ROME – Day 2: Of processions and pitchers

The procession and Pontifical Mass for the Summorum Pontificum pilgrimage was this morning. Here are some shots.

I prayed for you, the readers here, my family, my friends, my confreres in Madison, the … gulp… Synod.

Starting in S. Lorenzo in Damaso.


Off we go.

Through the streets of Rome toward San Pietro.  Lot’s of tourists and Romans too, I’m afraid, gawked as if it were something from Mars.  However, some few sang along with the Litany of Saints and made the sign of the Cross as we went by.

Across the Angel Bridge.

Up the Via della Conciliazione and into the piazza.

Up the main steps.


In we go.


  

I went to the sacristy, since I was to be one of the familiares for the Mass.  I had originally thought that the celebrant was going to be Card. Burke, but instead it was a retired Argentinian bishop of some distinction.  He had forbidden Communion in the hand, thus earning my respect.
  
  

While just hanging out, a couple of things I got to look at.
  

Anyway, it was a beautiful Mass and procession.

We need less chatter and more processions… that‘ll help the family!

UPDATE:

A cherished moment in an old Roman sacristy.  They were looking for my personal alb, which had been squirreled away and I saw… this… which early brought tears to my eyes in consideration of how much as been lost.  Mind you, I am not a great fan of these things, but… so much has been lost.  Catholics, you see, don’t say … “Oh, that’s just old stuff!  Good riddance!” as if it never meant anything.  No … no…..

Reliquaries.  They are over a meter tall.

  

“Buste” of the great saints for the altar.  This… Augustine!

  

An artful view.

Meanwhile, who knew that nearby you could get amanita caesarea?

And the necessary puntarelle in anchovy and garlic?

Mixed up a bit, you see their wonderful curliness.

This little piggy went to market… and she didn’t come home.

Across from my front door.  I especially like the guy doing drugs on the left hand side.  Bless him.

Ahhh… Roma.

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Fr. Z is the guy who runs this blog. o{]:¬)
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27 Comments

  1. Gratias says:

    Thank you for being there for us Father Z! More photos of the Mass at St. Peter’s would be appreciated.

  2. TNCath says:

    Indeed! More walking, less talking. Not a Synod father in sight. Beautiful photos!

  3. SophiaGrace says:

    With sincere and heartfelt thanks, Father, for your prayers.

  4. wanda says:

    Thank you, Fr. Z., for sharing the beautiful pictures of true beauty. Prayers for you and thank you for remembering us, too.

  5. acardnal says:

    Love the photo of Fr. Z’s imposing shadow cast upon the humble processional path as he took a photograph. “The Shadow of Zed!”

  6. fan312 says:

    “Less chatter, more processions” I agree, I myself are a fond fan of processions.

  7. SpanishCatholic says:

    Thank you Fr. Z for sharing such a beautiful Mass, beautiful images, and for your prayers for us. May God keep you and protect and have an amazing trip!

  8. gracie says:

    A poignant reminder of what is missing from most of our parishes, which is to bring our faith into the public square. People yearn for beauty and our Church has bucket loads of it, if only we would use it to draw people into the mystery of God. It’s good to know that such beautiful processions still take place somewhere.

  9. majuscule says:

    On our parish feast day, we had a rosary procession right down the main street of our small town, stopping several times to pray a whole decade while traffic was diverted by the police.

    The local newspaper chose to call it a “parade” and the article featured photos of some of the ethnic groups from our diverse community who “marched” in the “parade” that celebrated our church “anniversary”. The photos did not include the priest or any of the groups carrying statutes in procession but focused on a few in cultural costumes that were not particularly religious looking. The article did mention in passing that we prayed the rosary, but spent more time describing “festive” ethnic/cultural aspects. The reporter seemed to be unfamiliar with any faith tradition.

    But what a blessing to be filling the whole street with praying people, attracting the attention of passers by! (The town draws a good many tourist types on a Sunday.)

    We need more processions!

  10. jameeka says:

    Dazzling photographs! Are those God-rays shooting down upon St Augustine’s attention?

  11. Zephyrinus says:

    Dear Fr Z,

    Thank you for being there.
    Thank you for your Prayers.
    Thank you for your guidance and encouragement.
    Thank you for being a Priest.

    Deo Gratias.

  12. Father:

    In several of the pictures, there is a fellow — I am guessing right in front of you — whose surplice has some red showing through on the shoulders. From what little shows of it, his cassock otherwise seems conventional; but we see only the collar. Do you happen to know what explains this curious phenomenon?

  13. Traductora says:

    Beautiful. I hope you post soon on the report. It’s only in Italian at the moment, but I was not encouraged by the conclusions.

  14. majuscule says:

    Fr Martin Fox

    It’s hard to miss the red. I think it’s part of the surplice, or at least under it. But not part of the cassock.

    I’d like to know, too!

  15. Kathleen10 says:

    Thank you Father Z. How poignant to process on this day. That had to feel…different, and it certainly makes a statement. What a sad day, looking at the Synod outcome, but not at all a surprise, given what we now know.
    I thought of you today Father. I had listened to an old podcast of yours about singing litanies. I was at a church tag sale today and purchased a CD of Saint JPII praying the rosary in Latin. If anyone needs a post-Synodal pick-me-up, I highly recommend it. It was uplifting to say the least. I remembered your ordination and realize how profound it must have been, lying on the floor and hearing that voice in prayer and the responses. What an experience!
    Thank you for being a faithful priest. I only wish we had more like you, and bishops and Cardinals too. We need an army of them now.

  16. Tony Phillips says:

    I’m still puzzling over how he took the pictures. Has he got a biretta-cam?

  17. hmf10 says:

    This all looks positively medieval! Love it.

  18. Robbie says:

    Great pictures. Thank you for sharing them. I wish I could have been there.

  19. Stephanus83 says:

    Father, are those men in grey habits Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate?

  20. Gratias says:

    There are nice pictures do the Summorum Missa Cantata at Messa in Latino.

    Wish I had been there.

  21. jaykay says:

    Et in unam sanctam, catholicam et apostolicam ecclasiam…

    et, quoque, Romanam. Thank you profoundly, Father, for these beautiful pictures.

  22. Mojoron says:

    No offense, but the Cardinal looks as If he may be a statue near the Altar of Sacrifice some day.

  23. Mariana2 says:

    I had to look up what a cotta griccia is. In the interests of general edification, I’ve pinned the Cotte Griccie pic to one of my boards on Pinterest, I hope that is okay with Father? If not, I will remove it pronto.

  24. taffymycat says:

    holy processions—we need to do and see and be in more of them. the ones in honor of our lady with her statue and roses decorating the platform which we carried throughout the grounds of the catholic school when i was a kid, and singing hymns to her. so devotional. we do some of that here in my parish, we do public rosaries in the town square, rosaries for life and for our country. our pastor is devoted, also used to be in the army!

  25. Eric says:

    OK I’m a little confused. Since I only read the posts related to baseball I read this one. Was the guy in the ally in the last picture Edinson Volquez or what?

  26. Chon says:

    I don’t get it. Who is pitching what?

  27. Eric says:

    Chon, I think maybe he meant “pictures” not “pitchers.” ???

    [Nope.]

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