Pope Francis

I have not written at all about the death of Pope Francis. To be honest, it was a shock. A month ago, I was expecting it, but Easter Monday, I was not. A crazy bookend of his papacy, but I was in the piazza when he was elected, and when he died. Of course, I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was out there from 7 a.m. until 8 a.m.

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen that when news started leaking out an hour later, but before it was official, I ran back to the piazza and went live. No journalists were there yet. Tours were just meeting up. The skip the line people were recruiting people who had not planned so well. And the prayer line had a steady flow of pilgrims. Slowly over the next hour, media arrived, as well as priests and nuns who came to pray. It was a surreal scene. The next day, thanks to a friend, I was able to go see him at Santa Marta in his chapel and spent about an hour in prayer beside the coffin. I got up super early the next morning to be sure I was in the front row for the translation of the coffin. And for the funeral, I took my daughters at 4 a.m. so we could have a good spot. They ended up in the fourth row of the “gen pop” section. An Insta follower saw me and brought me into the diplomatic section. After the funeral, which is still crazy to me, I ended up behind Saint Peter’s Basilica with all the cardinals, diplomats, and Heads of State. I missed the procession to Santa Maria Maggiore, but I did see part of it from back there.

So what’s next?

Most importantly, we pray. Pray for the soul of Pope Francis. Pray for the cardinals who will be electing his successor.

The cardinals have been meeting. We don’t know the details of what is discussed, but they all have a chance to speak. I imagine most of them know of each other, but they don’t all really know one another. These meetings give the cardinal from Sri Lanka, for example, a chance to tell all the other cardinals what is needed in his part of the world. Then the cardinal from Papua New Guinea can do the same. It may come as a shock to some, but what’s important in the US may not even be top ten in Africa. So this gives everyone a chance to share and understand.

So pray the cardinals listen and hear what God needs them to hear.

There are many prayers you can find for the conclave, but here is the novena by Cardinal Burke.

“Ok, we are praying, tell us the fun stuff!”

A friend, who asked not to be named, shared a few photos with me of the prep for the Sistine Chapel. Here they are installing the floor.

Why a floor? They will add tables and chairs for the cardinals and they need an even surface. You can find photos from the last conclave to see the “after.”

Today they added the chimney. Many didn’t realize this isn’t a permanent fixture. It’s not, it’s only added for conclaves.

Next week is something you probably won’t hear much about… there are lots of people around the cardinals during the conclave. Drivers, cooks, servers, nurses, doctors, etc. Guess what? They also have to take the oath of secrecy. I don’t know how chatty the cardinals are as they drive from Santa Marta to the Sistine Chapel, or over dinner, but they need to be sure the people around them know to respect the oath. I think that’s so cool.

Logistics

This is the stuff I love. Now things could change, but this is what to expect next week beginning on May 7th. Note that on May 7th, only the afternoon vote happens, and it’s just one vote, not two.

7:45 a.m. – the cardinals depart Santa Marta.

8:15 a.m. – the cardinals celebrate Holy Mass in the Pauline Chapel.

9:30 a.m. – After some prayer, voting begins.

The cardinals will vote twice, unless someone is elected after the first vote. Only after both votes, the ballots will be burned.

This means we should see smoke between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. but we need to be patient.

If it’s black smoke, the cardinals head to Santa Marta for lunch and probably a nap.

4:00 p.m. – The cardinals return to the Sistine Chapel for the next round of votes.

Again, the cardinals will vote twice, unless someone is elected after the first vote. And only after both votes, the ballots will be burned.

We can expect smoke then between 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

If a pope has not been elected, the cardinals will pray vespers before returning to Santa Marta for dinner and sleep.

What happens when we get white smoke?

When a pope has been elected, they will burn the ballots, but add a chemical to the mix so the smoke comes out white, then the bells will begin to ring – and what a beautiful sound that is! The lights of the loggia will come on as the cardinals make their way to the balconies to the left and right of the central balcony. Shortly after… new pope!

Smoke watch meet ups

During the last conclave, just by chance, I had a group in town. For each vote we arrived early in the square and prayed and waited. I don’t have a group this time, but lots of people (over 100!) have asked me to do something. So I’ll be arranging some meet ups. We will hang out in the square together, pray, and wait. And probably after the smoke, black or white, some of us may go for dinner or a drink. So if you are coming to Rome, let me know. Be sure to also let me know where you are from, because the major networks, ABC, CBS, and NBC have asked me to find some people who might want to talk about their experience.

I will probably set up the meet ups through Instagram / Facebook. So follow there if you are not already.

If you are on the fence about coming, jump off and get over here. It is one of the most exciting Catholic experiences you will ever have.

When will we have a pope and who will it be?

I’m not speculating on who, there are a few I’d love to see, but it’s not up to me. If you want to know who will be in there voting, this site is really well done. I have not verified all the “where they stand” stuff, but it’s nice to see all the names, faces, ages, and where they are from.

As for when? That I’ll speculate! I think we will have a pope by Friday morning at the latest. The first vote is Wednesday afternoon. There will be just one vote that afternoon. I assume they all vote for themselves, just in case. Thursday we will have another four votes. So by the end of Friday morning, we will already be seven votes in. So that’s my final answer Friday morning at the latest.

That’s it for now. Pray. Pray a lot.

Logistically, what happens when a pope dies?

Confirmation of death

The death is first confirmed by the papal physician. (This happened at 7:35 a.m. Rome time, by chance I was in the piazza at this time.)

Next, the Camerlengo, the acting administrator during this interim period, verifies the death. Traditionally, he would do so by tapping the pope on the head with a silver hammer three times while calling out the Holy Father’s baptismal name.

Camerlengo, verifying the death of Pope Pius IX.

Announcing the death of the Holy Father

Once the death is confirmed, the Vatican notifies key figures, the College of Cardinals, heads of dicasteries, and the Vicar General of Rome, who then informs the Diocese of Rome.

The Camerlengo will then seal the papal apartment until the next pope is elected. (I don’t know if this means he will seal the bedroom at Domus Sanctae Marthae, the Vatican guesthouse where Pope Francis sleeps) or just the official papal apartment where the pope works, receives guests, and prays the Angelus over Saint Peter’s Square.)

Official word spreads to bishops and world leaders through diplomatic channels and the Vatican’s Secretariat of State.

Only after all this, is the public notified. Do keep in mind the last pope to die in office was in 2005. The iPhone was not out. Facebook wasn’t even open to the public yet and Twitter didn’t exist. I would not be surprised if news is leaked before an official announcement.

The public announcement typically comes via the Vatican Press Office or a statement from the Holy See.

When Pope Benedict XVI died on December 31, 2022, the Vatican did not issue a press release for several hours.

I believe, that it’s not until the official announcement that the bells of St. Peter’s Basilica will toll. Although maybe that happens as the Diocese of Rome finds out? (the bells rang first around 10:30 a.m. and then the death bells at noon. 88 times for his 88 years)

Lying in State

The pope’s body is typically lying in state in Saint Peter’s Basilica for public veneration. This was Pope Benedict after he died…

The funeral

The funeral Mass usually happens within four to six days of the death, and will be presided over by the Dean of the College of Cardinals, currently Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re.

After the funeral, the pope is buried. Pope Francis has asked to be buried in Santa Maria Maggiore, so rather than just walking the coffin into Saint Peter’s Basilica, I imagine this time there will be a procession to Santa Maria Maggiore.

Nine days of mourning

Starting the day after the pope’s funeral we enter the novemdiales, or traditional nine days of mourning the death of a pope.

During this period, there will be a series of liturgical ceremonies, including daily Requiem Masses for the repose of the pope’s soul.

Throughout these nine days of mourning, the College of Cardinals will be arriving in Rome. They will get to know one another and start informal discussions about the upcoming conclave.

The novemdiales ends with a final Mass, marking the close of formal mourning.

The Conclave

The conclave must begin between 15 and 20 days after the pope’s death. This means the earliest start date will by May 6th, which also happens to be the annual date of the new Swiss Guard swearing-in ceremony.

Changes made by Pope Francis

Pope Francis has made some changes to the process of the Funeral Rites of the Roman Pontiff.

He has simplified the burial, requesting one zinc-lined coffin rather than the three used by previous popes. Traditionally, popes were buried in three nested coffins: cypress wood (symbolizing humanity), lead (for preservation and engraving), and oak (for durability).

Pope Francis has also requested no catafalque. This is the platform where the Holy Father’s body lies in state. Instead, he wants a simple open coffin placed on the floor of Saint Peter’s Basilica. Think more like this, only with the coffin open…

Pope Francis requested his death be confirmed in his chapel, not his bedroom. The body is then immediately placed in the coffin, skipping a prior step of transfer to the Apostolic Palace, or in the case of Pope Benedict, his body was transferred to the chapel of Mater Ecclesiae, where he lived when he retired.

The Mass for placing his body in the coffin is today, April 21st at 8:00 p.m. Rome time.

Pope Benedict in Mater Ecclesiae Monastery

Below are direct quotes from the fine print you’ll find when looking at group tours. Some are from well-established companies who do a fine job, others are from newer companies, who also probably do a fine job. This isn’t to knock how others do things, but rather give you an idea of how to properly price compare.

There are many things that factor into the cost of the trip, but these are some of the biggies, and easiest to compare…

How long is the trip? How big is the group? What is actually included? What’s the quality of what’s included (meals, local guides, etc)?

How many days is the trip?

It’s been standard practice for decades to count the two travel days as part of the package – even when flights are not included. And that’s fine. It’s how most companies do it.

So you’ll see things like:

Day 1: Your experience begins today by boarding your flight to Rome.

Day 12: We will transfer to the airport this morning to board your return flight home. Arrivederci!

Now if you are the kind of person who compares prices simply on the number of days, you might do some math like…

$4,000 / 12 days = $333 a day.

Then if you look at another company, like mine, for example, the math would be…

$4,000 / 10 days = $400 a day.

How large is the group?

I am totally aware that there are some Catholic personalities who can only get away once or twice a year, and so they need to offer a pilgrimage for as many people as possible.

I am also aware that some parishes can only do one “once-in-a-lifetime” trip.

In both of these cases, the group size could be large.

However, not everyone knows this going in.

So always pay attention to the fine print, like this:

Prices are based on minimum 80 passengers.

Rates assume a minimum of 30 full-paying pilgrims.

up to 45 pax

Those first two also alert you to the fact that if they don’t get 80 or 30 sign-ups, the price will be adjusted.

Pay attention to what is not included in the price

Drinks and tips, which are rarely included in most other tour company prices can add several hundred dollars to the sticker price of your trip.

Drinks

I always include drinks. I have always included drinks since my very first pilgrimage back in 2005.

Most people do not include drinks, and when they do, it’s often:

Glass of wine or beer with each dinner

But usually you will see…

Not included: Drinks at meals

Not included: Beverages at meals

For me, it seems silly not to include drinks, but even more so, it seems logistically frustrating for those in the group. I was recently in the Holy Land. My group arrived at a typical “Saint Peter’s fish” restaurant. As we arrived, another group was finishing up. Their group was a two bus pilgrimage of around 75 people – one that did not include drinks with meals. Shortly after we were served our first course, they started lining up to pay individually for drinks. I am not exaggerating when I say that my group of 24 people finished our leisurely two course lunch and were back on our bus before that group had finished paying for their drinks. What a fun way to spend a pilgrimage!

Tips

I also always include tips, and always have.

I once had someone opt out of my pilgrimage because tips were included. She wanted to tip based on “worthiness” of the service. But here’s the thing, while tips are rarely included in the sticker price for most group pilgrimages, tips are usually not optional.

Rather tips are added to your final invoice:

Not included: Gratuities for the guide(s), driver, and wait staff, however, for convenience we will add $240 per person to the final invoice to be dispersed on your behalf

Or you are expected to bring the money to hand over to your tour director on the first day:

Tips for guide and driver ($150 per person, USD cash, collected the first day and distributed by the pilgrimage director)

Nice how both of these do not include tips in the advertised price, but then add it to your final bill. How many people miss this and get surprised when they go to pay the balance?

In some cases, you are just expected to leave one or two euro / dollars at each meal:

Tips for your guide and driver: The recommended amounts of tips per person are $7.00 – $9.00 per day for guide(s), $5.00 – $7.00 per day for driver(s), $1.00 – $2.00 per day for hotels, and $1.00 – $2.00 per day for restaurants.

How many meals are included and where are you eating?

Look for things like this:

Dinner and overnight accommodations will be available at your hotel.

Five hotel dinners

Breakfast daily and one dinner

Not included: Lunches and Dinners (except for one dinner)

7 hotel dinners at the hotels [sic]

For me, the saddest part of all these hotel meals, is that I pulled this text from different pilgrimages to Italy!

Imagine paying thousands of dollars for a bucket-list trip to Italy and all your meals are at a hotel.

Who is your local guide / tour escort?

Usually you will have no clue before arriving, but it doesn’t hurt to ask.

Some companies have multiple tours in the same city at once. How are they all getting the best service?

There are many pilgrimage tour escorts who are not Catholic, some are even anti-Catholic. I’ve sat in Saint Peter’s Basilica during a NAC ordination and heard several bashing the Church during Mass, all while their groups were watching their seminarians ordained.

In the Holy Land, there are very few Catholic guides. Most pilgrimage companies use the same ones, but occasionally they will have to use a Jewish or Muslim guide. I’m sure these are great guides, but wouldn’t you prefer learning about your faith from someone who shares it?

For all my pilgrimages, I work around the schedule of my local guides. And for all my trips, over 150 since I started The Catholic Traveler, I am the tour escort.

Other…

Those are not the only factors for pricing a trip. There’s also the hotel class/location, amount of free vs scheduled time, and the expertise of those planning and leading the trip.

Anyway, this should help you in comparing prices.

With the Pope’s health, it’s unknown how much he will be participating in Holy Week. But, he is expected to at least attend the Holy Week liturgies.

Holy Week is a wonderful time to visit Rome. Here are my picks for the best liturgical events around the city…

Palm Sunday

Fancy palms.

For a Mass with the pope, nothing beats the Palm Sunday Mass in Saint Peter’s Square. It is, by far, my favorite Papal Mass of the year. Mass begins at 9:30 AM, I’d arrive by 7 AM for a decent seat. There is a procession to the obelisk, where the Mass begins, followed by a beautiful procession from the obelisk to the main altar. Following Mass, the Holy Father will drive around the piazza.

Monday of Holy Week

Scourging Pillar

Today is the Station Church Mass for Santa Prassede. While I love attending all the Lenten Station Church Masses, the ones this week are especially lovely. Santa Prassede has the Pillar of the Scourging on display year round, but today, and only today, they also bring out relics from the Crown of Thorns and the Seamless Garments. Mass is at 5:30 PM. The church is located right across from Saint Mary Major.

Tuesday of Holy Week

Today’s Station Church is Santa Prisca.

Wednesday of Holy Week

Today’s Station Church is Saint Mary Major. The big celebration, with a solemn procession, begins at 5:30 PM.

Thursday of Holy Week

Altar of Repose at Sant’Agostino

The Holy Father leads the Chrism Mass this morning at 9:30 AM in the Basilica. Tickets are required, but rarely checked for this Mass.

I recommend a big lunch and an afternoon nap, because tonight is Catholic Rome at its finest! Attend Mass of the Last Supper anywhere, though the Cathedral of Saint John Lateran has a relic of the Table from the Last Supper, so that’s a decent place to go (5:30 PM). But after Mass, visit as many churches as you can. Imagine over 900 churches going all out for their Altars of Repose. Many churches stay open until midnight. I absolutely love going from church to church. Stick to the Historic Center and via Giulia if you want to get as many churches as possible.

Some favorites… Saint Mary Major, Santissima Trinita dei Pellegrini (it’s really hard to leave this one), Sant’Agostino, Sant’Anna. Just stroll and pop into as many as you can. There’s no better night in Rome!!!

Good Friday

The True Cross

Without a doubt, the highlight of your Lent, will be Good Friday at Santa Croce in Gerusalemme. This church contains the Relics of the Passion. On Good Friday, for Veneration of the Cross, they actually bring out the Holy Cross. Mass is at 3 PM. Expect a large crowd. It’s not everyday you get to kiss the True Cross – while I know they will process the True Cross today, I can’t guarantee they will allow kissing post 2020. Then go over to the Scala Santa and climb the stairs on your knees.

Pope Francis leads the Passion of the Lord at Saint Peter’s Basilica at 5 PM. Tickets are required, but rarely checked for this.

Tonight at 9:15 PM is the Way of the Cross with Pope Francis at the Colosseum. While it looks pretty, I’ve never gone. But closed streets, huge crowds, and small spaces. Keep that in mind if you are considering going. No tickets are required and if you want a decent spot, you should arrive hours ahead of time. On the plus side, it’s a short 20 minute walk from Santa Croce.

Holy Saturday

Best seat in the house (for about 10 minutes)

If you can get into the Easter Vigil at Saint Peter’s Basilica, go! It’s a beautiful Mass. Tickets are required, really hard to get, and there’s no way to sneak into this one. While it’s best to get on the center aisle for the procession, my favorite spot for this Mass is near the back of the church. Just before it begins, the lights are turned off. From the back of the church you can see all the statues backlit, and it’s incredible. If you are close enough to the main door of the church, you also might be standing right beside Pope Francis when he comes in to light the candles.

Easter Sunday

We had pretty good seats our first year in Rome (2014).

Back to the Vatican. I love the Easter Sunday Mass in Saint Peter’s Square. Tickets are required, but never checked. After Mass, the Holy Father drives around the Piazza before rushing to the central balcony of Saint Peter’s Basilica for the Urbi et Orbi. And I mean this… go for the blessing, but stay for the bells. These are the second best bells of the year. Mass begins at 10 AM, but arrive by 7 AM for a good seat.

I decided to leave the trip a surprise, for no reason other than it was fun to keep her guessing.

We agreed on traveling, rather than staying in one place. I did let her know we’d be flying around Europe, but that was all she knew. Well, other than we were meeting the Pope and obviously starting in Rome.

The trip started out as a disaster. We were married on January 4 and planned to leave for Rome on January 6. She lived in midtown Atlanta, and as of January 4, so did I.

Since we lived in the big city, we – mostly me – decided it would be exciting and city-like to take the subway to the airport. Also, we would not have to bother any friends or family to take us.

So, we were all packed and ready to go. We walked a few blocks to the subway and waited for the train. And waited. And waited.

There was no train. And, this being MARTA, no announcement. So we continued to wait.

You know when you are waiting for something and it’s already taken a long time? You don’t want to leave, because you just know whatever you are waiting for is going to happen the second you stop waiting, or in our case, leave.

Well, we kept on waiting. It got to the point where, if we left to find a taxi, we probably would miss the flight.

Finally, after way too much time, and our first argument as a married couple, the train finally arrived. Still no explanation as to what happened. Someone on the train heard another train had broken down.

We got to the airport very, very late. Got to the Lufthansa desk, literally 2 minutes after they closed down. They lady at the desk was extremely nice. She made some phone calls, but they could not let us through. We were too late.

Christina cried. I felt horrible. The Lufthansa agent tried to get us on other flights, but none were available. Our only option was to fly out the next day.

No problem, right? Wrong. Our audience with the Pope was at 10:00 AM on Wednesday. If we left tomorrow (Tuesday), our flight would not arrive in Rome until 10:30 AM on Wednesday. This was the only reason we were going to Rome.

We went home and I got on the computer. Finally around 3:00 AM, I found a one way ticket flying from Atlanta to Rome that would get us in at… 9:30 AM. One hour earlier than our scheduled arrival and only 30 minutes before our audience with the Holy Father.

If the flight was delayed or if we got caught in customs, we’d be late. But, it was our only chance. Keep in mind too, that it takes about 30 minutes to drive from the airport to Rome, plus we’d have to find a taxi, and there’s usually a line.

I booked it. I should probably mention that the deal we had on Lufthansa was great. A two for one special. Both roundtrip tickets cost only $430. That’s for two people! This new one way ticket, bought on the day of travel cost more than the entire honeymoon, flights, hotels, food, etc. But, if it worked, I guess it would be worth it.

Who would’ve thought I’d be sleeping on the couch after just 48 hours of marriage?

Christina was not happy. Not happy with our MARTA experience. Not happy with missing the flight. And now, not happy paying all this money for these tickets. Most importantly, not happy with me.

So, here’s the deal. When one meets the Holy Father for a nuptial blessing, one was required to have special tickets. The bride must wear her wedding dress and the groom a suit.

Our flight was scheduled to land at 9:30 and we had 30 minutes to not only get into Rome, but have our tickets and be dressed. Getting dressed was easy for me, I just wore my suit on the plane. Not so easy for Christina. She would have to figure something else out.

By the grace of God, we arrived ahead of schedule, just before 9:00 AM. We breezed through customs, as is almost always the case in Rome. Christina ran for the restroom, wedding gown in tow. I found an illegal taxi – someone that charges a ridiculous amount of money and is not licensed to drive a taxi. But, for him there was no wait. For the legal option there was a huge line.

Christina emerged from the bathroom looking as lovely as she did at our wedding. We got quite a few stares sprinting through the airport dressed for a wedding.

Even though we arrived early, we still did not have time to go and pick up the tickets for the audience. So, we took another risk and headed straight to St. Peter’s Basilica, luggage and all.

The driver got us there in record time. He somehow managed not to wreck while watching Christina finish getting dressed in his rearview mirror. I gave him enough money for us to take multiple legal taxi rides and we rushed across St. Peter’s Square.

We checked our luggage and ran back across the square to the hideous Paul VI Auditorium. The Swiss Guard did not even ask for our tickets, he just pointed us to the newlywed section.

As soon as we got to our seat, the Holy Father came out.

Perfect timing.

He did his usual Wednesday Audience thing as we tried not to fall asleep. Not because we didn’t care what he had to say, we did, this was a very special moment, but because neither of us slept on the plane. Add to that the stress of our travel day. And don’t forget our wedding was just a few days ago.

Finally we could rest.

After the audience all the newlyweds lined up to meet the Pope.

Just before it was our turn, we were asked our language and told not to kneel or kiss the ring.

Well, we couldn’t help it, we knelt in front of the Holy Father and kissed his ring. It’s the Pope, how could we not? He spoke to us in English. Unfortunately, neither of us can remember what he said. We could understand him, it wasn’t that, but here we were face to face with Pope John Paul II. He was touching our hands and talking to us.

I can remember his ring, it was very thin. I can remember the smell. He smelled Pope-y. I can’t really explain that one, but it was almost a grandfatherly smell mixed with incense and a bit wintery. I can remember the voice and his eyes. But, not the words. Maybe someday it will come back to me.

After the audience we took advantage of the sights of Rome and Christina in her dress. We got some great pictures and Christina was applauded almost everywhere she went. Young kids came up to her several times and sang songs.

It was a beautiful day.

One of my favorite things to attend in Rome is the once a year opening of the Sacconi Rossi crypt on Tiber Island.

The Sacconi Rossi was an organization that would collect the bodies of the unknown and unwanted dead for a proper burial. Now their bones are neatly stored in this crypt.

A Mass takes place in the church of San Giovanni Calibita at sunset, around 6 PM.

After Mass there is a candlelight procession down to the Tiber River.

The procession continues into a crypt that is only open for an hour a year, on November 2nd.

No photos are allowed, but I got special permission to document this visit.

One of the more fascinating and dare I say haunting encounters one has while traveling is the relics and incorruptible bodies found in churches throughout the world. Some are hard to find, such as the incorruptible body of Saint Antoninus of Florence. He’s in the far back corner of the Church of San Marco, which is not found in many guidebooks. Others are prominently displayed, like Saint John Vianney. With his head tilted slightly as if waiting to hear a confession, he’s above the main altar in the Sanctuaire d’Ars, in Ars, France.

As many are celebrating Halloween and we are approaching All Saints Day, I would like to present to you some of the strangest relics and incorruptible bodies one can find. I mean, really, why pay to be chased around a haunted house by some guy wielding a chainsaw when you can visit these places that are both peculiar and holy?

One of most curious examples of the dead on display is in the Capuchin Crypt of Santa Maria dell’Immacolata Concezione in Rome. The crypt contains six chapels, five of which are decorated in the bones of the deceased friars. And by decorated I do not mean a few bones placed in reliquaries. No, they went all out. Just look at the names of these chapels: Crypt of the Skulls, Crypt of the Pelvises, Crypt of the Leg Bones and Thigh Bones, and the Crypt of the Three Skeletons. The bones of over 4000 monks who died between 1528 and 1870 artistically line the walls and ceilings. They have chandeliers made of bones, arches, floral arrangements and even a clock, all made from bones. Some of the monks are still intact. These are in various poses. Some resting in niches, some mounted on the wall and a few are hanging from the ceiling.

Capuchin Crypt

While some, perhaps most, may find this display macabre, the message is simple, if a little eerie: Noi eravamo quello che voi siete, e quello che noi siamo voi sarete. That is, “We were what you are; and what we are, you will be.”

Let’s move from one of the most curious to one of the most mysterious: St. Rita of Cascia, patron saint of lost causes. A wife, a mother, a widow and a nun, she lived a devout life and is one of our incorruptible saints.

An incorruptible is one who is unpreserved, be it deliberate, accidental or natural, and has not shown the decay typical of someone who has died. In most all cases not only are the incorruptibles, well, incorrupt, but they are also still quite flexible and moist.

Now St. Rita being an incorruptible is not scary; it’s amazing! Of course, being face to face with someone who has been dead for over 500 years can make even the most devout feel a bit uneasy. The spookiness with St. Rita comes from a few events that have taken place after she died. Her body rests in a glass sarcophagus located about eye level to most visitors. For hundreds of years pilgrims have come to pray at her tomb. On several occasions there are reported cases of St. Rita opening her eyes, changing position, and even elevating. All of these events were recorded by multiple eyewitnesses. Imagine praying at her tomb, looking up and seeing her open eyes looking back at you.

Saint Rita

St. Rita’s body is, for the most part, whole. Let’s visit another saint who’s body is not, Saint Catherine of Siena.

Saint Catherine died in Rome and was buried at Santa Maria sopra Minerva. Knowing how much it would please the people of Siena to have the remains of their great fellow citizen among them, her confessor sent her head to Siena. Don’t worry, it’s been said that her tomb was not very tightly sealed and her body was exposed to dampness, so she was not forcefully decapitated. Her head just popped right off. The church of San Domenico in Siena has her head as well as one of her fingers. Other parts of her can be found in a convent in Rome and a church in Venice.

The head of Saint Catherine

When one thinks relic, often one thinks of a piece of cloth, hair, perhaps a piece of skin, or even a small bone But, throughout the world, Europe in particular, it’s not hard to find heads, hands, arms, feet, fingers, shoulder blades, brains, even hearts of our holy men and women.

And for me that beats a haunted house any day. Not only can I get the chilling feeling one gets in the presence of the dead, but I also feel a sense of peace. For being with these saints I am truly in the presence of holiness.

Here are a few more freakishly Catholic images…

Feet of Santa Lucia in Venice

Blessed Anna Maria Taigi

Santa Vittoria in Rome

Saint Ambrose and Friends in Milan

Some Rando in Munich

Same Rando in Munich

Saint John Vianney in Ars, France

Saint Vincent de Paul

Saint Antoninus of Florence

Yesterday the sidewalk was literally melting under my feet. No, really, watch this video.

And tonight it’s going to snow.

Our Lady of the Snows is a feast we celebrate throughout the Church, but it all started here in Rome on August 5th in the fourth century.

A wealthy couple was praying for something to do with their money. The legend says that while they were sleeping, Mary appeared to the man in his dream saying, “I want you to build a church where it snows tomorrow in Rome.”

He woke up the next morning, probably all sweaty and gross since sidewalks typically melt here in August, and even in the year 2022, air conditioning is hard to find. But he knew he had to tell someone about this crazy dream. So he went to visit his good friend, who just happened to be Pope Liberias.

Before he could even begin to tell the pope about his dream, the pope said, “Hey, I had the weirdest dream last night! Mary appeared to me and told me to build a church where it snows tomorrow in Rome. Can you believe it? Snow? In Rome? In August?”

Just then the pope’s assistant comes in and says, “Holy Father, it’s snowing!”

Snow in Rome is rare. Snow in August… miraculous.

They all rushed down the street to the Esquiline Hill, and sure enough, snow had fallen.

The pope outlined the church he saw in his dream, and construction began immediately.

Here’s a relief of the pope outlining the church into the snow, found directly above the Salus Populi Romani in Saint Mary Major.

And here’s a detail from one of my favorite paintings in the Vatican Museums of that same event.

Jacopo Zucchi’s il miracolo della neve

To celebrate this miraculous snowfall, every year on August 5th, a Mass takes place in the basilica of Saint Mary Major and white flower petals are dropped from the ceiling.

In the evening, the snowfall is recreated in the piazza outside the church. There’s music, a light show, and the event turns into a big foam party by midnight.

Miraculous Snowfall

Today’s Papal Trivia
Pope Liberias is our first pope to not be canonized. In fact, he’s the only pope in the first 500 years of the Church to not be declared a Saint. He built a pretty cool church, though.

Big purses, normal-sized backpacks, and large bags are not allowed. The official max size is a notebook paper-sized bag. I use a small Tom Bihn messenger bag. That said, it depends on the mood of the person working security, I saw small backpacks turned away and large backpacks let through in the same line.

Metal water bottles are not allowed. Plastic water bottles are fine.

Refreshments are sold, and there are people snacking throughout the performance.

The theater is inside/outside. You’ll be covered and protected from the sun and rain, but you’ll also feel breezes.

Pillows and blankets are sold in many of the shops. The times I’ve been, it was hot and stuffy in the theater even with the temps were in the low 60s. The pillows are because the seats are wooden with thin padding.

The seats are very close together.

The first act runs for about 2.5 hours, this is followed by a 3 hour dinner break. The second acts runs for about 3 hours, ending around 11 PM.

I tried out many seats and sections, I don’t think there’s a bad seat in the house. But I do recommend binoculars. Between each scene are beautiful tableau, and. binoculars will help you see the intricate details.

Seats are assigned. Here is the seating chart for the Oberammergau Passion Play.

Oberammergau Passion Play Seating Chart

I’m sure some of the people in my small southern community were wondering why a goth raver was coming into the Church, to be honest, I was probably wondering the same thing. The people were all very kind, but I definitely felt out of place.

It didn’t really matter though, I woke up Easter morning with mono and didn’t get out of bed for a month. It was a long while before we ever made it back into a church.

I used to be quite the procrastinator when it came to Christmas. I worked in retail at my mom’s record store, so the days between Thanksgiving and Christmas were always a bit busy, and I milked that excuse as long as I could.

I was in a panic one year because I was leaving work on Christmas Eve to go to our company party, which was really just all my friends at my house since everyone worked at my mom’s store, and I had absolutely no gifts.

Traveling home along the same road I’d traveled nearly my whole life, I noticed a tiny antique shop I’d never seen before — and never saw again. Amazingly, it was still open late in the evening on December 24th.

I went in and quickly found some of the craziest and most perfect gifts ever. Seriously, every single gift was a hit. Antique vases, candleholders, some cool Asian thing, an elaborate wooden box, and for my mom, a great gag-gift that was a reminder of that one time she made us become Catholic.

I had my mom open her present last because it was so gaudy and over the top. As she opened the present, this dazzling flash of gold practically blinded everyone in the room, especially since we were all wearing black clothes with various shades of purple and burgundy hair. It was probably the brightest thing any of us had seen in ages.

The gift was a painted icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in a brilliantly gold painted wooden frame. And she absolutely loved it.

That gift changed our lives. My mother took it as a sign to get her family back into the Church, which she did. This time, though, we went all in.

My mom then spent over 20 years working in youth ministry as the Director of Religious Education at our church, my dad has been the Music Director there for 25 years, and I’ve lead thousands of people on pilgrimage over the past 17 years.

There’s writing on the back of that icon that mentions it was touched to the original miraculous icon located in Rome, at Sant’Alfonso right across from Santa Maria Maggiore. I now walk by that original Roman icon nearly every single day and it’s a constant reminder of how God worked in my life.

I’d say it’s crazy how things work out, but it’s not crazy, God knows what He’s doing. So if you ever feel out of place or like you are being pulled away, remember that God has a plan for you. But if you ever stumble upon some mysterious pop-up antique shop, do go in, because His plan could include a not-so-subtle miraculous icon.

I’d been to Rome and Assisi many times, and thought I knew my way around. I was wrong.

With temperatures soaring into the 100s, my group arrived in Assisi. After several exhausting days battling the Roman heat, we were looking forward to some rest and relaxation in this peaceful Umbrian hill town.

Just as our private coach was about to pull into the parking lot, I told them it would be about a ten minute walk up to our hotel. But, then something strange happened… the bus passed the lot and kept driving up. I asked where he was going and he said he was taking us to the upper lot. I didn’t know there was an upper lot. But, no worries, Assisi is easy to navigate, what with all the hills, a maze of twisting alleys, and very few street signs.

Sure enough, the bus pulled into an “upper lot” and dropped us off. He showed me on the map where we were, and I was happy to see that we were even closer to the hotel than if we’d parked in the lower lot. This driver knew what he was doing! Unfortunately for the group, I did not.

I directed everyone to some escalators, then turned left to enter the city. After a few minutes, we walked past Santa Chiara, the basilica where Saint Clare is buried, and home to one of the best views in Assisi. We stopped briefly to gaze into the valley below and watch steam rise up from the vineyards, it was hot! Then we continued on.

Now, this is where it got tricky. Right here, just outside Santa Chiara, there is a fork in the road. One direction heads up, one down. Since the bus took us up and since the parking lot I was familiar with was down, I assumed we needed to go down just a bit and the hotel would be right there. A quick stealthy glance at the map confirmed this, the hotel was right over there. So, we headed down.

After a few minutes I realized something was amiss. There were no more crowds, and most importantly, no hotel. I consulted the map, but had absolutely no clue where we were. I thought maybe it was just a little farther, so we marched onward. It was 101°.

About 15 minutes later, we ended up at the lower parking lot. At least I knew where I was now!

So here was my group, ages ranging from mid 20s to early 80s, standing at the bottom of Assisi, in front of the Basilica of Saint Francis. We’d already been walking downhill for about 20 minutes, with our luggage, mind you, in the heat of late June. Now we needed to turn and go back up hill. Thankfully, there was another fork in the road, so I didn’t have to admit my mistake and backtrack up the same road. So up we went.

We arrived at the hotel dripping with sweat and completely exhausted. A few of the older travelers looked like they might be near death, I’m quite sure I did as well. The owner was very confused as he knew where the bus dropped us. He took me outside and showed me Santa Chiara, which was literally right there! He also told me that I was supposed to call when we arrived as he was prepared to pick up the luggage so we didn’t have to carry it.

As we were checking in, I mentioned to the people that we would meet in the lobby at 7 PM to go to dinner. The hotel owner said, “no, 8 PM.” I was confused as to why he was telling me when we were going to dinner. So after the people headed to their rooms to freshen up, I explained that our dinner was at this nearby trattoria at 7 PM. He said, “no, you have dinner at this restaurant.” He then explained that I had booked the group for half board. I had no idea what that meant at the time, but it means dinner is included.

I asked if we could cancel the dinner for tonight and have it tomorrow instead. He explained that the food was already bought and the servers were already scheduled.

So I ran next door to the trattoria where I made the dinner reservation and explained to them my issue and asked if I could move the dinner to the next night. I was told that normally it would not be a problem, but tomorrow there were closed. She said I could instead have lunch today. This meal was the thing I was most excited about in Assisi. So I switched to lunch.

I ran back to the hotel and called everyone’s room and told them we were headed to lunch. I can’t say they were all excited to leave immediately after that march I’d just led them on, but once the wine started flowing, they cheered up.

The restaurant brought each of us a whole plate of mixed appetizers. There were meats, cheeses, a quiche, and some vegetables. Not really familiar with how an Italian pranzo works, the people were thanking me for a lovely lunch, thinking that was it.

Next came out one of my favorite dishes in all my group meals, a spinach and ricotta ravioli with butter and sage sauce. At this point the owner asked if I’d like to sample the local meats. Although I too was getting full, a few glasses of wine after the stressful morning got me excited to try something new. As people finished their pasta, they again started thanking me for a great lunch. Then the meat came out.

When the owner said “sample” I thought she meant some small portion the table would share. Nope. This was a whole plate of local meat for each person. There was wild bore, rabbit, two things I can’t remember, and sadly, if you know me, pidgeon.

The group again thanked me as they finished their large plates of meat. Then the salad came out.

After the salad, people were sure we were done eating lunch. But no, I had also ordered the cheese plate. Several local cheeses served with honey and whatever jams are currently in season. By this point, it’s nearly 4 PM. People have enjoyed a lot of wine and a lot of food. Most had forgotten about the long hot walk, but were ready for a shower and a nap. People started getting up, again thinking we were done. But we were not done. It was time for dessert. A beautiful white chocolate mousse.

They ate it. They loved it. Many said they would not need anything else for the rest of the day.

So I told them we’d be meeting back in the lobby at 8 PM for dinner.

Dinner was a plate of mixed appetizers, spinach and ricotta ravioli with butter and sage sauce, a plate of meat with potatoes, a side of salad, and some random dessert.

Anyway, that’s how I nearly killed my very first pilgrimage group twice in one day. Once by heat and again by gluttony.

I’ve done more in-person socializing in the last few weeks than in the last few years.

Here are just some of the photos from the past few weeks.

Four hour lunch with one of my closest friends, Lino Rulli.

Ran into the famous Hungarian Ambassador, Eduard Hapsburg.

Guests on Second Cup Saturday, including Laura Blair, and Cincinatti’s finest photographer, Amanda Donaho.

Finally meeting Matt and Elizabeth in person.

Taking one of my favorite priests, Father Rafael Capo, for gelato and wine.

Introducing my friend Angel to Rome’s best carbonara and the famous green Sambuca at Abruzzi.

It’s taken years, but finally seeing Gillian Knows Best at Sant’Eustachio. We are both there all the time, but always miss each other by minutes.

Father John, like me, spent years in the music industry. Yet we meet at Sant’Eustachio in Rome.

Plus randomly running into friends, fans, patrons, and showing people the churches of Rome.

So to help clear things up…

Do you need to be vaccinated to travel to Italy?

No, that was never the case. Anyone with a negative test could come to Italy. For a few months, those unvaccinated were limited as to what they could do, but there were still plenty of things they could do, and I knew a lot of people who visited and had a great time.

Do you need a COVID test to travel to Italy

If you are vaccinated, or recovered within the last six months, you only need your CDC card or your letter of recovery.

If you are not vaccinated, a simple rapid test is all you need to visit.

Note that these things are checked when you depart the US, and rarely asked for on arrival.

Are masks still required?

Masks are now only required for public transportation – also in schools, theaters, and hospitals, but doubtful you’ll be visiting those.

They are still recommended so it’s possible a shop or museum may ask that you wear them. But legally, they are only required on public transportation.

This latest mandate is set to expire on June 15th.

Is vaccination required at the Vatican?

No, and it never was. A few articles mentioned the Green Pass would be required, but that never happened. Those articles were never updated, so the misinformation continued to spread.

There were never any vaccine requirements to enter Saint Peter’s Basilica or attend events with the pope, including the Audience and Papal Masses.

The Vatican Museums and the Scavi Tour did require the Green Pass, as all museums in Italy were required to do so.

Is a negative COVID test required to return to the US

Yes, a negative test is required for everyone, even fully vaccinated, to fly to the US. The exception is if you are recently recovered and have a letter from your doctor saying you are cleared to travel.

This is a US requirement, not EU or Italy. So we will wait for the US to drop this.

The proctored tests you purchase in the States and take in your hotel as someone watches on screen are allowed. But you can walk into a pharmacy here, without a reservation, pay €22, and have your results in about 10 minutes.

The Feast of Saint Catherine of Siena is on April 29th.

Though she’s from Siena, she lived and died in Rome. Her tomb is located under the main altar in the basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, just behind the Pantheon.

The tomb can be visited anytime the church is open.

On her feast day there is a beautiful solemn Mass at 6 p.m. Immediately after, the area below the altar is opened so that you can venerate the actual tomb.

The line to access the tomb.

Under the altar.

A nun venerates the tomb of Saint Catherine on her feast day.

My daughter praying over the tomb of her Patron Saint.

Saint Catherine is incorruptible, meaning that her body has not decayed as much as a body should.

One of her hands is located in a convent in Rome on Monte Mario.

The hand of Saint Catherine

To see even more of Saint Catherine, head on over to Siena.

Though she died and was buried in Rome, her spiritual director knew that Siena would want to have a part of her as well. The story goes that he went to her tomb late one night, and her head miraculously separated from her body. So he sent it up to Siena. Her head, and a finger, are located in her home parish, San Domenico.

The head of Saint Catherine

The town used to process her Holy Head through the streets. But after several failed attempts to steal it, they locked it away for safe keeping. Three different people hold three different keys to three different locks. All must be present to open the reliquary holding the head. Access to the locks is in a small chapel off the sacristy.

Three locks protect the Holy Head of Saint Catherine.

Since San Domenico doesn’t have her full body, they only have a four star rating on Trip Advisor.

Why do churches post Trip Advisor ratings?

We made this video years ago. It’s silly, we are all a little bit older now, technology has improved, and I play both a pregnant lady and a she-wolf. But we like it just the way it is.

It’s filmed on April 21st in Circus Maximus between Aventine Hill and Palatine Hill, so pretty much exactly where these events took place.

Enjoy!