Hello again!
Carly and Jason, we have bought gelatos at various places. I didn't get one near the Pantheon but maybe I'll have an opportunity to eat at Giolotti's another time. Thank you for the suggestion! We had gelatos near the Piazza Novona including at the "Blue Ice." We were there one evening. A young man had a mummy-like outfit on there and stood for an hour, then a break, then an hour... very still. People would try to get him to move or respond. The only time he would move was to give a little bow of his head if someone took a photo of him and put some money in a basket for him. I've seen this type of thing in various places in Rome. Sometimes people dress like Egyptian pharoah mummies. Men were dressed like gladiators at the colosseum.
We haven't been out very much in the later evening. One time we did come back from the Piazza Novona after dark. We had a rather wild ride back on a tram and made the most of the fun. The driver turned the corners quite fast.
Yesterday we went to the Scavi under St. Peter's. They showed us excavations of ancient burial places of pagans and early Christians, including the confirmed burial place of St. Peter, along with the site of bones which are believed to be his. This area was not open when Mom and I were at St. Peter's in 1999. Yesterday we were in the Scavi for 1 and 1/2 hours with wonderful history given of the area. The work that went into these excavations and the research that was done was remarkable. The early Christians kept alive the memory of St. Peter's death and burial in such a secretive and good way until Constantine made the Roman Empire Catholic and a basilica was built directly over the burial site. You may recall that it has been said thatNero blamed the early Christians for the burning of Rome and then a great persecution of the Christians broke out. Peter was among those that were killed in Nero's circus which was right in the area of where St. Peter's is now. To keep his body from being eaten by wild animals or thrown into the sewer, the Christians secretly and hurriedly got it off of the cross and buried it in an unmarked and simple grave that wouldn't be discovered by Nero's people.
We are in the area of so many courageous Christians who were martyred. It gives me much food for thought and prayer. Today is a day of reflection for us.
Our regular daily schedule includes 7A.M.: Mass, Morning Prayer after Mass, then breakfast, 9:30:class or out to see a site...,12:30: lunch, then continue at a site or if at home we may have a siesta until 3P.M. , 3:15: class or site. 5:45: supper, 6:45:Vespers. This varies somewhat from day to day. Sometimes we also pray Compline in the evening. Of course, we do get to visit, both among ourselves and the other Sisters who live here and have sometime for ourselves. There are also beautiful grounds in which to walk around the Casa where we live.
Have a good day!
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1 comment:
Aunt Nancy it sounds like you are seeing and learning about such cool things! I enjoy reading your blogs. I know you'll be glad you wrote them when you look back on them later. :) I have been reading those old letters, and I really enjoy them. I especially like the ones from grandpa while he was in the service. The early ones he wrote while still in training made me laugh --- he used the the phrase "we'll catch hell" (or something similar) a lot! :)
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