Pilgrimage to Rome - Day 4

On Wednesday morning we again arrived at St. Peter’s Basilica early, this time to queue up for admission to the Papal Audience. Because of the weather, the audience was not held in St. Peter’s Square, as is sometimes the case, but inside the Paul VI Audience Hall. This was fine with me as I had never been inside that building before.

The windows and ceiling of the Paul VI Audience Hall

The Holy Father seated on the Audience Hall stage before a statue of the Risen Christ

It was a long time to wait, but it was well worth it to be with the Successor of Peter. Pope Benedict gave an address on Saint Bonaventure’s theory of Christian history and was then greeted by the different language groups. (I was especially glad to pick up some sense of the extemporaneous remarks he made in Italian, regarding the effect of this theory on interpretation of the Second Vatican Council.) He imparted his apostolic blessing upon all the pilgrims gathered with him, and through us to our families and loved ones. As throughout the trip, you were all remembered in prayer at that time.

The pilgrims await the Holy Father

After the Papal Audience, we were able to enjoy a Scavi tour of the excavations under the crypt of St. Peter’s Basilica, which go back to the time of Peter’s execution and burial on the site. This was my first time on a tour of these excavations and I was impressed – but I must say that I enjoyed all the more, the opportunity to pray at the tombs of so many of the Popes who are buried near the tomb of Peter.

We were able to pray in the Clementine Chapel, directly in front of St Peter's tomb, and the chapel in which the Holy Father places the pallium the night before they are presented to newly installed archbishops, and at the tombs of Pope Pius XII, Pope Paul VI, Pope John Paul I and Pope John Paul II.

The rest of our day was free, and Karlo and I passed a lovely afternoon together shopping along the Borgo Pio. This area, very near the Vatican, is filled with all sorts of religious goods stores – of both the tsatske and quality varieties. I did more window-shopping than buying, but it was a lot of fun nonetheless.

Our group reconvened for Mass that evening at the parish church attended by the Notre Dame students who study in our Rome architecture program.

We then had dinner all together near the Pantheon. We were joined by John and Monica Sikorski, their son John Joseph, and Deacon Ian McDole of the Diocese of Covington, all of whom are Notre Dame grads.

Joseph Querciagrossa, his brother-in-law John and nephew John Jospeh

After dinner Fr. Michael led us to a nearby gelateria for dessert. It was rather cool and wet in Rome throughout our visit, so I wasn’t much in the mood for ice cream most of the time – but you can’t beat gelato.