Piazza Navona

Today was our last full day in Rome. I woke up feeling a bit under the weather. We met up with Mr. and Mrs. Gray in order to get to Santa Maria Maggiore (St. Mary Major) where we were meeting everyone else. The three of them attended mass at a side altar, but I opted for some alone time in front of the main altar. Soon after the mass ended, everyone else arrived. I really wasn’t feeling too great, so it was decided that I would ride with Mr. Dumas, Fr. Michael, and Sarah (who was also sick) in a taxi to the other basilicas. At Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, Fr. Michael managed to show Sarah and I the relics of the cross before and Italian man informed us that a wedding was about to take place, so we would have to leave.

I was able to text the others, who were walking, and told them to meet us at San Paolo Fuori Le Mura (St. Paul’s Outside the Walls). We waited in the cold for a while, until Fr. Michael could hunt down a taxi. He would walk at least a mile if not further to get to a taxi stand, in the rain no less. Taxis can be difficult to track down in Rome, but Fr. Mike always came through for his grandpap. While we waited, we were able to see the bride arrive and I’d even venture to bet that we were in the background of some of their pictures. On the way to St. Paul’s we got to see the pyramid and the Roman baths.

After St. Paul’s, it was decided that we would go to Piazza Navona, which was the last place on my list that I really wanted to see. The four of us got there way ahead of everyone else. Mr. Dumas sat in the middle of the Piazza while Fr. Mike, Sarah, and I wandered around the different vendors that were set up. At one of the stands I got a crepe and they gave Sarah some cotton candy for free. We had fun with our treats and went to get Mr. Dumas a gelato. There were street performers dressed up as statues and one was supposed to be Santa. Mr. Dumas gave both Sarah and I a coin each to put in the can the man had. Sarah was not keen on the idea, but we slowly approached him. When we got close enough, Sarah threw her coin, but missed the can, so I picked it up and put mine in as well. The man thanked us and asked if we wanted a photo, but Sarah didn’t, so we headed back toward Mr. Dumas. He thanked us for giving the money and I think he enjoyed watching Sarah. We then looked at different nativity pieces offered by the vendors. Italians are big on build your own Nativity scenes, so many stands offered different pieces. My favorite were sets that were made from roots. If I could have transported one home, I probably would have. I bought myself a pretty scarf that matches my coat quite nicely at one of the stands. In addition there were a lot of witches for sale. If you clapped near them, they would cackle and bounce about. I pulled this from another blog as an explanation for their presence:

The befana legend is nice, though: On their way to Bethlehem, the magi stop by her house, the cleanest in the village, and ask for shelter for the night. When leaving the next morning, they invite her to join their search for a special baby. Befana declines, she’s too busy cleaning. After they leave, she thinks for a bit – and decides to go along after all. She finishes her work and follows the men. But she’s too late. She never finds the baby.

Come 6 January, Epiphany, she’s still flying about on her broom, searching. On that day, Italian children leave a glass of wine and some nibbles for la befana. And she, in turn, leaves a present for the children in every house she looks. After all, anyone of them might be baby Jesus.

The rest of the family met up with us and found a place to get me soup, minestrone, since it was the only thing I had really wanted to eat. Brother Joel had found the place, and the man who ran it had his mother help make some of the dishes. The food was absolutely delicious and filling, it really hit the spot. Afterward we made our way to the metro and onto the train in order to go to The University of Europe where Fr. Jason teaches. On the train, the Mitchell’s played a few rousing rounds of hangman, which made the journey entertaining. It brought color onto the train, where what lied beyond the tracks was quite dull. Once at the university, we had mass and then visited the shroud exhibit. Fr. Jason explained about the replica of the Shroud of Turin and the studies done on the burial cloth of Jesus. That’s something I would like to read more about.

We then said our goodbyes and waited for a taxi with Mr. and Mrs. Gray. As much as I wanted to go home, I really do hate goodbyes. I would see most of them at the airport and stateside, but I was sad to leave Fr. Mike, Fr. Jason, and Brother Joel. They are all such wonderful men of Christ and their presence was a comfort. Between having them and the Mitchell family, I couldn’t have traveled to Italy with a better group of people.

Once back at our metro station, we went for cappuccino and pastries with the Grays for our last night in Rome. It was the best cappuccino I have ever had and the almond tart was to die for.