Days 12 and 13

July 5th, St. Anthony Zaccaria and July 6th, 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

As we met Cardinal Stafford in the piazza in front of Santa Maria in Transtevere, a camera crew met us and began filming. The church was to be the site of a wedding of a Belgium prince and an Italian woman later that afternoon -- the Cardinal made some spontaneous remarks and graciously promised our prayers for the royal couple.

This Church was one of the first dedicated  to the Mother of God and houses an icon from the 7th century, as well as mosaics from later times. It is likely that the letter of St. Paul to the Romans was sent to the Christian community in Transtevere (which means across the river.) Currently the community of Sant'Egidio, laity dedicated to international solidarity, meets here.

Cardinal Stafford celebrated Mass for us in the side chapel of Santa Maria della Scala (Mary of the Stairs). Above the altar is a reliquary with St. Teresa Avila’s right foot. Despite the fact that she was a discalced Carmelite, she established 17 monasteries before her death. That foot traveled many miles for the glory of God!

Attached is a pharmacy the Carmelite friars began in 1597 and closed in 1964.  It was truly amazing. The display of 240 medicines corresponding to 240 parts of the body is in the case behind us. They have hundreds of dried herbs in boxes and camphor oil from 150 years ago that looks good enough to use. Most famous is a special compound made of 67 ingredients including viper flesh. 

After this excursion we enjoyed conversation with the Cardinal during a long dinner at the Domus.  We, and the whole Church are blessed with this faithful, humble, humorous and prayerful priest!

The rest of the afternoon was free. Some Sisters walked to St. Peter's to see it at dusk. Others visited San Bartolomeo all'Isola, a short walk from the Domus on Tiber Island, then St. Cecilia’s Church and the crypt below which has a beautiful burial place and excavations of her home. Her executioner is also a saint!

I needn't tell you how we celebrated our ability to venture out on our own -- there are over 50 flavors we haven't experienced yet! Rome feels a little more familiar every day.

On Sunday we made a pilgrimage across Ponte Sant'Angelo, the bridge with Bernini's ten angels holding the instruments of the passion. We had an English Mass in Santo Spirito, then went to the Sunday Angelus greeting. It will be our last time to see Pope Francis.

In the evening the Sisters enjoyed a beautiful concert by the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music.