Fr. Z's Blog

Today the Sun rose upon Rome at 6:28. It will inevitably set at 19:53.

The Ave Maria Bell has now moved to a new cycle: 20:15.

The Roman Station is Santa Prisca on the Aventine Hill.

It is Holy Tuesday.

I have little to report today.  It was mostly a chore day.

I did stop to pick up a toaster.   Exciting, right?  I can now toast bread more easily.  Woo hoo!

I had a BEAST of a time with the program I use to make podcasts.   It is maddeningly annoying, but has certain features which, when it loads, make what I do easier.  However, the damn thing refuses to recognize that I actually bought a license for it.  Hence, it thinks I have the free version which won’t let me do anything.  The website is horrible.  NEVER buy anything from Magix, especially Music Maker.  EVER.  I had made several LENTCAzTs in advance while still at home so my first days here wouldn’t be to oppressive.  Now they are oppressive anyway.

So, I had to make today’s and tomorrow’s using Blender, which it is really not meant for.  I managed.   Sooooo annoying when tech is your obstacle.

I went over the Chiesa Nuova today to find St. Philip.  He’s there.

Then I went around the corner to a legatoria, a book binder, to have him repair two small prayer books which are quite rare.  He asked €40 for both, which I thought was a little high, but… hey.  I want them fixed.   He’ll do a good job and I like artisans like this.

Lunch and breakfast were comprised of a single small thing of yogurt.   Nothing interesting to see there.

I went out the back way of the sacristy today and there was the “tomb” which will be set up for the Blessed Sacrament on Holy Thursday.

Please remember me when shopping online and use my affiliate links.  US HERE – UK HERE  WHY?  This helps to pay for health insurance (massively hiked for this new year of surprises), utilities, groceries, etc..  At no extra cost, you provide help for which I am grateful.

I was up and around before sunrise at 6:29 and by 19:52 sunset is long in the rear view mirror.

The Ave Maria is still slated int he 20:00 slot.

It it Holy Monday. Mercifully short readings today, but profound. The story is being told. The mysteries are being made present. All is unfolding.

The full Moon is still with us, but it’s fullness was yesterday. Therefore….

The Roman Station is Santa Prassede on the Aventine Hill. Marvelous church. The chapel of St. Zeno and the arch are splendid.

This morning was … weird.  The streets were virtually empty.  It was raining, but that wasn’t it.  There was an oppressive feeling.  It’s smelled … wrong.  There was an overly warm deep humidity that had nothing to do April.

As I walked past the Palazzo Farnese, a long-serving security guard I chat with called the day “uggioso”, which is oppressive, sad, a downer.

I got to The Parish™ and The World’s Best Sacristan™ said that he got up in the morning and felt down and that there was a bad rumor in the air.

I saw this on the cars and thought… scirocco, the warm wind from N Africa bringing sand to dump on Rome.

Scirocco.  I’m pretty sure that we had a mini.  All I wanted to do today was sleep, which is par for the course with the scirocco.  I think in Germany they lament… the Föhn.

Today, (14. H N LVDI)) in the Fasti of Ovid we read:

Luce secutura tutos pete navata, portus:
ventus ab occasu gradine mixtus erit.
sit licet ut fuerit, tamen hac Mutinensia Caesar
grandine militia perculit arma sua.

Who can do a translation?  It isn’t that hard, so long as you the reference to Modena.

It is an observation about weather on this day, but also that Caesar defeated his enemies at modern Modena… which fits with the next part.

Today I had lunch with a flamboyant blogist.  Tongue with homemade mayo, a magnificent green herb sauce and pizza bianca.   (Not mine, but I ought to have.)

We went to a place I like.  My bucatini , alas, swam for their lives in the over abundance of sauce which was, truth be told, not all it should have been.  I must have a chat with the chef.   I’m not a tourist.

In the afternoon, for my third walk to The Parish™, and thus my 3rd mile of the day, I presided at the ceremonial washing of feet of pilgrims who have come for the Jubilee.  This is what St. Philip Neri founded in this very place in the 16th c. and which has been revived.

The Great Roman™.

In great Jubilees hundreds of thousands of pilgrims descended on Rome.  The Archconfraternity managed to house, feed and take of the sick of more than a third… every single one having his or her feet washed on arrival at The Parish™.  The same ritual is used today.

The linen aprons are from the time of Pius IX (who himself was a member of the Archconfraternity and who came himself to wash the feet of pilgrims as did cardinals and bishops who belonged).  It was NOT A PUBLICITY STUNT.

Here is an apron exactly like those of St. Philip Neri’s day.  This, however, is one of the old ones from the time of Pius IX.

I could, if you want, share something about prayers that accompany the ritual of washing the feet of pilgrims. I won’t force them on you.

If you come to Rome as a pilgrim, you can experience this. There is a way to sign up in advance. Email:

arciconfraternitatrinita@gmail.com

The pastor is a go getter. He has had restored almost all the paintings of the church. The painting for the altar of the sacristy was a miserable dark mess. It will be back in place at Easter!

Antonio Gaudi, the architect of the famous Sagrada Familia basilica in Barcelona has been declared Venerable by the Catholic Church.

Info: Holy See Press Office pic.twitter.com/ru7LMx40zN

— Sachin Jose (@Sachinettiyil) April 14, 2025

In chessy news…

Magnus won the Freestyle challenge in Paris. Is that news? Yesterday Hikaru committed an unthinkable blunder in the end game and lost, so Magnus only needed a draw.

I’m so tired… but this might give you a challenge…

White to win or draw.

In the scheme of things, daybreak was at 06:31. The scheme lead to sunset a little while ago at 1951.

The Ave Maria ought to ring at 20:00.

The Moon was Full at 02:22.  You know what that means.

The Roman Station is St. John Lateran.

It is the Feast of St. Martin I (+656).

It is Palm Sunday.

I had the deep pleasure today of celebrating Holy Mass for the 1st Anniversary of the passing away of the wife of one of you readers.   It is a tradition to have Masses 7 days, 30, and 1 year after death.  Of course every day in between is great too.

I am able to take some intentions right now.  HERE

The church was jammed for the Palm Sunday blessing of palms and olive branches, the procession and the Mass.  Renovation on one side of the nave meant squeezing on the other side.  A couple of priests also heard confessions.  Many members of the Archconfraternity were there (but there were more who weren’t).

Here is the end of the procession, come back to church.

After Mass members of the Archconfraternity knelt for a blessing.

I have some great news for you readers who like to participate in liturgical projects.   The Parish™ needs a new darker purple, violet set that can cover the pre-55 Palm Sunday rites.  Therefore it will need folded chasubles, the broad-stole, tabernacle veil, antependium, dalmatics, etc.   It is going to be very nice.  Not Gammarelli this time.

It’s not all liturgy.   This is a wonderful sauté of mussels and clams.

Turbot from the oven with veg.

It was 6:04 when the sun rose here. I beat it by a few minutes. It was 19:50 when it set. I was by that time home and getting supper together.

The Roman Station is St. John at the Latin Gate.

I did some shopping for small useful things for the apartment, stuff like tape.

I had a desire for caprese tonight. Therefore….

My first mozzarella since I have been back.

Breakfast this morning with The World’s Best Sacristan™.

Which held to supper.

You can tell that it is ARTICHOKE season!

Amazing.

Stopped to visit the vegetable stand and then Pippo the Florist before heading back to my digs and some work on my weekly offering at the other place.

This afternoon I went on a walk that wound up being about 3 miles, along with the 1 mile this morning.

Among other places.

On my to the chess guys at the P.za der Fico.

In chessy news, I didn’t follow Paris yesterday, but I understand there were announcements about the next battle of Freestyle.

Black to move and mate in 6

At 06:34 the sun rose over the Eternal city. It will set at 19:49.

The Ave Maria Bell, were it better times, would ring at 20:20 for the Curia.

It is the Feast of St. Gemma Galgani (+1903).   She was a mystic who probably had stigmata and visions of her angel guardian.  She died of tuberculosis on Holy Saturday after great suffering.

The Cesi chapel in S.M. della Pace.   Above, frescoes of the creation of Eve and the expulsion from Paradise.  The painting Holy Family with St. Anne by Carlo Cesi.

This church is where there was once a church called St. Andrea Aquareariis.  It was by the “water-sellers”. People bought water back then because there weren’t as many fountains flowing with the waters brought from ancient or papal aqueducts.  The water-sellers got water from the Tiber and then filtered out the sand, etc., and sold it.

Did you know the way you place your fork and knife after a meal sends a clear message to the waiter? pic.twitter.com/U71F4noNob

— Culture Explorer (@CultureExploreX) April 11, 2025

And…

This is Mars!

140 million miles away from us! pic.twitter.com/WofcPJIQAD

— Curiosity (@MAstronomers) April 9, 2025

Chess Champ Bobby Fischer died Catholic:
MASTER OF PATTERN RECOGNITION

“In his final years, Fischer’s only hope for salvation was through the Catholic Church, according to a friend who wishes to remain anonymous. ‘He was reading a catechism and Chesterton, and told me the only… pic.twitter.com/tLKWlkB0SA

— Dr Taylor Marshall™? (@TaylorRMarshall) April 11, 2025

And… have you seen this movie?

Filmed on location during the halcyon days of Catholicism in Quebec. But were they really? The rapid secularization of the so-called “Quiet Revolution”—and the collapse of Catholic practice—suggests otherwise. https://t.co/VMRM5mR50K

— Father V (@father_rmv) April 10, 2025

White to move and mate in 4.

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

The Roman day was made brighter by the rising of the sun at 06:47. It will rapidly get darker after 19:48.

The Ave Maria Bell should ring at 20:00.

Today the Roman Station is at Sant’ Apollinare.

Welcome Registrant:

monica13

The Crucifixion as Trinitarian Revelation
This miniature opens a 15th-century manuscript of St. Augustine’s works, placing the Crucifixion front and center. Above the cross, we see God the Father and the Holy Spirit as a dove, forming a powerful visual Trinity with the crucified… pic.twitter.com/MRKiiCgjxY

— Vir Desideriorum (@VirDesideriorum) April 10, 2025

I’m getting my legs under me.

Today I did shopping for necessities in The Hobbit Hole™.

ALERT: The beautiful apartment I had before IS AVAILABLE NOW.   THROUGH MAY (maybe).  t is a GREAT place.   I was so happy there.  And, I think they very much want to rent it.  Very close to The Parish™.  You won’t be disappointed.  HERE  To email… HERE  Tell them “don John” sent you.

Francis went into the Basilica today to pray at the tomb of Pius X.

I used to say Mass at that altar back in the day.  Often.  And whenever I see or think of it, I remember dear Fr. Goswin Habets, who was a brilliant prof at the Gregorian University.  He was there EVERY DAY.  Then we lived together for a while.  I helped him to bed the night he died.

In chessy news, something fun happened yesterday in the big “Freestyle” tournament in Paris. HERE

Today the sun rose over Rome at 06:37, shortly before my arrival, and it will set at 19:47.

The Ave Maria Bell ought to ring at 20:00.

Happy feast of St. Liborius.

Passport check went alright, quickly.   As it turns out, the fellow sitting next to me on the plane saw I was posting to this blog.  He works for a Catholic information entity and he recognized it.

Taxi, right away.  Nice driver.  We had a good chat coming in.

Things went smoothly.  However, had I arrived later in the day…

Due to the national air transport strike announced for 9th April, from 10:30am to 2:30pm, some flights could be delayed or cancelled.
Passengers are therefore invited to check the status of their flight with their airline. pic.twitter.com/vGjD3XVlW1

— Aeroporti di Roma (@AeroportidiRoma) April 8, 2025

And there is a national railway strike coming up.

So, Roman streets are bumpy, what can I say.

Again, from a moving cab. The side of the Church of San Nicola in carcere, built into an ancient temple.  Though the cab window.

Time for some breakfast.

They didn’t have any of my preferred simple cornetti, so I got one with some pistachio cream.

Here’s the visual jasmine report (and I don’t mean the Jesuit).

WORK has started in The Parish™!  I didn’t think it would start until long after Easter.   This restricts the use of the nave, but it will be worth it.  I’ve seen some photos of what is being uncovered as years… lots of years… of smoke, etc., is being gently removed.   No one is better at this than Italians.

Back in the Campo again…

Tonight for supper I had due spaghetti and a little roulade of chicken and prosciutto, rosemary and veal filling accompanied by a lovely “bio” Chianti with no additives. The artichokes are in, but I’ll probably go to one of my favorite restos for those.   Rosina near The Parish™ does an incomparable job.  And right now FAVE (“fá-vey”)!  Raw fave, fave beans, out of the pods with pecorino and cold white wine… heaven.   And there’s fave in tegame!   So many options.  Maybe tomorrow I’ll have liver and with fave and that nice Chianti.

6:39 and 19:46.

Those are the times for the Roman sunrise and sunset.

The Ave Maria Bell is in the 20:00 cycle.

I am not in Rome.  I’m in New York, but I am about to head to the airport for my flight to FCO.

Thus, today is my zeroth day in Rome.

I’m praying for a smooth flight.  I will for sure say prayers for my Roman Donors.  How grateful I am to you.

Yesterday evening we (clerics) went for some supper…

The burger was good, but I had to disassemble and construct it. Cooks… please… make sandwiches which can be eaten?

Last night we stayed up way too late talking. Then I played a few games of chess with one of them… way too late.

My little travel set which I have written about.  HERE  Super compact, but easy to play on.

This morning a bagel with lox. Yes.

And now I have to finish some packing.

UPDATE

In the lounge

There were not long lines, at first, but it seemed to take forever to get to the check in counter and through security.   It’s as if everyone is moving in slow motion.   So, the lines behind me got longer and longer.  Strange.

Anyway, I met a Nigerian priest in the lounge who is heading to Rome on the same flight.   We chatted for a while.  Turns out we know some of the same people.

I hope the wi-fi on the plane works this time.  It didn’t last time.  I’d really like to get some sleep, however, since I get into FCO really early in the morning.  That makes for long hard first day.

Closed doors. But we are being delayed because one dope after another keeps standing up.

Okay… we seem to be moving.

Later.

UPDATE

Almost there.