On the pilgrim path in Rome
Two days on the pilgrim path in Rome — Trastevere, San Francesco a Ripa, the Station Churches, St Peter’s, the tomb of Good Pope Francis, and a surprise Mass for the Feast of the Primacy of Peter. (6 min read)
Another day of bright blue skies in Rome.
The monastery breakfast was very, very simple (bread and cheese, a pocketed croissant with Nutella and some kind of coffee that is not coffee).
I walked to the main Franciscan church in Rome (San Francesco d’Assisi a Ripa) via Trasevre (which I have no recollection of visiting before and found very charming) yesterday. Before reaching the church I paid a visit to the Church of Santa Maria in Traverse (which has quite stunning mosaics).
It was quite a long walk to San Francesco and without planning it I arrived in time for Sunday mass. My Italian has diminished since my last visit because I struggled to keep up and at times had no idea what the priest was saying. The church itself was much grander than Francesco would have approved of but it was humble by the standard of other Roman churches. The church includes a place where Francesco slept and I was keen to visit that but did not because I didn’t want to intrude on the sanctuary. I will return the next day.
Next I tried to visit the Borghese Galleries which was quite a long walk even though the gardens are just above Piazza Popolo. Google Maps struggled and the signage in the gardens was not so great, so it took a long time to reach the gallery and not long to come back. There were no tickets available so I had lunch at the cafe (which was healthy – a relief – but didn’t warrant the price).
After Borghese I visited the Basilica of St Sylvester a Capite – to venerate the scalp of John the Baptist. A bit of waiting around for the church to open, so I saw a couple of others, including one which continues to honour a nice little painting of Mary that appeared in a well. I walked back which meant 28K steps today. In bed by 7.30pm, I was awake at 2.30am and didn’t sleep so well after that.
Today is overcast and cooler but no rain is predicted. As there are no tickets at the Vatican Museum or the Borghese Galleries, it was inevitable I would visit the station churches and revisit the church of San Francesco and have late lunch in Trastevere. I am paying the price for being disorganised because it is after 10am and I’m still in the convent waiting for the phone to charge.
Today’s visits were to San Pietro Basilica; San Francesco a Rippa Church; Basiclia of Sant Anastasia; San Giovanni Lateran; Church of Santa Croce; Basilica of San Pietro in Vincoli; Basilica of Santa Prassede; and the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore (hereafter “MM”).
The highlights of this long day of walking were:
- the blessing of rosaries at MM; the beautiful energy of blessed sacrament chapel with relics
- the church of Santa Prassede, which is very close to MM, has wonderful mosaics and a piece of the pillar on which jesus was whipped (cf marble in Istanbul and Jerusalem)
- in Santa Croce i noticed a sculpture called “the shroud crucifix” which was interesting response to the thought i’d had a few hours earlier about why the stigmatics go for the big wounds and dont include the scourge
- The Basilica of St Peter in Chains reminded me of St George and made me wonder if any miracles have come from Peter’s chains
- I found a chapel (or at least painting or sculpture) of San Francesco d’Assisi in each church
- There are new paintings (2025) of stations of the criss in St Peter’s Basilica – absolutely stunning
- I returned to San Franceso a Rippa to visit the cell where he slept but it was too difficult. After waiting quite a while i was told it would not be possible while mass was on (a private mass for two men… probably initiates). Rather than waiting another 45 mins, i decided to go to the Vatican (arriving in perfect time for the special mass for the Primacy of Peter… the head priest from Rippa was present and i presume so were his equivalent from other orders.
© Paul McCarthy & Iluminar.au
iluminar.blog 