'Surreal': Bernini in the morning, pope in the afternoon
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
* Ana Rodriguez Soto
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Did I say “Wow!” already?
Then what do you say when you start out your day celebrating Mass at the Altar of the Chair in St. Peter’s Basilica and end it saying evening prayer with Pope Benedict XVI?
“It was pretty surreal there. It was a beautiful thing,” said Father Alejandro Rodriguez-Artola, associate pastor at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Miami, who was among the concelebrants at the morning Mass celebrated by Archbishop Thomas Wenski at the altar designed by Bernini.
This is the altar at the back end of St. Peter’s Basilica, behind the more famous one, the one with the Bernini columns where only the pope celebrates Mass. The Altar of the Chair is also known as the Altar of the Holy Spirit because of the alabaster window depicting the Holy Spirit as a dove. The window is above the wooden “throne of St. Peter” which gives the altar its name.
The pilgrims from Miami and Orlando had this altar all to ourselves for morning Mass today. As we faced it, workers were hard at work behind us preparing the other altar, the main altar, for the pallium Mass tomorrow. The Mass today marked the feast of St. Irenaeus, who died a martyr. Archbishop Wenski reminded us that the age of martyrdom is not over.
“The 20th century witnessed more martyrs than perhaps the previous 19 centuries combined,” he said, noting the thousands who were killed and imprisoned in gulags, in China and even in the Americas. “If they could die for Christ, then through their prayers we ask God for the strength to live for Christ.”
A few hours later, we were making our way to St. Paul Outside the Walls for evening prayer with the Holy Father. The group from Miami was joined by 37 other groups from around the world who also came with their newly-named archbishops on pallium pilgrimages. Because we got there early — 4 p.m. for a 6 p.m. ceremony — most of our group sat closest to the center aisle through which the pope entered the basilica.
I got really lucky twice. My press credentials allowed me to be in a special area near the main altar, which meant I could see the pope during the ceremony, something those sitting in the nave could barely do once he sat down at his chair, way in the back of the church. The press platform was crowded, however, and my colleague, Daniel Soñé and I decided that it was redundant for both of us to be there. So he stayed and I came down, trying to find another angle from which to shoot.
I asked about the entrance procession and was told that, when the time came, I would be taken to a spot where I could take those pictures. Little did I know that was just outside the main doors of the basilica, where Vatican security lined up all of us photographers so that we could get a head-on shot of the pope as he entered the church. Later, after Mass ended, the pope passed right behind the press area where Daniel and I were ensconced, and he managed to get even better shots of Benedict — always a Catholic photographer’s dream. Hope you like the pictures!
I forgot to tell you yesterday that the reception at the ambassador’s home capped a half-day tour of Christian Rome which included stops at four of the seven basilicas traditionally visited by pilgrims to Rome since the earliest days of Christianity:
— the Church of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem, which houses bits of wood from the cross on which Jesus was crucified (they were brought over by St. Helen, mother of Constantinople, and the church is located where her house used to be);
— St. Paul Outside the Walls, located on the site where St. Paul was beheaded (and where every pope from St. Peter to Benedict XVI is depicted in mosaics that line the nave; some Romans believe that once all the spaces are filled the end of the world will come — so far there are 265 popes and 12 spaces left);
— St. John Lateran, the actual cathedral of the Archdiocese of Rome, and as such the pope’s church, since he is the bishop of Rome (for about 1,000 years, the popes used to live at the Lateran Palace next door to the church; St. John Lateran also is where Pope Pius XI and Mussolini signed the concordat on Feb. 11, 1929, that created the Vatican City state);
— St. Mary Major, the “youngest” of the four basilicas, built in the mid 5th century atop the Esquiline Hill, where snow appeared in the middle of August; Pope Liberio dreamt that the Blessed Mother told him to go there and build a church where he found the chunks of snow.
Pictures of that are posted in yesterday’s blog. I apologize that I simply ran out of time (and energy) Sunday night and could not get the pictures up at the same time as the blog. So go back now and see them.
And in case there is some time-change confusion: I’m writing this Monday evening (June 28) although you are probably reading it Tuesday morning (June 29). We have to leave for St. Peter’s at 7 a.m. to be seated for the pallium ceremony that begins at 9:30 a.m., so I better get some sleep.
Comments from readers
Late, of course, is a relative matter. Right now, the clock on my computer, keeping Miami time, says 2:43 a.m. So that's late for you. But I'm fresh and rested because my body is on Italy time, which is 8:43 a.m. I finally got a few solid hours of rest last night - what with going to events, then processing the pictures and writing, it's been non-stop for a while! (Yes, Brother Richard, it's a tough job but somebody's got to do it! By the way, I saw Brother Sean Moffett Monday morning. He was with us for that morning Mass in the Altar of the Chair at St. Peter's Basilica.)
To my basement friends: I've only sipped three capuccinos (can you believe it?) but they have been excellent. The way we've been going around here I should probably be taking cappuccino infusions all day long, but they wouldn't be as tasty. We did have a chance yesterday morning, while waiting for St. Peter's to open, to sit down at a little cafe around the corner from the basilica and enjoy a delicious cappuccino (they have all been delicious, actually). It's one of the perks of having a press pass. While our poor group stood in line, in the sun, in the square to get a good spot inside (they did - lots of them are coming back with pope pictures) we were able to relax. I guess the axiom is: journalists stand and wait, but not in line. (We were on the press platforms inside St. Peter for the pallium Mass from 8:30 a.m. until it ended just before 12 noon. No sitting, just standing. Like I said, it's a tough job, but honestly, I would pay to do it! (Don't tell my boss, though.)
To Ann from St. Martha: It's a date!
Another thing I want to say: The pictures being posted on the slideshows do not have the photographer's name, so I want to give credit to my partner Daniel Sone, who has taken incredible pictures while here. He was in a better place for the pallium Mass -- a platform closer to the altar and to Archbishop Wenski -- and he got some awesome shots (without being arrested by the Vatican guards!). You will see some of them here and the rest will be posted on DotPhoto.com as soon as we get back, in case you want to buy them. We are taking a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot of pictures!
At any rate, thank you all and I will keep striving to get you the best stories and best pictures from Rome -- since chances are I won't have time to buy you any souvenirs!
Thanks for a great job of bringing the magnificence of the events and their settings in Rome to life by your pictures and words. Once home and after recovery, how about coffee with us after St. Martha's am Mass to share more? Take care and God bless.
Ann Saladino
Your pictures are truly beautiful and your words of the events are incredibly descriptive so much so that while we are sitting enjoying our daily high octane, now substandard coffee we feel like we are in Rome with you. We too are enjoying panoramic views of the off white walls that adorn our majestic basement yearning for windows too see lights beaming through. Can you hear the violins playing in the background?
With all joking aside your pictures and blog have truly helped us live vicariously through all of you the pilgrims in this once in a lifetime adventure. Seeing the beautiful Mass and watching our Archbishop fuels our enthusiasm as we embark in a new era here in our Archdiocese.
May God continue to bless all of you and may your journeys continue to be full of profound grace.
P/S…. Enjoy a Panini while sipping on a cafesito overlooking an amazing Italian view and think of us!