More of Rome

The crowds were crazy after the Papal Audience

so we decided to investigate a few nearby churches...

Basilica of San Giovanni dei Fiorentini

with a very modern (and empty) Divine Mercy chapel

English translation = St. Mary Magdalene's foot

Santa Maria in Valicella

Entombment of Christ by Caravaggio

Now there's some pipes!

St. Philip Neri

(his body is behind the grate)

Dan was thoroughly enamored with European vehicles.

Then back to St. Peter's to enter the Holy Door.

The Pieta by Michaelangelo

Amazing architecture. 

Kind of takes your breath away and photography really doesn't do justice.

We attended Mass at the Chair of St. Peter

(it's in the middle of the picture, under the stained glass window of the Holy Spirit)

Tomb of St. Peter

Just your typical tourists.

St. John XXIII

View from the entrance door...

looking in...

and looking out.
(Here and here are a couple of virtual tours of St. Peter's.)

Still smiling!

Cool pic of the Swiss Guard

These two were very obliging to Dan's photo request.

Water fountain (not kidding!)

Grass IS rather hard to find in Rome.

Adoration at Santa Maria delle Grazie alle Fornaci

(translation is St. Mary of Graces Outside the Furnace...referring to the kilns that were located here to make bricks for building St. Peter's Basilica in the 14th century)

More to this story here!

Rome

I've decided to blog our pictures from Rome.  One advantage is that you can skip my monologue and just look at pictures if you prefer.  The other plus is that when you get bored, you can literally walk away and I won't be offended!  (Unlike those who have already suffered through the retelling.)  The disadvantage is that it will take me awhile to post. Sorry!

So without further adieu, here goes...

first international flight evah

that's the Alps under the clouds there

first stop in Rome... Casa Santa Maria alle Fornaci

then a quick walk to the PNAC for our papal audience tickets

a great find on the way back to the hotel

and a bottle of wine from the St. Cloud seminarians studying in Rome

a very nice European bathroom, ladies

must have tickets

security is everywhere

people-watching before the Holy Father arrives

who are these people?

wait, wait, there he is, I think

(The Holy Father's words of wisdom for Wednesday, April 27th.)

the crowd behind us

Dan tried to take a picture of the Italian military, big no-no, so he settled

for a quick pic with the police.

serious parking issues

really serious parking issues

lunch

Once Dan knew that there would be no photographing military, it became his mission to get them in the background.  Hence this lovely picture.

A short walk from St. Peter's, this is Castel Sant'Angelo

(otherwise known as Hadrian's Mausoleum)

and the not so lovely Tiber

(made me truly appreciate our beautiful lake)

what's Rome without persistent traffic

and a car dealership!!

Stay tuned for future updates...