Happy Easter

Happy Easter from the Vatican. If every day is an adventure, this past week has been packed with special adventures. There is really nothing like Holy Week and Easter in Rome. I couldn't keep up with the Holy Father, so I wonder how he, verging on 83, managed his schedule! I went to see him at St. Peter's last Thursday, the Thursday before, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday. However, I had not the energy left to see him at St. Peter's Palm Sunday, at St. John Lateran Holy Thursday, or at the Colosseum on Good Friday.

I was really happy when Easter arrived, to celebrate the Resurrection. I went to St. Peter's for the Vigil, lining up about 2 hours before the Mass was scheduled to begin, shortly before the queue began winding its second time around the Square, and I ended up with a really good seat. Soon after I sat down, I looked around, and there was a priest in a confessional at the end of the row of chairs where I sat, so I was able to get in with no line just before Mass started. Then they turned off the lights, and the camera flashes began all over the basilica. Soon the Holy Father started chanting to bless the Easter candle. Then, after 87 pages of our little Mass booklet that we each received inside the church, Mass ended, it was midnight, and we joyfully wished everyone around us a Happy Easter.
In the morning, then, I went to the Institute of Christ the King Mass at the parish of Ss. Nomi di Gesu' e Maria before going back to St. Peter's in the rain for the Urbe et Orbe blessing from Pope Benedict XVI. Soaked, I walked over to Piazza Navona for a celebratory meal with the Community of St. John, and attempted to speak French with them. It was a blessed Easter Sunday.

Come Easter Monday, I was up bright and early, to head out with a friend to Nursia, to visit the Benedictine monastery erected on the site of this holy founder's family home in a beautiful medieval village in the Apennines. It was lovely out there, and a bit colder than in Rome, and a bit wet. And, I was surprised to find an acquaintance or two even so far away. While it only took us a couple of hours to get out there, coming back took about 4 hours, with lots of traffic coming back to Rome after Pasquetta.

Anyway, I'm tired and will stop here for now. Happy Easter!