We’ve done and seen a lot since March 3. I’ll post on that later.. but I just wanted to get this one out. As luck would have it, as the Catholic world got a new Pope we were headed to Rome. I didn’t get to see the smoke turn white, but I did luck into the next best thing…Pope Frances’ first mass.
After a delayed flight from Athens, we high-tailed it to our hotel, Hotel Centrale on Via Laurina, which is a nice little hotel in the center of Rome and I recommend you select the terrace room. It’s a hike up stairs that are worth it. Anyway… we dropped our bags, got our tennies on and practically ran to the Vatican not knowing what to expect, but it was the day after… something had to be going on. Yes, my Protestant husband too….just as appreciative of this historic moment.
Just as we got there people were gathering and II realized our new Pope, the first Latin American Pope in the history of the Catholic church was giving his first Mass. I was a little late, which is not much different from my life at home. So all good there. And on large screens strategically placed outside of St Peter’s Basilica we watched the Pope give Mass to all the Cardinals that had gathered. Talk about some fancy garbs! No need to say more… just look at the pics. I thank J and my guardian angel.
Rome was just a stop over for us on the way back to the US. After that Mass, a great capuccino to warm us, and a deliciou dinner at trattoria Otello Concordia, our trip abroad was complete. Caio Roma e Caio al novo Papa!
Related articles
- Pope sounds warning to Catholics (bbc.co.uk)
- Pope Francis takes Vatican trappings to a new plain (latimes.com)