk5XOivbtURUbzxN5zYmSzfJCxHYa2QaQ9DEw8WK5RMP5VgoL0DlFAAeuxm0aME6u0rdtmj4ri2MmUSvM0wIZiWlth/s1600/DSC04717.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZX1RNUd93NmRjeZ9gzjrf7tYEYthrNdswEKTtoOHzVMeBmMsoNdEk5XOivbtURUbzxN5zYmSzfJCxHYa2QaQ9DEw8WK5RMP5VgoL0DlFAAeuxm0aME6u0rdtmj4ri2MmUSvM0wIZiWlth/s400/DSC04717.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The Chair of Peter.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXXdQ2LfgBkMGQBcte836ajWZxBdco7YaKflb8Ev4eE5Aom1Pbceoa9_5EufBSwNt6Ub7FF6-ADlLg4fz6RfdG0NfQtjz_b_PFyWU2s-8p6xBkcUiVIViIIE0kwfirTa3cL5VD5iLKAWeo/s1600/DSC04726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXXdQ2LfgBkMGQBcte836ajWZxBdco7YaKflb8Ev4eE5Aom1Pbceoa9_5EufBSwNt6Ub7FF6-ADlLg4fz6RfdG0NfQtjz_b_PFyWU2s-8p6xBkcUiVIViIIE0kwfirTa3cL5VD5iLKAWeo/s400/DSC04726.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> I was so excited to be here :-D</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioWRgAMtKAEb1lg4WpuQ0p4cmWhw7Up6vz5OU7YRGFk43v8odFAeqwYyCLHWhyphenhyphenmTWwBo_i6SL9R5mk3ISCQEUnq9cq3GJzasJO9HLyrSwW3qHmMsHUZm40rfHw0ViciRVywo0nzG5Ufef8/s1600/DSC04727.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioWRgAMtKAEb1lg4WpuQ0p4cmWhw7Up6vz5OU7YRGFk43v8odFAeqwYyCLHWhyphenhyphenmTWwBo_i6SL9R5mk3ISCQEUnq9cq3GJzasJO9HLyrSwW3qHmMsHUZm40rfHw0ViciRVywo0nzG5Ufef8/s400/DSC04727.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Another shot of the Duomo.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht-KCPWStNaxGZq4stdT6djCsOpPiHvhf7j8MHbMGqxE8FFJ9xEstoOSDftGA8MFMxXg9QVeF4vVJN7yBYA_y6DrjyYGFV1uVpuJ5G_CexHfT0n_1U-VrK8m7MakULvPhvLZPkqN0NSZ53/s1600/DSC04728.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht-KCPWStNaxGZq4stdT6djCsOpPiHvhf7j8MHbMGqxE8FFJ9xEstoOSDftGA8MFMxXg9QVeF4vVJN7yBYA_y6DrjyYGFV1uVpuJ5G_CexHfT0n_1U-VrK8m7MakULvPhvLZPkqN0NSZ53/s400/DSC04728.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> View through the canopy, looking toward the rear of the basilica.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLgZWkUwNXMT-aRb5JEHJzEt9Vg_zReWlSsuxLoZ6kz9XZ_cABRsq98lqZdweBxl1yjXcJFPq-MuQnZxWKfho2cFFGDEC1iTVlsMg6Tt_X2CX5QVSeNokyOwPhFHD-ceRRX37SurcthP-e/s1600/DSC04730.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLgZWkUwNXMT-aRb5JEHJzEt9Vg_zReWlSsuxLoZ6kz9XZ_cABRsq98lqZdweBxl1yjXcJFPq-MuQnZxWKfho2cFFGDEC1iTVlsMg6Tt_X2CX5QVSeNokyOwPhFHD-ceRRX37SurcthP-e/s400/DSC04730.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Closer shot.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCzUadshmU2OvbV491TN4NvjtKHIsNTOWvJzgLrFB1YXR1qEiHr1ZP6Z-o9scwlIi2aUgt4R4zsWc2hamNBDZ8xr3-xuAZLFJIXGU329F9IueyPnUuwZI0wiRR1BPRl3Sr3YOYw4IS57GA/s1600/DSC04734.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCzUadshmU2OvbV491TN4NvjtKHIsNTOWvJzgLrFB1YXR1qEiHr1ZP6Z-o9scwlIi2aUgt4R4zsWc2hamNBDZ8xr3-xuAZLFJIXGU329F9IueyPnUuwZI0wiRR1BPRl3Sr3YOYw4IS57GA/s400/DSC04734.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm a Catholic nerd; I admit it.</div><br />
In the center of the basilica floor are a bunch of stars, accompanied by names of various basilicas throughout the world. This shows how huge St. Peter's is relative to the other churches in Christendom. Basically, St. Peter's is the coolest church on earth. 'nuff said.<br />
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Moving on from that (as if it's possible to top Basilica San Pietro...), we headed up the street to the Musei Vaticano. On the way, we stopped at a small restaurant for pizza and panini. They were kind enough to let us sit down at tables outside, even though we ordered for "take away". That's what happens when you play the "Collar Card"... thank you, Fr. Kyle!<br />
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The museum was really neat. Some parts (particularly at the beginning) were pretty boring. There was a big square with grass and a funky sculpture in the middle. At the closer end, by the main building, there was a big pinecone, which apparently symbolizes Eternal Life. I think it just looked really out of place...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjVXjFuSUSTHBpHlDBjaRSvRRb-kR6v3dp6fxcvxNXyXp8ci_1i-kxISkwUbr3uebV-NzKitBA47o0_aqtzZ12yn2zPzG5PMMC_O4vbK4DQ4CfF2m2-iDbjVVJtoL1JXDEyx8XUMmq2m9V/s1600/DSC04737.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjVXjFuSUSTHBpHlDBjaRSvRRb-kR6v3dp6fxcvxNXyXp8ci_1i-kxISkwUbr3uebV-NzKitBA47o0_aqtzZ12yn2zPzG5PMMC_O4vbK4DQ4CfF2m2-iDbjVVJtoL1JXDEyx8XUMmq2m9V/s400/DSC04737.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Musei Vaticano ticket. :-D</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL6ZKg02Df7Q9fYwQS2Thp4f_TxJdSNB6ev8tVG4Hhc82HPcynSGsQ0Por9hkGuiLPkHe5DTYRbbDlJ2XnB_t0BYgQmi3LoLatSi36WsRZjL6xNO0ndKkVWDmXPcR6YgDiF3fj5b0o5QRw/s1600/DSC04739.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL6ZKg02Df7Q9fYwQS2Thp4f_TxJdSNB6ev8tVG4Hhc82HPcynSGsQ0Por9hkGuiLPkHe5DTYRbbDlJ2XnB_t0BYgQmi3LoLatSi36WsRZjL6xNO0ndKkVWDmXPcR6YgDiF3fj5b0o5QRw/s400/DSC04739.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> On our way in! Looking excited.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5lUlq49dojy9JrpdrU1ZRGI-5g_2HRGbL8276vz69sB-d_gkul-SpVZYm9br_tfuMZlo1h4GVzgkDOLTteNKZcl8zk-vazI9uyYSlMuokDNKKiA2iXLk5XTHFZAbIgy9-_xrmEtAr3Ux_/s1600/DSC04742.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5lUlq49dojy9JrpdrU1ZRGI-5g_2HRGbL8276vz69sB-d_gkul-SpVZYm9br_tfuMZlo1h4GVzgkDOLTteNKZcl8zk-vazI9uyYSlMuokDNKKiA2iXLk5XTHFZAbIgy9-_xrmEtAr3Ux_/s400/DSC04742.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Again, thrilled to be here!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9XidiVwWn_Rxlg4uEgxay_IsU2918Wwi2rDk4s0WXe_kg4ipTKi4uByJVZmNet4Rzo8LExu88zHHjJwUj0FDMffeIJhCRol2kw7xebOq-JGTT6e8GcAzc3RqWrzvh4jy591JVHFiRsBum/s1600/DSC04743.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9XidiVwWn_Rxlg4uEgxay_IsU2918Wwi2rDk4s0WXe_kg4ipTKi4uByJVZmNet4Rzo8LExu88zHHjJwUj0FDMffeIJhCRol2kw7xebOq-JGTT6e8GcAzc3RqWrzvh4jy591JVHFiRsBum/s400/DSC04743.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Just chillin' for a minute with Padre.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiGyHyPKvYRrwexpN7jU4-xWBlPRmf3rlw-dnsbihpWyJ9bFrrshJr_kUUgNZ7FQ6H_6yfqCeCRNXUqR6PLmWBSsLlGth-pXAXlNkEXsUPmsWdKOEXrBXaZZ9eLqlqUHhmpySIC00Ibw9u/s1600/DSC04745.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiGyHyPKvYRrwexpN7jU4-xWBlPRmf3rlw-dnsbihpWyJ9bFrrshJr_kUUgNZ7FQ6H_6yfqCeCRNXUqR6PLmWBSsLlGth-pXAXlNkEXsUPmsWdKOEXrBXaZZ9eLqlqUHhmpySIC00Ibw9u/s400/DSC04745.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Weird ball sculpture in the middle of the courtyard.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ZnV-ohD3tsWxhz0iqG-o-BLbyWEQxrudVaZEbYkRq6jEjE0O-hI82wX8gd_Ocs_xrdWuRyA_MAKMJ9FHpnzLF6a0lgGnUASVAazYLlYh3iHtIgs_hb-dl3t_tQnXp1LFLM8JfaQ557zu/s1600/DSC04746.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ZnV-ohD3tsWxhz0iqG-o-BLbyWEQxrudVaZEbYkRq6jEjE0O-hI82wX8gd_Ocs_xrdWuRyA_MAKMJ9FHpnzLF6a0lgGnUASVAazYLlYh3iHtIgs_hb-dl3t_tQnXp1LFLM8JfaQ557zu/s400/DSC04746.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Even weirder pinecone of eternal life. Or something like that.</div><br />
We then proceeded to what I call the Hall of Heads. It's exactly what it sounds like... a big hall of Roman busts. The only really interesting one was the dude that looked just like Matt. I didn't take a picture, but it'll be on Facebook somewhere. This was followed by some more full-figure statues.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtuWfeR_M8PVY2wg3GFQ_27C2EWfuhmoK-FiMzNOi5TkkGDNVnxTzqYNzE65VC-6sKXPq_8TPGEy-3MCKMTbX3pfagPvyOTLrjnA0JV-DKI4r2fcuK11OANq_0V8nQgXaIhfOikLZSh8i1/s1600/DSC04747.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtuWfeR_M8PVY2wg3GFQ_27C2EWfuhmoK-FiMzNOi5TkkGDNVnxTzqYNzE65VC-6sKXPq_8TPGEy-3MCKMTbX3pfagPvyOTLrjnA0JV-DKI4r2fcuK11OANq_0V8nQgXaIhfOikLZSh8i1/s400/DSC04747.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxBIiGHe_QefA0Cd9_u2Al0QH1Hz35HZwcGyiUzK72XPrMm_MYpxBpTNCjBFob4C1Yg-OEZpCZsiXeJ7tZm75KTRBqtsoX2VlnfnA6BiV19uJqdQ0TKEs_LJC-8AxHVsdiJyYLCtfVak8U/s1600/DSC04749.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxBIiGHe_QefA0Cd9_u2Al0QH1Hz35HZwcGyiUzK72XPrMm_MYpxBpTNCjBFob4C1Yg-OEZpCZsiXeJ7tZm75KTRBqtsoX2VlnfnA6BiV19uJqdQ0TKEs_LJC-8AxHVsdiJyYLCtfVak8U/s400/DSC04749.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> It's like the witch's palace in <i>The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe</i>!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwry8_tgYkvotYoeIfzMwMSnRN6FAmSQ8YxkRh0oXOpI5WXN9Y2-nkDjrwuU01UV5edXXtVegH2wg7Hr281VEUFqCyLpH2fAGH0RI9W1WyfbbkCHUODi6iFqsinfPUtSB227hEcsIRAg4l/s1600/DSC04751.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwry8_tgYkvotYoeIfzMwMSnRN6FAmSQ8YxkRh0oXOpI5WXN9Y2-nkDjrwuU01UV5edXXtVegH2wg7Hr281VEUFqCyLpH2fAGH0RI9W1WyfbbkCHUODi6iFqsinfPUtSB227hEcsIRAg4l/s400/DSC04751.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Sculptures and a big red bowl thing.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYCR_uDNQZBAxxXwnl_bXLU0dTdc9OerOrdCVf7OlLkS7kA1RBPrQBbs1qe1iM-vaHezfxdwWzHhvxAA9BDxrbuPi_Bh8Y0T1WrwJYnioHG9u3NT87YCcYFZdkkMNhQFz33I4BWOSiocbu/s1600/DSC04759.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYCR_uDNQZBAxxXwnl_bXLU0dTdc9OerOrdCVf7OlLkS7kA1RBPrQBbs1qe1iM-vaHezfxdwWzHhvxAA9BDxrbuPi_Bh8Y0T1WrwJYnioHG9u3NT87YCcYFZdkkMNhQFz33I4BWOSiocbu/s400/DSC04759.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Bronze naked man.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
After that was a hallway full of enormous religious tapestries. They were really neat and I took some pictures.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo1tRXyVFoAJNhyiWbp8RIE0JF07uBZ3Gg2OSvENERzZvkM24goitJOiqEmfLTHVBhb40IucHk7J4XS69pDqqQncN0AviWf6qdNbpbd62szotQtlQyxdbzVj7VAMyVj-oHMHVfAa6vWbfQ/s1600/DSC04764.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo1tRXyVFoAJNhyiWbp8RIE0JF07uBZ3Gg2OSvENERzZvkM24goitJOiqEmfLTHVBhb40IucHk7J4XS69pDqqQncN0AviWf6qdNbpbd62szotQtlQyxdbzVj7VAMyVj-oHMHVfAa6vWbfQ/s400/DSC04764.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Our Lord's Ascension</div><br />
Next was the old Papal residence. It housed most (if not all) of the old Borgia papal dynasty (as if we should have a single family pumping out pope after pope... for shame! Half of them had multiple mistresses and fathered children. But this was back when the Church leadership was corrupt. Good thing we don't have crap like that going on these days or we'd be in a pickle.) Every room was floor-to-ceiling frescoes depicting some really beautiful scenes. Some were scriptural, others depicted various events during the lives of different popes and saints.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvXY8Op81CcyOY3SjzVcqkK7sUnQ-0f8vkWHWUvX7rpZtPUP8CMAKoP7AjTrKJjwJOQS74aSve1kKfaig5ayq2VeJakNP2muqyHqBYludPrq6oCvwd7KRvZjYLbKR1RgabQwoCKxRnMJ-8/s1600/DSC04767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvXY8Op81CcyOY3SjzVcqkK7sUnQ-0f8vkWHWUvX7rpZtPUP8CMAKoP7AjTrKJjwJOQS74aSve1kKfaig5ayq2VeJakNP2muqyHqBYludPrq6oCvwd7KRvZjYLbKR1RgabQwoCKxRnMJ-8/s400/DSC04767.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Hallway with beautiful frescoes in the walls and ceiling.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBhjS5Iy-sBuRc7A94hsC-5ocbyx_HfldtinN-eNx-lDmFJVPLgalYUW_s0FB1mJSAZx5_xc3AuvpKVWvvDPMf69MGKw7kB5qDC_MHaTr_rQJR_wvdK3iblWMtoLKwNiHvYD0okS0GHHSr/s1600/DSC04769.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBhjS5Iy-sBuRc7A94hsC-5ocbyx_HfldtinN-eNx-lDmFJVPLgalYUW_s0FB1mJSAZx5_xc3AuvpKVWvvDPMf69MGKw7kB5qDC_MHaTr_rQJR_wvdK3iblWMtoLKwNiHvYD0okS0GHHSr/s400/DSC04769.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Sectional maps of Italia... Vince was looking for the town his family's from.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl06ugyhXepyMbiqE6LoEdW3Ym61bHanammWhEjZq1YcmhPwpcbdzy9qC_snciqFDvusQdL2cWQ7fXDmulpR1RPslVesXWzyIq6mZDm-lQKsYMSGVXuKOUW4LbiwkUpYEWh7l9NlrGXPTd/s1600/DSC04773.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl06ugyhXepyMbiqE6LoEdW3Ym61bHanammWhEjZq1YcmhPwpcbdzy9qC_snciqFDvusQdL2cWQ7fXDmulpR1RPslVesXWzyIq6mZDm-lQKsYMSGVXuKOUW4LbiwkUpYEWh7l9NlrGXPTd/s400/DSC04773.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> A neat papal coat of arms.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYwfInCvWVHxO3oJL0AyICRTMEe1_h_DkXlzV8YOcJ4hEN6KoummlRnyJBAaXh-ggTIZnnv9bd6m5Ir3d9AJydcBu-XJUdcl0sHG8QPtnfRl0Ko1daenbBH9o_6dsDC9pOLc6Ps7SeiouI/s1600/DSC04774.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYwfInCvWVHxO3oJL0AyICRTMEe1_h_DkXlzV8YOcJ4hEN6KoummlRnyJBAaXh-ggTIZnnv9bd6m5Ir3d9AJydcBu-XJUdcl0sHG8QPtnfRl0Ko1daenbBH9o_6dsDC9pOLc6Ps7SeiouI/s400/DSC04774.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> Saint Jean Baptiste de La Salle, pray for us!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqXxYRQLmQOgnihiE-IP74yzH0zFsAIFgK7Y1PE6f_lMsEAoMSjWIN0ymywe5oSELfGRyHOg2LQPYxi4_qidWLxcXKj8DtCtxOyS0mrlwnZ5VDeL4NG5DVippKtPUCaFhFQU31Zqy-hYZX/s1600/DSC04775.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqXxYRQLmQOgnihiE-IP74yzH0zFsAIFgK7Y1PE6f_lMsEAoMSjWIN0ymywe5oSELfGRyHOg2LQPYxi4_qidWLxcXKj8DtCtxOyS0mrlwnZ5VDeL4NG5DVippKtPUCaFhFQU31Zqy-hYZX/s400/DSC04775.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> We think she's holding the head of John the Baptist.</div><br />
The coolest room in this section was the room (or so Nick and I thought) was the room dedicated to the ONLY time Papal Infallibility was actually exercised from the Chair of Peter: the establishment of the Immaculate Conception as official dogma. The room had frescoes of the proclamation, made by Pope Pius IX in 1854, and the then Holy Father reverencing a portrait of Our Lady.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBPPDVBYSgrayHDHpM9SGQa1ekrSnTwgMoLWpl3tOJQdYNOWAzQmaR37heD05pa7tF_dhGtmyCyBXczcPQoZtZUvjxjDbddcEuXflmUvSZWSjba8Cj1q0N7HeClpJdJIMQtzobMYw2SgWp/s1600/DSC04776.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBPPDVBYSgrayHDHpM9SGQa1ekrSnTwgMoLWpl3tOJQdYNOWAzQmaR37heD05pa7tF_dhGtmyCyBXczcPQoZtZUvjxjDbddcEuXflmUvSZWSjba8Cj1q0N7HeClpJdJIMQtzobMYw2SgWp/s400/DSC04776.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5x6EEeT5g-i2iKosrLKmWhm05uA6Bt_s96mpbpkgUkuGpJT05-xd4xYVVM5qG5rDuhBPzCBAmmdHWkxYZM6WV8niTDOSR7wVRVkBY8fflYNvS9OZSSYoHJs2ShiYPS9vxspFbdiQq2K40/s1600/DSC04781.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5x6EEeT5g-i2iKosrLKmWhm05uA6Bt_s96mpbpkgUkuGpJT05-xd4xYVVM5qG5rDuhBPzCBAmmdHWkxYZM6WV8niTDOSR7wVRVkBY8fflYNvS9OZSSYoHJs2ShiYPS9vxspFbdiQq2K40/s400/DSC04781.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
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After that was another stretch of sculptures and such. They were cool and all, but marble sculptures all start to look the same after a while...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcmASgFRikEjR1MCsJxcM7UcfkvMNy81YtwDAWbn24a2yPCA5KKPh3lI9bX2bxX5Z2F_-NSMhiF-r2bEdhIoPhSHeHIpfJaLjTLnwZ5rUi-veP6YSbjWbUy43JhEDGafupGjcQg9z-FiLA/s1600/DSC04786.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcmASgFRikEjR1MCsJxcM7UcfkvMNy81YtwDAWbn24a2yPCA5KKPh3lI9bX2bxX5Z2F_-NSMhiF-r2bEdhIoPhSHeHIpfJaLjTLnwZ5rUi-veP6YSbjWbUy43JhEDGafupGjcQg9z-FiLA/s400/DSC04786.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The papal parking lot! haha...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7-CId6UKahGVSri_YxWWp7vCnUX811B8JiscZE5yLAPfr6Jgmx9ORQVMWpysYXbTCfrj_J8lvODHbN-YhObAlN7W60toxh4WUOtQaTM-UCBbdzrmM4t6Ks4prQdOp5S4yNC0alN2ck_R4/s1600/DSC04792.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7-CId6UKahGVSri_YxWWp7vCnUX811B8JiscZE5yLAPfr6Jgmx9ORQVMWpysYXbTCfrj_J8lvODHbN-YhObAlN7W60toxh4WUOtQaTM-UCBbdzrmM4t6Ks4prQdOp5S4yNC0alN2ck_R4/s320/DSC04792.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> San Pietro in Vincoli</div><br />
The next and last cool thing we saw was Michelangelo's masterpiece, the Sistine Chapel. What a beautiful place. Again, floor-to-ceiling frescoes depicting various biblical events and the heavenly court. I shouldn't need to explain what it is... if you don't know about the Sistine Chapel, you must live under a rock. All I can say is that it was surreal to be in the room where so many popes have been elected.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggw1kYoNMTYuXFwFyedO6ZLjzd_rv-csoO-0zvw-TeWGWY83gKV7DdFVp6Kb2goMg6w6AUD7MkzAw6r9wvHKslb9h-Yxof_otH2LK5KZULmhWKW56JzAUhcdznw15tZX72Ma05EaNqqXbk/s1600/DSC04797.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggw1kYoNMTYuXFwFyedO6ZLjzd_rv-csoO-0zvw-TeWGWY83gKV7DdFVp6Kb2goMg6w6AUD7MkzAw6r9wvHKslb9h-Yxof_otH2LK5KZULmhWKW56JzAUhcdznw15tZX72Ma05EaNqqXbk/s400/DSC04797.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipVzvp47208GTJ1p_dEQPpN-oe4l4jl2AC9Ynwu-_3f20xrqxQlnLuUpWCfplSE84-dL6xE55k49_M7VbD-yn53EYu5W_XTTYZ0IodQEWfj6mE_R761UPejDqTScdqtBGq4hl4Rc0aEGzz/s1600/DSC04798.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipVzvp47208GTJ1p_dEQPpN-oe4l4jl2AC9Ynwu-_3f20xrqxQlnLuUpWCfplSE84-dL6xE55k49_M7VbD-yn53EYu5W_XTTYZ0IodQEWfj6mE_R761UPejDqTScdqtBGq4hl4Rc0aEGzz/s400/DSC04798.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Rear wall</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilAnMkHqd-N20kztX6lqFdhFfBZf4zByFred6sjgNLe_hsFQ62mJH3juF9ZMZb0RUH5yz85ZjwndjNEYykZf8q8TBrb980ExoC6v4DU-XKOZy6Q3MJgdJTct9r25Uzn73STvt2nfUEwo1X/s1600/DSC04801.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilAnMkHqd-N20kztX6lqFdhFfBZf4zByFred6sjgNLe_hsFQ62mJH3juF9ZMZb0RUH5yz85ZjwndjNEYykZf8q8TBrb980ExoC6v4DU-XKOZy6Q3MJgdJTct9r25Uzn73STvt2nfUEwo1X/s400/DSC04801.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Wall just above the altar.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMjDUvMP87Yx3_7cspaiNVO5fMUjHdWW5JBEGdERh4ESajQRDGZYpVsBFIIKrPhZmtumS3LWaHPhWlQxRm0ehb6iXz9hSdExMZWWptViFu6DZWyMvjjrhK2-aH-wauKGhqMk7yue74JDqr/s1600/DSC04812.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMjDUvMP87Yx3_7cspaiNVO5fMUjHdWW5JBEGdERh4ESajQRDGZYpVsBFIIKrPhZmtumS3LWaHPhWlQxRm0ehb6iXz9hSdExMZWWptViFu6DZWyMvjjrhK2-aH-wauKGhqMk7yue74JDqr/s400/DSC04812.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> "Party while falling down the stairs!"</div><br />
It started raining when we finished the Musei Vaticano tour, so we went back into the basilica to wait out the storm. We popped into the Adoration chapel (if you can call it a chapel... it was as big as some churches!) to pray for a while before the blessed Sacrament, which was really cool. Same Jesus, but in the premier basilica of Christendom. Again, moving and humbling all at once.<br />
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We then stopped for a drink at the Hotel Cardinal Celi. It's where the CSC group stayed on their trip last year while in Rome. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMDWmtPMR_Ix3ANlIrZ8rN8j2u1RJ_Tl7gEP6Ti9aRuvZRpCYLAwXQciC0NrPLXWV_lzq79N2uIKchDHdPtjDkGe0CT6x8yyTUT3hYEUbYUs4rgNC29-PX-dePGxx6QYEKk2YnWwEb6VT7/s1600/DSC04813.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMDWmtPMR_Ix3ANlIrZ8rN8j2u1RJ_Tl7gEP6Ti9aRuvZRpCYLAwXQciC0NrPLXWV_lzq79N2uIKchDHdPtjDkGe0CT6x8yyTUT3hYEUbYUs4rgNC29-PX-dePGxx6QYEKk2YnWwEb6VT7/s400/DSC04813.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhac1C4A75TrRPJl0KgB8SgKYfwyb6cxnyJETb_KNoRfHQonDsz02qzPKbqfPTUuplir2DTr7OJJOzTBDo4OzVYi8riAY4HOMvKKD591Eo7FHhOWpoJ9JoCFpfpp5dZKKnLoCbTM7IHz6Rj/s1600/DSC04814.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhac1C4A75TrRPJl0KgB8SgKYfwyb6cxnyJETb_KNoRfHQonDsz02qzPKbqfPTUuplir2DTr7OJJOzTBDo4OzVYi8riAY4HOMvKKD591Eo7FHhOWpoJ9JoCFpfpp5dZKKnLoCbTM7IHz6Rj/s400/DSC04814.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiKoj_GhEHC-bC4xV7kt4y2c8oP_hnIJBihsKGO5GNjmwiJMT4TDh0LLyhkYVU2Flmsu2t1p66TrFAVwsJ7bQ66njQi45qHmFrZpHcZJag8Log52Oeoy0aS_CIM9SXekt9f3RSUhb4tQ_s/s1600/DSC04816.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiKoj_GhEHC-bC4xV7kt4y2c8oP_hnIJBihsKGO5GNjmwiJMT4TDh0LLyhkYVU2Flmsu2t1p66TrFAVwsJ7bQ66njQi45qHmFrZpHcZJag8Log52Oeoy0aS_CIM9SXekt9f3RSUhb4tQ_s/s400/DSC04816.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">My first Campari Soda. It's an Italian aperitif; a bitter, carbonated, alcoholic beverage. Lovely!</div><br />
We walked back to the Pallottine Generalate (hereafter referred to as "the house") for dinner. As you can see below, it was delicious!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJyKcy2GS2A7gIDMOSLFXtTt2fsFxA7EAInrr7ElX4C0WOYEuOKpT1Ts1G3wk02rZetTk21LFOOxwYG-42s1Qau0w-N0GK9eMcIOu4UcCbtEslfN4vroc9mxSABVYKAh9SnW6R2YTR1s4Y/s1600/DSC04819.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJyKcy2GS2A7gIDMOSLFXtTt2fsFxA7EAInrr7ElX4C0WOYEuOKpT1Ts1G3wk02rZetTk21LFOOxwYG-42s1Qau0w-N0GK9eMcIOu4UcCbtEslfN4vroc9mxSABVYKAh9SnW6R2YTR1s4Y/s400/DSC04819.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Frittata, beef, pasta, peas, and carrots. Enjoyed with a delicious local red wine.</div><br />
After dinner, we went on a walk to the Fontana di Trevi (Trevi Fountain) for the obligatory coin-toss-over-the-shoulder. It looks very cool lit up at night, so we hung out there for a bit while enjoying our treats from one of the nearby gelattieria. Today's gelatto choice was simple "Cioccolato". Boy, was it the richest chocolate ice cream I've ever had.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtHcNvBWx50NUQ95ArkC_kI-H-sncGncTQFYvRenxOEXIlG8knH_wfddhF-rlmjQejFHXVH8m5BPsGK13JhrnzUh0SNWCxHgOK8Fl3adDBG15cnS3Aj4YaPVq3akd97TIHbGDr35Jg0Sre/s1600/DSC04831.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtHcNvBWx50NUQ95ArkC_kI-H-sncGncTQFYvRenxOEXIlG8knH_wfddhF-rlmjQejFHXVH8m5BPsGK13JhrnzUh0SNWCxHgOK8Fl3adDBG15cnS3Aj4YaPVq3akd97TIHbGDr35Jg0Sre/s400/DSC04831.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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When we got back to the house, we finally found Fr. Frank, having just returned from his meeting outside the city. We all headed up to the rooftop terrace for some wine and good times to finish off a great day and make plans for tomorrow.<br />
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So basically, today encompassed everything I was most looking forward to on this trip. Honestly, visiting St. Peter's was on the top of my list and we got to see it on the FIRST DAY! I was just thrilled. Best place I;ve ever been to, period. And we get to go back 2 more times this week, for Mass @ the Clementine Chapel on Friday, the Papal audience on Wednesday, and the Duomo (dome) tour somewhere in there too. I'm so excited...<br />
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For tomorrow, expect something funny to happen on the way to the Forum; we're checking out the ancient Roman sites tomorrow. We'll also be visiting Cardinal Weurl's titular basilica, San Pietreo in Vincole (St. Peter in Chains). Talk to y'all then!Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08988401053578820461noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2808760505361228285.post-7407389621376210752011-05-22T23:29:00.001+02:002011-05-23T09:52:03.331+02:00Day 1- The trip outThe first day actually began around 7pm on Saturday the 21st. We all met up at BWI's international terminal, went through security, and began what would continue throughout the next twelve hours: LOTS of waiting around at the airport.<br />
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We sat in the British Airways terminal at BWI for about an hour and a half before being able to board the plane. No trouble, although there were like 10 TSA guards in the terminal for one flight. Very weird. It was also incredibly boring-- to the point that we began touristing early and took some pictures of our home airport:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOjKy32NEGSht7duZNfjYopVL_qPOdKS115DBLYBW5OppqTMwpKNXb5lYQByJNCvVjfaw0NZMYrMZnq_zr6x3erJj7TxI4Kx_2dmrv1bpbJHxi1LKZcPLKlkqjGcrlM11VKATez1hh5jux/s1600/DSC04614+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOjKy32NEGSht7duZNfjYopVL_qPOdKS115DBLYBW5OppqTMwpKNXb5lYQByJNCvVjfaw0NZMYrMZnq_zr6x3erJj7TxI4Kx_2dmrv1bpbJHxi1LKZcPLKlkqjGcrlM11VKATez1hh5jux/s400/DSC04614+-+Copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><b></b><br />
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Once we got on the jet, having been greeted by very friendly and chipper British stewardesses, we were up in the air with no delay, thank God! The flight was uneventful, but long: about 7 and a half hours total. The transatlantic flights are nice because they have in-seat entertainment, with lots of movie options. I ended up watching <i>The King's Speech</i> in tandem with Nick and David. (Great film, by the way. I liked it a lot.)<br />
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Within the first hour and a half of the flight, they actually served dinner! If you ever fly transatlantic, British Airways is the way to go! They filled me up good with chicken curry and rice, cheesecake, and other such goodies. They also had the usual miniature booze selection of rum, gin, vodka, etc. That made the sleep come a little easier!<br />
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We started watching <i>Voyage of the Dawn Treader</i>, but we all fell asleep pretty quickly. I didn't get to sleep much at that point; probably just because I was flying along at 600mph... So I woke back up and read for a bit before the sun came up, and then I was done for!<br />
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Since Heathrow is so insanely busy, we got stuck in a waiting pattern until a gate opened up for our flight. Talk about aggravating! After that long of a flight, we just wanted to get out and stretch! After finally landing, we took a shuttle to the main terminal to wait for our connection to Rome. Terminal 5 is rather interesting... it's nothing but gates, overpriced food places, and REALLY overpriced duty-free shops (which mostly consisted of enough makeup to paint a Geisha for ten lifetimes and enough booze to make an alcoholic want to quit). The terminal itself is really nice looking and well-designed... it's a recent addition to the airport that really makes it look like part of the 21st century.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCzRTkOpUIxVSoaHTmmVsZbB8h3Stwhsvt0fcliK11YbrryqKE-DP_PihOAmRxA_bfUrQYh3fFZA08EZSMLeDXRrEJ5KrGpw1u1mDvUCwSrxqm5cFrd1Yt5pvs0v5LvF7Sy2rjvKsZhiO1/s1600/DSC04617+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCzRTkOpUIxVSoaHTmmVsZbB8h3Stwhsvt0fcliK11YbrryqKE-DP_PihOAmRxA_bfUrQYh3fFZA08EZSMLeDXRrEJ5KrGpw1u1mDvUCwSrxqm5cFrd1Yt5pvs0v5LvF7Sy2rjvKsZhiO1/s400/DSC04617+-+Copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Nick and Chris were pretty tired. Although I woke Chris up...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuHu8JjmD6eahWUR3EZ5Ra5KtdyLJ7aVdDb3JUzkWmrOX3I53rO81Z2_8bHJtBvXoT0yC834rY-fxJqDHw6HCrFzpoE0-hMjKjLp5A-1F2Hi1e2awa6L_csl9HZqu7NXXd2GGpWB33vAz8/s1600/DSC04619+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuHu8JjmD6eahWUR3EZ5Ra5KtdyLJ7aVdDb3JUzkWmrOX3I53rO81Z2_8bHJtBvXoT0yC834rY-fxJqDHw6HCrFzpoE0-hMjKjLp5A-1F2Hi1e2awa6L_csl9HZqu7NXXd2GGpWB33vAz8/s400/DSC04619+-+Copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Matt was also wicked tired. Heck, he slept most of the trip.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3kNMvDqNw5HCUk0rW67pIG2zxTGuSCxdOYJilvg3sCIwwnGO8ablW_isZQMLU65l-JWaNNNfrgIYUPD-1n941uSsv5KPUNEna7fr5KsoIC7W6wkSvQNphbb5KK0CkNlpaFfQB047KpKFv/s1600/DSC04620+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3kNMvDqNw5HCUk0rW67pIG2zxTGuSCxdOYJilvg3sCIwwnGO8ablW_isZQMLU65l-JWaNNNfrgIYUPD-1n941uSsv5KPUNEna7fr5KsoIC7W6wkSvQNphbb5KK0CkNlpaFfQB047KpKFv/s400/DSC04620+-+Copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> David got sick of waiting around in Heathrow pretty quickly.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirrtgotwSOCofii1e6MGoXfDI0jxozTMyOEMZiHPApDoDKacNDk9Am4rY1zu2bE6IpQ0SXKEt2cCdvFLeu0L4n5VFfoH_3m0naD4OCz9wS9F8Jq0oMMFW-V9PHUWvrsdSP0y36djonZ8ux/s1600/DSC04621+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirrtgotwSOCofii1e6MGoXfDI0jxozTMyOEMZiHPApDoDKacNDk9Am4rY1zu2bE6IpQ0SXKEt2cCdvFLeu0L4n5VFfoH_3m0naD4OCz9wS9F8Jq0oMMFW-V9PHUWvrsdSP0y36djonZ8ux/s400/DSC04621+-+Copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> I mean, it WAS really boring...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOdFyTzkDkoCZNS5bqAAhkJuWwvtXl2keqo18DFDE6JANGIHIWf4_Gi3cliJJ7LoxciftYsE1R2RC7hyER4q9762A_FYglUQrEVNiGtleyQmFG-Qlta8yvZB6So7NV61tG5GBrTbofIC1W/s1600/DSC04622+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOdFyTzkDkoCZNS5bqAAhkJuWwvtXl2keqo18DFDE6JANGIHIWf4_Gi3cliJJ7LoxciftYsE1R2RC7hyER4q9762A_FYglUQrEVNiGtleyQmFG-Qlta8yvZB6So7NV61tG5GBrTbofIC1W/s400/DSC04622+-+Copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> This is a shot of the inside of the terminal. At least it's nice-looking!</div><br />
Once we got on the plane to Rome, we sat on the tarmac for a good half hour before even driving over to the runway. The best part about that was that I was able to take a power nap. Sadly, that only got me through takeoff and lunch (they served sandwiches). After I ate, I was basically dozing in and out of sleep for the rest of the flight. Not really doing much to recharge, unfortunately.<br />
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After landing in Rome (which was greeted by much excitement by the group), we picked up our bags while listening to Italian parents yell at their whiny children and then got in a cab to head into town. To clarify: We're staying with the Pallottines this week in the middle of downtown Rome. Fr Frank, out of the kindness of his heart, arranged for this great outpouring of hospitality, God bless him. He even made a reservation with a cab service to take us straight to the Pallottine Generalate!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiirdH7RXuZZHjg16WE_YvSYjfFgnQZLVj6U-aHWdDxxg-XRq_RXV412q_b8gHj9y7DMnbjt6k69nKPag6vXFrDIqwnFOjEm30Z6GfXO8Qg6c7CpzDMr-aZffgQ7ScQg-ZSKhsoZnLqQ53t/s1600/DSC04624.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiirdH7RXuZZHjg16WE_YvSYjfFgnQZLVj6U-aHWdDxxg-XRq_RXV412q_b8gHj9y7DMnbjt6k69nKPag6vXFrDIqwnFOjEm30Z6GfXO8Qg6c7CpzDMr-aZffgQ7ScQg-ZSKhsoZnLqQ53t/s400/DSC04624.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> We were SO excited to be done with flying and finally in Italia!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1DtHOsWV3nlKsAZAgZlcpdBjChJr6jVk8BtWVIIXvv92zlZ2QvFQXdFe69JmXDjN1EgGoACppC4I8BYfuDXEF8NdPPXBH5KXdcMNcSADohhV2q3mXqzuuh4sQ_MfV2o3hyE8xaZzuGba5/s1600/DSC04625.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1DtHOsWV3nlKsAZAgZlcpdBjChJr6jVk8BtWVIIXvv92zlZ2QvFQXdFe69JmXDjN1EgGoACppC4I8BYfuDXEF8NdPPXBH5KXdcMNcSADohhV2q3mXqzuuh4sQ_MfV2o3hyE8xaZzuGba5/s400/DSC04625.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Fr. Kyle and Vince just made a beeline for baggage claim.</div><div style="text-align: center;">We're going to have to put those two on a leash so we don't lose them.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz-L8VFwEM5p171hSxc_bph_L5yIvUZUxBRjIScO98yNgy5Jox1m3wqqB7a9FEqvaPv9HO39dgc8r65BrjB-drj5gJykUNmuACYt6-HogxHpDxxonuCo59kVPXx0-p4KLrA8UK-v0TDXuk/s1600/DSC04628.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz-L8VFwEM5p171hSxc_bph_L5yIvUZUxBRjIScO98yNgy5Jox1m3wqqB7a9FEqvaPv9HO39dgc8r65BrjB-drj5gJykUNmuACYt6-HogxHpDxxonuCo59kVPXx0-p4KLrA8UK-v0TDXuk/s400/DSC04628.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Just a shot of the drive from Fiumicino (Da Vinci) Airport to downtown Roma!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrN-LSc45Xm_ejtQI9ebu8OCMF00UV9hrMJl6qlSDOa5Smt0xhyphenhyphen1lja_vZHu6He52ewFJNHsQch96nI440pJjTl9wHu5B1ttupbQ5TvDy_hyRfK4HGg_HsmKm0aBNc2XlwTkYIw3dqZBg6/s1600/DSC04629.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrN-LSc45Xm_ejtQI9ebu8OCMF00UV9hrMJl6qlSDOa5Smt0xhyphenhyphen1lja_vZHu6He52ewFJNHsQch96nI440pJjTl9wHu5B1ttupbQ5TvDy_hyRfK4HGg_HsmKm0aBNc2XlwTkYIw3dqZBg6/s400/DSC04629.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Welcome to Italy! Here's a crash-course on how we deal with traffic!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNuKj6t17WSxh3iTnfShym28Os6tMRL-NsiSNKQtq4y3Z0dYzsfgT2mCySCP_tOYCEP1WvYVuXIn6RuJgp77yNENiTPTYVXTM_GznP_KMFItDRJvQPrPCr_wFmvQ7qTVrWDsCqeuXutb8z/s1600/DSC04630.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNuKj6t17WSxh3iTnfShym28Os6tMRL-NsiSNKQtq4y3Z0dYzsfgT2mCySCP_tOYCEP1WvYVuXIn6RuJgp77yNENiTPTYVXTM_GznP_KMFItDRJvQPrPCr_wFmvQ7qTVrWDsCqeuXutb8z/s400/DSC04630.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> And we were greeted by rain. Wonderful...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4hhFg75GzGo1RqM1LOUZ2zZxBNWyxiSOjX5Dk6iVHTeT07EpJFPfiRfyBgQhRt2QYkPGXKJU50qFhi0cSdeRb4LxUiDHI_72CZdBdKGsWXMGa_jfTQAkDVDkIhjIT4xhwNYMpy1sbHri/s1600/DSC04634.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4hhFg75GzGo1RqM1LOUZ2zZxBNWyxiSOjX5Dk6iVHTeT07EpJFPfiRfyBgQhRt2QYkPGXKJU50qFhi0cSdeRb4LxUiDHI_72CZdBdKGsWXMGa_jfTQAkDVDkIhjIT4xhwNYMpy1sbHri/s400/DSC04634.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Ponte Sisto bridge! We're here!!!!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-hylPfXi2k22_6bHdDIJVKCRDRZTEWXbLHxMAJcyFZ5m-Lq0mBx9Y9OH3101uOa_LJ8elBGmJQGQFDurdacZr-kbm8LUFjB47czPZ8hRcGDKdJNmp8n918GxNQchwRQiPXihICAnd810e/s1600/DSC04631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-hylPfXi2k22_6bHdDIJVKCRDRZTEWXbLHxMAJcyFZ5m-Lq0mBx9Y9OH3101uOa_LJ8elBGmJQGQFDurdacZr-kbm8LUFjB47czPZ8hRcGDKdJNmp8n918GxNQchwRQiPXihICAnd810e/s400/DSC04631.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The first duomo we saw on the way into town.</div><br />
We were greeted by rain, but more importantly, Fr. Frank's brother Pallottine, Fr. Vinko. He's from Croatia, but fortunately speaks English and Italian very well. He showed us to our rooms, gave us a tour of the Casa Generalizia, and then showed us the small crypt chapel where he and Fr. Kyle celebrated Mass. It was a really nice, intimate setting for our small group of guys to begin this trip together.<br />
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By the way, this is the view from my room:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc3t6mVxNWRRXFURhEH-ly26OSH1lalEXwWkq8oYi_Kw4mqy4uLgtfz-aDBqhlCCzQnnjVZ7kQaLVuZfp82XgoRH9B6OFTsv3-lL0lptQzAN4OZZ874KFbBtUHvJRSYK19g8M3oIhD6BFe/s1600/DSC04635.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc3t6mVxNWRRXFURhEH-ly26OSH1lalEXwWkq8oYi_Kw4mqy4uLgtfz-aDBqhlCCzQnnjVZ7kQaLVuZfp82XgoRH9B6OFTsv3-lL0lptQzAN4OZZ874KFbBtUHvJRSYK19g8M3oIhD6BFe/s640/DSC04635.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>You can see the Ponte Sisto bridge, crossing the Tiber. Very classy!<br />
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After Mass, we had dinner in the cafeteria (or refectory, as it's called in religious communities) with the rest of the men who live at the Generalate. They were all very kind and welcoming, in the typical Pallottine style. Their cook, a little old Italian woman, made a delicious dinner of ziti, chicken, soup, potatoes, proscuitto, and much more. There was also plenty of wine (which her husband makes) and beer, which she told Vince we could "get crunk on". (Yeah, Vince said she basically told us to "get crunk"... gotta love those Italian women!)<br />
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Following dinner, we got to take a peek of the best view of Rome I could imagine. The Generalate is, in its highest part, 8 stories. There's a rooftop terrace above that floor, which had a spectacular view of the city. The Capitoline Hill and the Duomo of St. Peter's were VERY dominating. I was actually in shock as to how massive Basilica di San Pietro really is... for perspective, that duomo is about a 20 minute walk away from where this picture was taken. To me, it looked about as big as the US Capitol dome from maybe a mile away, if that. WOW! I can't wait to go there tomorrow...<br />
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Last item on the evening's schedule was a 30-minute stroll around the nearby part of town. We went to Piazza Novona, the Pantheon, and got our first gelato of the week. This time: Tiramisu :-)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGDp9cSDDAfTNu3GHmCEvNL652lhMZ36CVzJqktEGnoNHj_C_WDAIDsNBp5EgVnZTdqhz1TeL9xBhBmAhrhuM4dv45EIyBDrZlMR_rjwsjp96-mefhiMRdXSdlISZPhPWcV39SkFWv5Xfa/s1600/DSC04636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGDp9cSDDAfTNu3GHmCEvNL652lhMZ36CVzJqktEGnoNHj_C_WDAIDsNBp5EgVnZTdqhz1TeL9xBhBmAhrhuM4dv45EIyBDrZlMR_rjwsjp96-mefhiMRdXSdlISZPhPWcV39SkFWv5Xfa/s400/DSC04636.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Not sure what building this is, but it's beautiful.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwh5glEYGazawedp25qX0hyLqSH5zU9hBKmL6_PxT7iTOLZSZF6ekLHpm9b5e4O7mpPdlw0rVa7KsvO_VQ0unBVYBSI7mFAV3Navrw16y0Glf60r4-9pqteU-KR10715tJjaSGtMeFKsSB/s1600/DSC04640.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwh5glEYGazawedp25qX0hyLqSH5zU9hBKmL6_PxT7iTOLZSZF6ekLHpm9b5e4O7mpPdlw0rVa7KsvO_VQ0unBVYBSI7mFAV3Navrw16y0Glf60r4-9pqteU-KR10715tJjaSGtMeFKsSB/s400/DSC04640.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The Pantheon. Be back later this week, when it's light out.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibAXzgzMxZML2sJyranpbY3ZIV1F8T6yPzPjJHR68FzyiE22NSefBdYuAasEYuhMYpZv3NuccLn_9f6c97H1CC9bw6awJ2uZIoWvjx2uGd4wrnexARi7W8IHXjFid7tnDdbSSkDymxGBP2/s1600/DSC04643.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibAXzgzMxZML2sJyranpbY3ZIV1F8T6yPzPjJHR68FzyiE22NSefBdYuAasEYuhMYpZv3NuccLn_9f6c97H1CC9bw6awJ2uZIoWvjx2uGd4wrnexARi7W8IHXjFid7tnDdbSSkDymxGBP2/s400/DSC04643.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Some Roman ruins just chilling downtown.</div><br />
And here are some evening shots from the rooftop terrace of the Generalate: <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixXVzLrfDv7qDVkVmST5o0oYe2Bylg6Utaba_JBGFnlWtWvRTXEQmshHRXlLpVJN_BI385XgrxY1xInS-aZJXwj9w8RaPH8c99ALZiO8JOXUfOCqZUscMfm1NFyL6GsWAWH9C8KbxT5i3v/s1600/DSC04644.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixXVzLrfDv7qDVkVmST5o0oYe2Bylg6Utaba_JBGFnlWtWvRTXEQmshHRXlLpVJN_BI385XgrxY1xInS-aZJXwj9w8RaPH8c99ALZiO8JOXUfOCqZUscMfm1NFyL6GsWAWH9C8KbxT5i3v/s400/DSC04644.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Basilica di San Pietro. Need I say more? It's flippin' HUGE!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBmPrt-l_AMoS6Bkmv6RAoNoZ1MmthTt1mMIWMYaOZt6XS-6NBQsOJfqMwK-J1_F17yC27Sz2XSeK-wq1IxeN_02QLmGsbL6o0JfXkjUTmE6zZRLK3lPepZ2YdpxnHtnLsDf1Q2XWArIFh/s1600/DSC04645.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBmPrt-l_AMoS6Bkmv6RAoNoZ1MmthTt1mMIWMYaOZt6XS-6NBQsOJfqMwK-J1_F17yC27Sz2XSeK-wq1IxeN_02QLmGsbL6o0JfXkjUTmE6zZRLK3lPepZ2YdpxnHtnLsDf1Q2XWArIFh/s400/DSC04645.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Ponte Sisto bridge at night. Ahhh, Roma...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzYBmP5pTNg1nlyQa0BmsWQ-PwXStkUhsjxY4KxLUwTkkCdQogMCxA6FYHRllBqbfaHjZBNxyT0m6dsrWxItOXdYfDonjENeYDBnL8FCFZDdNHq8Fpf9UvAu0Ynhf5S1I9i69o3A63OiBv/s1600/DSC04646.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzYBmP5pTNg1nlyQa0BmsWQ-PwXStkUhsjxY4KxLUwTkkCdQogMCxA6FYHRllBqbfaHjZBNxyT0m6dsrWxItOXdYfDonjENeYDBnL8FCFZDdNHq8Fpf9UvAu0Ynhf5S1I9i69o3A63OiBv/s400/DSC04646.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Rooftop garden terrace next to the Hotel di Ponte Sisto.</div><br />
That's about it for today. Tune in tomorrow for details on our tour of the Scavi under St. Peter's, the Vatican Museum, and hopefully the Duomo as well!Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08988401053578820461noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2808760505361228285.post-11647864999188266072011-05-19T15:35:00.000+02:002011-05-19T15:35:11.671+02:00Welcome!Prepare yourself, my dear friends. I am about to embark upon a holy pilgrimage, the trip of a lifetime, and my first time ever leaving the blessed US of A!<br />
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On Saturday evening, eight of "The Nine" (a motley crew of 7 young men from the University of Maryland and 2 of their most beloved priests) will depart from this land on an epic journey to the Caput Mundi, the Eternal City, Rome! The 9th, Fr. Frank, will be meeting us on Monday, following our late afternoon arrival to Italy.<br />
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I invite you to follow our journey here, that all my partake of the awesomeness that will soon ensue. Enjoy!<br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="it"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">Fino alla prossima volta...</span></span>Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08988401053578820461noreply@blogger.com5