Fr. Z's Blog

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.

At The Parish™, where I will be the day after tomorrow.  Photo from The World’s Best Sacristan™.

Meanwhile…

Archbishop @ArchCordileone writes of the liturgy — “is heartening how many young people are drawn to classic Catholic practices that so effectively express transcendent realities.
What is classically Catholic works” https://t.co/KxeWFDsViJ pic.twitter.com/xMufzpcLbG

— Michael Haynes ?? (@MLJHaynes) April 7, 2025

Kneeling to receive? How backwardist!

This miniature of Holy Communion at Mass is from a lavish 1535 prayer book created by the Nuremberg artist Albrecht Glockendon for John II, Count Palatine and Duke of Simmern. A member of the Wittelsbach dynasty, John II remained Catholic – though not without some sympathy for… pic.twitter.com/eD1k8aO4TT

— Vir Desideriorum (@VirDesideriorum) April 7, 2025

And, from yesterday…

VATICAN: The Veil of Veronica is displayed for faithful to see and venerate, in St Peter’s Basilica this evening.

St Peter’s is the Stational Church for Passion Sunday. pic.twitter.com/x1qucFiquq

— Michael Haynes ?? (@MLJHaynes) April 6, 2025

In chessy news…

White mates in 2. Set a timer… you have 60 seconds.

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

The morning started early to make time for chores after Mass. No stream today. The drive to the airport was smooth. I practically walked through check in and the checkpoint. I only was blocked at the door of the lounge.

I find it deeply gratifying to receive that text that my bag has been loaded on the plane which I will be on.

Meanwhile the boarding process has been… interesting. One family – parents 20s with a toddler and and infant twins, all masked up – took several minutes to deal with boarding passes. Then they brought a child seat and a stroller onto the plane. The resulting chaos with trying to put the child seat in the aisle seat and then trying to get over it to the inner seat, and out back out, dismantling everything and then getting the stroller jammed…. get the picture? Of course the baby was crying. Eventually the aft-facing baby seat went to the window seat. DUH. It took them about 15 minutes of our boarding time to get them seated.

ugh

A couple hours of this and I’ll be free.

UPDATE:

I managed to slip out of the plane before the abovementioned family started their three ring circus.   Luggage took longer than it ought have, but it came and I coordinated perfectly with my ride.   This was a smooth as one could expect.

On the way into Brooklyn from the airport there were banks and banks of daffodils, perhaps my very favoritest flower.

It doesn’t take much to please me.

Watch this space for photos of Chinese food.

UPDATE:

As promised.

Soup dumplings.  Always good.  Always a little dangerous.

Cumin Lamb.

Pork Belly with mushrooms.

Rice noodles with chicken.

Eggplant in garlic sauce.

Shrimp, walnuts, broccoli and pineapple with mayonnaise.