Pilgrimage to Rome - Day 3

Our Tuesday morning began with an early morning Mass in the crypt of St. Peter’s Basilica. One of the highlights of the entire trip was to have arrived at the Basilica so early and to enjoy the massive space in almost total solitude and silence. There were just a few priests saying their morning Masses at the various side altars in the massive church.

We priests met our Superior General Fr. Hugh Cleary, csc and our community’s steward, Fr. Carl Ebey, csc who led us to the Basilica’s sacristy to vest for Mass. It was quite an experience to vest in the Vatican Sacristy!

Hallway leading to the Vatican Sacristy

We were also joined by our community’s First Assistant General, and incoming president of Holy Cross College, Brother John Paige, csc. Our entire group shared Mass in the Chapel of the European Patrons in the crypt of the Basilica very near the bones of Peter, and directly next to the tomb of Pope John Paul II.

Chapel of the European Patrons - Crypt of St. Peter's Basilica

Fr. Hugh Cleary, CSC and Fr. Jim Gallagher, CSC at breakfast

After being treated to breakfast by the General Administration, we spent a good portion of the day in the Vatican Museum, which was a good thing as the weather had turned and Tuesday was an all-day soaker. Of course the highlight of the Vatican Museum is standing in the Sistine Chapel, gazing up at Michelangelo's magnificent ceiling, depicting the Creation, and reredos depicting the Final Judgement.

Ancient statue of shepherd used by early Christians as an image for Christ

Later in the afternoon we took the Metro to the outskirts of the city to visit the tomb of the other Apostle of Rome: St. Paul. I had never made it to St. Paul Outside the Walls during my previous trip to Rome, but it proved to be a real highlight of this pilgrimage.

Though rebuilt after a fire, the Basilica maintains the original layout and in so doing gives the visitor a good idea of what the original St. Peter’s looked like as well. It is a classic basilical plan, with a lovely cloister in front. And as in St. Peter’s, because there are no chairs or pews in the nave, the space feels immense.

Last year marked a special Pauline Jubilee Year, marking the 2000th anniversary of St. Paul's birth. Obviously this was celebrated in a particular way at the the shrine of St. Paul's relics - and we had the chance to see the beautiful Jubilee Doors that were installed for the Pauline Year. They included bronze reliefs of different scenes from the life of St. Paul.

Inscription on the Pauline Door

Apse mosaic at St. Paul Outside the Walls

A frieze atop the nave wall of the Basilica is adorned with the portraits of all the Roman Pontiffs, and the Eucharistic chapel is dedicated to St. Stephen, whose martyrdom Paul witnessed when he was still persecuting the Church. I had to wait quite awhile for a German tour group to finish having Mass in the St. Stephen Chapel, but it was well worth it.

Mosaic bust of Pope Benedict XVI in the nave frieze

Statue of St. Stephen

Back in the area of the Vatican, some of the guys took time to do souvenir shopping so that they would have objects to be blessed at the Papal Audience. I purchased rosaries for the men of Old College. Fr. Jim and I also went to the Office of the Papal Household to secure our tickets for the Papal Audience. This involved entering an otherwise restricted area of the Vatican, and I’ll confess we got a kick out of being saluted by the Swiss Guard.

Swiss Guard at the Entrance to the Office of the Papal Household

After our little errand, Fr. Jim and I took the Metro to the Spanish Steps – but since the weather was foul we didn’t linger outside. Instead we found a lovely little spot for dinner. In fact, we had what was probably the best meal of the week in a restaurant called Il Gabriello on the Via Vitorria.

I know many of you read this blog only for the restaurant reviews, so I'll mention that I enjoyed a lovely roasted calamari and potato salad, cheese ravioli in a tomato cream sauce, and veal cutlet in a light lemon and wine sauce. It was all delicious, and after a long, wet day of sightseeing it was exactly what the doctor ordered.