ROME 24/3– Day 5: Getting stoffa

Today sunrise, with crystal clear skies and low temp of 42F, was at 6:02. Sunset will come at 18:30, 15 minutes before the Ave Maria Bell should ring to signal the end of the day’s business.

It is Monday in Holy Week. The Feast of the Annunciation is postponed to after the Easter Octave. It is the Feast of St. Dismas the Good Thief. As I write the clouds have moved in and it is 60F.

Today The World’s Best Sacristan™ and I marched over, first, to the Campo de’ Fiori.  I had promised my fruttarola – vegetable vendor – a palm from the Sunday procession. I brought one of the small woven decorative crosses. She was, of course, quite pleased. I was also pleased to see that there were FAVE! I was on a mission from God, so I couldn’t get any at the moment. Tomorrow. She’s been there at that stand for over 60 years. Hard times. Good times. Weather in. Weather out.

Through the little passage way to the Largo del Pallaro.

I understand that the old proprietor of the Pallaro restaurant passed away.  I think some American seminarians went there.  They almost always tended to focus on the wrong places because other seminarians had gone there.  I digress.  The food wasn’t great, rather basic, but he was devout.  R.I.P.

Palazzo Massimo, where St. Philip Neri raised the son of the Principe from the death.

Largo Argentina.  Yes, there are still cats, including the tail-less black critter limping along in the foreground.

At Gammarelli, TWGS™ and I looked into the fabric for a possible set of black vestments for the parish. 

Last year, a few of you incredible, dear readers, stepped up and got 7 sets of matching red Roman sets for the priests who would come and say their daily Masses.  HERE

There were quite a few people who pledged donations for the red, but their pledges weren’t needed right away.

At the time I mentioned that there would be a couple more projects.   The parish is also in need of BLACK VESTMENTS.   In fact, in the mornings, quite a few priests need to use black, because they – as earthly life goes on for us and not for others – have Requiem Masses to say.   The parish’s black vestments are also in disarray.

Whaddya say?  Ready for another round?  SEE UPDATE BELOW

Don’t send money yet.  This is pledge time.  Directions will follow.

Here’s the stoffa, the fabric.

UPDATE:

I have enough pledges already! If something comes up, I’ll open it up again. THANK YOU to

BB, SK, TP x2, TK, TS, AG

If you are still anxious to participate in a vestment project for the parish in Rome, let me know.  They have in the works a white solemn set which will probably be rather costly because of the very fine fabric.

Heading to the other side of the Largo Argentina, we made the terrible mistake of stopping in at what used to be a good bar.  Tre Effe – FFF.  The gal at the cash register’s rudeness was matched only by her excessive and poorly conceived make-up.  The cornetto was inedible and the cappuccino diminutive, due to the cups.   Don’t ever stop at Tre Effe on the edge of the Largo Argentina.

Speaking of get stuff, today a box arrived with something I had ordered.  The only thing that rivals my annoyance for cheap styrofoam or glitter in Christmas cards has to be this.

Meanwhile, black to move and mate in … 5?

1. … Qh3+ 2. Kh1 Qf3+ 3. Kg1 Rg8+ 4. Rg6 Rxg6+ 5. Kf1 Bh6#
NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.

 CLICK!

I am now a chess.com affiliate.   So, click and join!   Maybe we can build a fun and active Catholic Chess Club within Chess.com.

Priestly chess players, drop me a line. HERE  Interested in learning?  Try THIS.

And speaking of “fruttarola”, my favorite of the old Roman singers, Claudio Villa.