A Roman pilgrim
Arriving in Rome is always very exciting. I love the history and the rather unpredictable nature of the city. The city is generally noisy and dirty in places but has a feel of an exciting place to be. Arriving late on Sunday evening it was enough for a little supper and a bed to sleep in. We knew that the next day we had to be up early to be at St. Peter's for mass.
If you have never been in St Peter's before it may be best to get up early and go to one of the early morning masses. First of all it is very quiet, and so you can walk around and have a good look with out the crowds. The other thing that you are able to do is to go to Mass which we were luckily enough to have at the altar over the body of St Pope John Paul II (it is one on the webcam that you can pick up on the Pope App) For me it was quite an emotional Mass because it was at Wembley in 1982 at the Papal Mass that I was able to receive my First Holy Communion. After Mass there was the grand tour of St Peter's with our guide Isabella. She as we were to discover over the week very in depth. I will not go into the details you need to find that out for your self. The highlight for me of the trip of St Peter's was a trip into the crypt to see the relics of St Peter. I thanked him in prayer for the faith he proclaimed. My Mother commented that how much my temperament was like that of St Peter. Nothing, I reflected, happens by accident.
Walking through the streets of Rome you get the feeling for the place. Seeing the great Pantheon and the Trevi fountain ( now restored) shows us the history of Rome from the time of the Romans to the present day cosmopolitan city. It is a busy place and often very confusing. Getting lost in Rome is easy so always make sure you have a map at hand. You can then walk from the fountain to the Spanish Steps. Sadly they were being restored but there was still a great buzz. In the spring there is a great array of flowers and you can have tea in the famous Babington tea rooms next door. It was here that Byron and Shelley used to come.
I remember a few years ago I decided that I would spend 10 days in Rome. Well 6 years later I have been every year either for a week or a few days. It is the city for Catholics for martyrs. There are many places that give this significance St Peter's St Pauls outside the walls but for me two other significant places is the English Collage and the Catacombs. Going down into the Catacombs you get the feeling of the sense of history. It was here that the early Church met in secret to celebrate Mass and there are many symbols around that show of this including the PAX and the fish. What a great witness for us. As we celebrated Mass I thought of the persecuted Church especially the Church in the Middle east. The day before while buying Clerical shirts I bumped into two priests from Mosul, In fact the older priest was the Archbishop of Mosul. Our prayer must always be for the Church in need. The persecuted Church. I went to Mass this morning with no fear of my life. It makes you think.
The English Collage is sometimes quite difficult to find. The Chapel is both impressive and steeped in history. The impressive picture at the top is where the students would pray for the priests who were martyred in England. They sang the Te Deum a song of praise. In the time of Elizabeth and the Reformation in England the students knew that they would be going to their death. In the upper part of the chapel is pictures of the great English martyrs and their stories. I thought that it was a way of stirring the soul of the students to the challenge of proclaiming the Gospel in England. The challenge that we still very much face.
There are other impressive places in Rome. One of my favourite churches is St Paul's outside the walls. The first thing that you will notice about the Church is that around the walls of the Church there are pictures of each of the popes from St Peter up till our present Pope Francis. For me we can see the continuity of the Church all through the ages. We are reminded that the Church has stood strong all through different and dangerous times in history. In the centre of the Church is a small chain. Maybe one of the chains used to hold St Paul on his way to Rome. With this Church and St John Lateran and Mary Major we stood in the major Churches of Rome and of Rome. Together with St Peter's one gets a glimpse of the history of the Church but also a glimpse of the divine through the artists of the time.
On the list of must sees in Rome other than Churches is the Palatine hill. It is the birth place of Rome and has the famous Colosseum on its hill. As you walk around it you get the feeling of the power of the Roman empire. The games that took place here must have been something to behold if not a little bloody. There is a cross inside to represent all those people who have died in this place. There is no proof that Christians were martyred there but there must have been some Christians who were killed in this place. The other place not far from this opposing site is the Forum. A place for the Romans to come and meet.
One never gets tired of Rome its art its history its food and its people. I look forward to my next visit and to discover new and exciting things about this city.
For Photos Please look on my Flickr Page Fitchy412
If you have never been in St Peter's before it may be best to get up early and go to one of the early morning masses. First of all it is very quiet, and so you can walk around and have a good look with out the crowds. The other thing that you are able to do is to go to Mass which we were luckily enough to have at the altar over the body of St Pope John Paul II (it is one on the webcam that you can pick up on the Pope App) For me it was quite an emotional Mass because it was at Wembley in 1982 at the Papal Mass that I was able to receive my First Holy Communion. After Mass there was the grand tour of St Peter's with our guide Isabella. She as we were to discover over the week very in depth. I will not go into the details you need to find that out for your self. The highlight for me of the trip of St Peter's was a trip into the crypt to see the relics of St Peter. I thanked him in prayer for the faith he proclaimed. My Mother commented that how much my temperament was like that of St Peter. Nothing, I reflected, happens by accident.
Walking through the streets of Rome you get the feeling for the place. Seeing the great Pantheon and the Trevi fountain ( now restored) shows us the history of Rome from the time of the Romans to the present day cosmopolitan city. It is a busy place and often very confusing. Getting lost in Rome is easy so always make sure you have a map at hand. You can then walk from the fountain to the Spanish Steps. Sadly they were being restored but there was still a great buzz. In the spring there is a great array of flowers and you can have tea in the famous Babington tea rooms next door. It was here that Byron and Shelley used to come.
I remember a few years ago I decided that I would spend 10 days in Rome. Well 6 years later I have been every year either for a week or a few days. It is the city for Catholics for martyrs. There are many places that give this significance St Peter's St Pauls outside the walls but for me two other significant places is the English Collage and the Catacombs. Going down into the Catacombs you get the feeling of the sense of history. It was here that the early Church met in secret to celebrate Mass and there are many symbols around that show of this including the PAX and the fish. What a great witness for us. As we celebrated Mass I thought of the persecuted Church especially the Church in the Middle east. The day before while buying Clerical shirts I bumped into two priests from Mosul, In fact the older priest was the Archbishop of Mosul. Our prayer must always be for the Church in need. The persecuted Church. I went to Mass this morning with no fear of my life. It makes you think.
The English Collage is sometimes quite difficult to find. The Chapel is both impressive and steeped in history. The impressive picture at the top is where the students would pray for the priests who were martyred in England. They sang the Te Deum a song of praise. In the time of Elizabeth and the Reformation in England the students knew that they would be going to their death. In the upper part of the chapel is pictures of the great English martyrs and their stories. I thought that it was a way of stirring the soul of the students to the challenge of proclaiming the Gospel in England. The challenge that we still very much face.
There are other impressive places in Rome. One of my favourite churches is St Paul's outside the walls. The first thing that you will notice about the Church is that around the walls of the Church there are pictures of each of the popes from St Peter up till our present Pope Francis. For me we can see the continuity of the Church all through the ages. We are reminded that the Church has stood strong all through different and dangerous times in history. In the centre of the Church is a small chain. Maybe one of the chains used to hold St Paul on his way to Rome. With this Church and St John Lateran and Mary Major we stood in the major Churches of Rome and of Rome. Together with St Peter's one gets a glimpse of the history of the Church but also a glimpse of the divine through the artists of the time.
On the list of must sees in Rome other than Churches is the Palatine hill. It is the birth place of Rome and has the famous Colosseum on its hill. As you walk around it you get the feeling of the power of the Roman empire. The games that took place here must have been something to behold if not a little bloody. There is a cross inside to represent all those people who have died in this place. There is no proof that Christians were martyred there but there must have been some Christians who were killed in this place. The other place not far from this opposing site is the Forum. A place for the Romans to come and meet.
One never gets tired of Rome its art its history its food and its people. I look forward to my next visit and to discover new and exciting things about this city.
For Photos Please look on my Flickr Page Fitchy412
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