5:33 was the time of the Roman sunrise. At the other end of the day, the sunset will be 20:46. The Ave Maria is still set for its 2100 cycle.
The “Ave Maria” indicates the change of the religious day from day to night. It is rung half an hour after sunset.
When there were large religious communities in Roman churches and chapters of canons, Vespers would be sung an hour before the Ave Maria Bell. However, in the Roman Curia, Cardinals and other officials would still receive people in audience for the hour after the Ave Maria Bell rang. An hour after the Ave Maria, a single bell would toll, thus ending all business for the day, since it was the first hour of night.
Thus, the Roman Ave Maria Bell.
And, before that, something of the last daylight that gives the City a special color, hard to describe.
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May I recommend an excellent pizzeria from my visit in Rome last August:
Emma Pizzeria
Via del Monte della Farina, 28
Not far from Beppe and his cheeses
Outstanding photos, dear Reverend Fr. Z. 100% improvement in quality of pics. Thank You.
As always, your Roman visits, photos, and pics of delicious meals, make up for the inability to be there in Rome. Excellent and entertaining.
in Domino
Zephyrinus.
Che veramente bellissimo, caro padre!
Prona est iam dies
solis occidentis
fulgor, fastigia
tectorum hucusque
perstringit, sed umbra
vespere crebrior
paulatim involvit
Urbem nostram totam
[Optime pepigisti!]
Thanks for the lesson. Fascinating stuff.
I’m familiar with the liturgical hours from the Divine Office, but this helped me to better understand how they used to be woven into the life of a community.