Rome, episode VI

My day begins by changing rooms in the hotel; my new one is bigger but also noisier because it is from the side of the road.

I begin my day by getting my ticket for the audience of the pope. An old nun handles me my ticket with a big smile, I thought I was late and it would be more difficult!!

All around me there are foreign pilgrims, mainly from the USA. The weather is sunny and I sit in the middle of a row. Next to me there is a priest reading his paper, his name is Mark I engage a talk with him. He is very devoted to Sainte Therese de Lisieux and shows me a relic of her bone given to him by a friend; what a coincidence, this same morning I was browsing a book in the cafeteria about the photos of Sainte Therese de Lisieux.

Then here comes the Pope, he is in his papa mobile and makes a tour around the crowd. I feel the responsibilities lying on his shoulders. I will pray for the pope more when I return to Beirut.



After the audience I have lunch with Mark then we go touring the city together sharing experiences. I feel grateful for this encounter. Mark talks to me about the book of Jean Pierre de La Caussade “Abandonment to Divine Providence”, a book I will buy later during the same day and begin reading as its subject is a main point in my pilgrimage.

We visit Saint the Onofrio monastery over the Janiculum hill. The monastery has a beautiful view over the city and an exquisite internal court surrounded by mural paintings.




Mark is bewildered by the fiat cinquo cento. he had never seen such a small car in the USA!!

Then we go back to Saint Peter Basilica, we go up the cupola, stairs are narrow but finally we arrive at the top where a beautiful view is waiting.

Mark is going upstairs.

View of a lateral chapel. picture taken fom the cupola.