Sunday, February 24

This week I have noticed that I am definitely getting more accustomed to Rome - whether it be familiarity with the roads, navigating the bus system, or just getting used to the crowds and city life - I have made a lot of progress since I first arrived.  Part of it is that this past week I have done more traveling within Rome than I have in previous weeks. This is partially due to the fact that our Saturday trip to Subiaco was cancelled due to rain, so we spent the weekend in Rome.  It was great!  There is so much to do in Rome!  So I'll share some of my adventures with you.
 Friday was the feast of the Chair of St. Peter.  So of course I went to Mass at St. Peter's at the altar of the chair!  The altar of the chair is one of the main altars of St. Peter's, and is the work of Bernini.  There is a giant bronze chair above the altar, which encases an ancient wooden chair that is believed to be the Episcopal chair of St. Peter.  So there were hundreds of candles lit all around the chair and the altar, and a beautiful Mass was said.  There were many prayers said for the upcoming Conclave, and for Pope Benedict, which made the Mass extra special.  After Mass our group went out to Cardinal Dolan's favorite pizza place, and then to Stations of the Cross at the Pontifical North American College - they have a beautiful campus, and conveniently located too!  It was a fun night for all of us.
Yesterday I spent the entire day at St. Peter's Basilica - there is just so much to take in!  But, the great part is that St. Peter's was also the Station Mass yesterday, so for that occasion they bring out many of the reliquaries to the Papal altar.  Then there is a penitential procession throughout the basilica to begin the Mass, and after Mass the congregation is blessed by the spear that pierced the side of Christ - one of the four major relics of St. Peter's (the others are the veil of Veronica, the cross of St. Andrew, and a portion of the cross of Christ).  It was a beautiful Mass, and I had a front row seat! 
Then today was one of my most eventful days in Rome yet.  I went to the Vatican Museums all morning, as it is the monthly free weekend.  It was my second time going there this week, because our Art and Architecture class got a free tour for the Year of Faith on Thursday.  It was a great tour, but we only saw a few things, so it was nice to have a chance to go back.  The museums are immense, but I was still able to check all of the major items off my list - the hall of maps, the Raphael Rooms, and of course the Sistine Chapel.  It was a great way to spend the morning.  I went straight from there to the Pope's last Angelus - it was packed!  I was told that they were expecting a quarter of a million people.  It was beautiful, and great to see the Pope.  After the Angelus, I went to Mass at the Swiss Guards Church, and then did a whirlwind sightseeing tour on my own - I saw the Spanish Steps, the Pantheon, and the Trevi Fountain - it was great!  The best part was gelato for lunch!  It was a fun way to spend the day!