Rome, episode II

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Its Sunday, I go to the mass at “Sainte Marie Médiatrice” (a Franciscan church next to the hotel). Miguel, a dynamic Spanish student at the school and two other students are at the mass. They lend me the scriptures in French. the entering hymn is "grandiose"; I am truly in Rome!!!!
After the mass I meet some French students at breakfast.
At noon here I am at Saint Peter’s square. The pope is at his window. In his address in French he says:
« Je salue cordialement les pèlerins francophones et je les invite à accueillir avec générosité l'invitation au partage que nous adresse l'Evangile de ce dimanche. Puissiez-vous donner de votre temps, de votre disponibilité, de vous-mêmes, et non seulement de votre superflu, pour que le Règne de Dieu grandisse au milieu des hommes. Bon dimanche! Avec ma Bénédiction apostolique. Je souhaite à tous un bon dimanche et une bonne semaine. Au revoir! »

I retain from it: “May you give from your time, your presence; from your own self and not only from what is superfluous for the growing of the kingdom of God among human kind”

Into the basilica I find the Church in its entire splendor. The Canossa episode, the tomb of good pope John XXIII, may he intercede for the Church.

Time goes by rapidly, here I am with Anca, a friend of my sister, she’s Dutch. We have diner together after a long walk in Rome. She’s a very deep and joyful person.

Rome, Episode I

Saturday, November 11, 2006.

7h30: I am at Milan Airport. During the flight from Beirut, Ali, from Tyre, South Lebanon was sitting next to me. He is going to Venezuela to visit his children. Very smart and intuitive person. Talking about the July war in Lebanon, he says to me that human life used to have more value than nowadays. A funeral used to be a very serious and sad moment in the village. I helped him doing his transfer in Milan.

I arrive at my hotel; actually it’s a “school of mission” of the communaute de l’Emmanuel. A number of rooms are used as a hotel (http://www.domusaurelia.com/)

I meet Chiara at the reception, very kind and helping person. She was the person I contacted to make my reservation.

I apprehend this stay in Rome a little bit, will it be boring? ...I will live each moment in my “true being” (mon être veritable). I praise the Lord.

My stay in Rome

This trip was initially programmed in September, but due to War in Lebanon, where I live, it was postponed to mid November.
For me, it was a new experience to travel alone and just for tourism. I was used to travel with other physicians to attend medical conferences. As you will see i was not decieved.

Why Rome? Because it is the Eternal city, where the Pope lives (our "new" Pope, Benedict XVI). Why Rome? Because of all the art one can admire...

It was both: pilgrimage and art tourism.