ROME 23/04 – Day 10: Pasquetta

Yesterday, Easter Sunday, I offered my Holy Mass for my Roman Donors.  Thank you for your great kindness and your prayers.  I will say Mass for you often while I am here.

On this Easter Monday, which is called “Little Easter” here. It is also called “Lunedi dell’Angelo”, probably because of the mentions of the angels of the resurrection in the antiphons for Mass, though the Gospel reading is traditionally about the Road to Emmaus.

The sun rose again in Rome and will set another time, respectively at 0637 and 1947. The Ave Maria remains nailed to that 2000 spot. We are in the Moon’s last quarter, in case you had not noticed.

Today’s Roman Station is at San Pietro in Vaticano. In ancient times and into the medieval period the Roman Bishop would go to St. Peter’s for the Mass and then return to the Lateran in a solemn procession while distributing money to the poor, through the Jewish quarter where he received their petitions, and then through the Forum and up the hill.

A couple views from Sunday Solemn Mass.

There are those who say that I should have buckles on my shoes when in choro or celebrating Mass. Technically, they may be right, since according to Trimelloni they were still obligatory – on the books at least – in 1962. I have a pair of 8″ Bates milspec boots back home in storage with some buckles laced in more or less in the right place, but I don’ think that that is what Trimelloni and the Church had in mind.   To my mind they are entirely appropriate, given the state of affairs and the amount of… stuff we have to wade through about “walking together” and other B as in B, S as in S.

I have business at Gammarelli.  I’ll inquire. If they are available and reasonable, I hope they have good traction.  The deadliest carpet in the world covers the steps to the altar.  I was celebrant yesterday for Vespers and it was a harrowing descent.

Just nice.  The inscription above says “CREDO SANCTORUM COMMUNIONEM”.

At Ss. Trinità they do it right.  I should ask if someone at the parish is arranging their flowers or if they are being done at a shop.  Otherwise, I know the stand where they get most of their blooms, at Campo de’ Fiori, the same stand I’ve used for decades, where “Pippo” reigns.

Last night we went out with priests from the parish and had a good time and a fairly decent meal.  I have not often mentioned names of restaurants in these posts but I decided to do so occasionally on this trip.   Last night, because so many places were booked up solid for Easter, we wound up at Da Pancrazio at the P.za del Biscione.  I had pajjata which was acceptable though not remarkable.  It was good to see it on the menu.  I never received my second course.  More on that below.

Da Pancrazio… I haven’t eaten there for decades and that is a good thing.

It is an interesting place, in that it has in the basement visible traces of the Theater of Gn. Pompeius Magnus, Rome’s first stone theatre and of great importance for Roman history. That is the restaurant’s main draw.

One advantage to Da Pancrazio is that they can  accommodate even large groups, though in the rather cavernous lower level it can get loud if there are young people.

The complaint about the place – for last night at least – was the slipshod table service: food out of order… some that didn’t come at all…. There was nothing special about the food, which was standard Roman fare prepared with and plated with zero creativity. One of us ordered mixed berries with whipped cream for dessert only to be told that there was no whipped cream. “Look: whipped cream takes a few seconds!” On the waiter’s return he informed us that while there was now whipped cream there were no berries and they could not come up with anything to substitute, not even with a minimum effort.

Apart from the splendid company and great conversation, that berry thing characterized the evening.   That and not even delivering my second.  They are skating.

The surroundings were pleasant enough, if leaning toward tourist kitschy. It was clean.  Our waiter had a good attitude, though perhaps he was overly challenged in covering his area and in overseeing the details.  The food was okay, without being memorable in any way other than for its non-arrival or straight up unavailability. There were some good bottles on the wine list (some very good), which – with coaxing and repeated explanations a distracted young lady managed to deliver – were eventually produced in the correct number.

And the “tiramisù” would have been more aptly named “tiramigiù”. I broke a standard of several years by ordering it in a sudden flash of misplaced optimism.  Even by the standard of standard tiramisù in this City, this particularly insipid manifestation was so far from the platonic ideal that its identity was hardly to be guessed at.   Thus, I confirmed that if I never have tiramisù again before it has been made by archangels it will be too soon.

Bottom line.  Even the worst of places – Da Pancrazio is not “the worst” by a long stretch – can be transformed into a wonderful locus for a meal depending on the people you are with.  From that point of view, the evening could not have been better.  We had great conversation and enjoyed each other’s company.   That said, I last ate there in the mid-80s. There are so many other places now that merit our patronage.  Unless some larger group I am with needs a place in a pinch, I’ll next return to “Da Pancrazio” in about 2043.

Tonight out with my Chicagoans who depart on the morrow and with our dear friends The Great Roman™ and his Better Half™.

Meanwhile,…

Black to move.

NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.

Interested in learning?  Try THIS.

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The traditional monks of Norcia make great beer. We had some the other night after the Vigil.

In chess news… in the FIDE World Championship Ding Liren (3) vs. Ian Nepomniachtchi (2) – drew in Game 1 in Astana. Game Two today. I caught only a little commentary – delayed. Anish Giri was insightful and amusing. I gained a lot from his play by play and speculation about the game. He also revealed something of his own preparation at this high level.