Easter in Rome

As close as I’ll ever be to Pope Francis. A picture I took of a modern day hero. “A little bit of mercy makes the world less cold, and more just.” Pope Francis Preston and I went to Rome for Easter week last year.  This was a major decision as ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) set off bombs at the Brussels airport earlier in the week and had announced the Pope and Rome were additional potential targets.  We decided to go to Rome anyway.  I have a hard time letting militant Muslims determine where I can celebrate Easter.  Italy responded wisely and had soldiers protecting worshipers around all of the churches.  We went to confession on Good Friday in Rome at St. Mary's Basilica Major (the largest church in the world honoring St. Mary).  It was surrounded by the Italian military carrying assault rifles.  We went through a metal detector to get into confession and to get into all 4 of the papal Basilicas.  Preston and I went to the stations of the cross on Good Friday night at the Colosseum with Pope Francis.  Everyone was searched, 3 times, at 3 different stations, before entering the area.  (Over 10,000 people.) We had a good view and the Pope delivered a great message about our need to help each other.   The Colosseum remains the largest amphitheater ever built. To put the size of the Colosseum in perspective consider the size of the people standing in front of it. Preston and I attended Easter mass in Rome, and had an amazing occurrence.  Before mass, Preston went to the sacristy to ask the Priest if they had an English missalette.  After they spoke for a bit, the Priest asked Preston if he would perform a reading for mass.  Keep in mind, this is Rome and there were 8 priests at this mass.  So Preston lectured Easter mass in Rome!  Unbelievable...  
 
We then went to the Easter blessing with Pope Francis.  Upwards of 100,000 people packed into Vatican City and everyone was kind.  No arguing heard anywhere.   We had a pretty good view.  Pope Francis made it even better.  He ditched his security and the bullet proof glass and made his way through the crowd.  He passed by in front of us so I took a few pictures. Being in Rome brings to life Christianity.  We prayed in front of St. Paul's tomb at the Basilica of St. Paul (outside the walls) as it is called since it is outside the Vatican. Basillica of St. Paul (again consider its’ size compared to people in the background). St. Paul’s Tomb The Vatican was built on the site where St. Peter was buried and he is entombed there.  We crawled on our knees up the steps Jesus walked to face Pontius Pilate at La Scala Sancta.  There is glass over the spots of blood. Preston asked, “What would Jesus say about that?” when we saw the armed guards in front of the building. The Vatican is impressive as it combines Christianity with science.  They have archaeological findings more than 2000 years before the birth of Jesus.  There, findings are carbon dated and researched because they don't want “stories,” they want truth.  As an advocate of science and Christianity I absolutely love this.  Christianity is all very real in Rome.  Besides all the scientific data supporting the New Testament (which you can also find in C S Lewis's writings) consider that the apostles were tortured to death in efforts to get them to deny what they reported.  Simon (St. Peter) and Andrew were crucified.  James was executed by Herod.  Thomas was lanced in Persia.  Matthew died a martyr in Ethiopia.  James Alpheus was stoned and then had his skull bashed with a club.  Jude was martyred in Syria/Persia, and Judas committed suicide.  The source of death for the remaining 4 apostles is unconfirmed.  St. Paul (who reported Jesus came to him in a vision a few years after Jesus was crucified) was beheaded.  None recanted.    And people think it’s tough being a Christian now.  I did get a photo of Michelangelo's work on the Sistine chapel, even though I wasn't supposed to.  Oops.  (This is how I rationalize it.  They don’t want pictures because camera flashes can age a painting.  I made my way to the middle of the crowd, discreetly held my camera pointed straight up in front of my chest, and with the flash off took the picture.) Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam is one of the most replicated paintings of all time. This is a close up of the ceiling behind Preston. The sheer size of the forum, the Colosseum, circus Maximus, and the pantheon are overwhelming.  You feel the power of the Roman Empire.  The forum is simply too large and too vast to get a decent picture of.  It is 4 football fields long and 1½ football fields wide of all large crumbling marble buildings.  The Trevi fountain is very cool so we went back there every day.  Every other block you see a building with 50 foot pillars and 30 foot marble statues. These statues surround the open area in Vatican City where the Pope speaks.  Notice the people in the 2nd picture seated by the statues, to get a true understanding of their size. The Trevi fountain is 86 feet high and 161 feet wide. The Pantheon, built in 118 A.D. is still the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome (almost 2000 years later) and is 142 feet high in the center. Circus Maximus is where they ran the chariot races. (2037 feet by 387 feet and meant to hold 150,000 people.) It is just as long in the direction away from Preston. Preston is standing by a church door. The street entertainers were great! Loved the gelato. Our hotel was across from the Teatro dell’ Opera di Roma (the opera house in Rome). Mitch Hedberg was one of my favorite comedians.  Mitch was a long haired hippie dude who saw the world from a different perspective.  Lets enjoy Easter with some Mitch Hedberg quotes:I saw a disabled lady on T.V. And that was sad, but then they said, “Lola does not know the meaning of the word ‘can’t.’” That to me was kinda worse... in a way... ya know? Not only is she disabled, she doesn’t understand simple contractions.  Somebody should explain to her it’s like “can not.”I saw a commercial on late night TV.  It said, ”Forget everything you know about slipcovers.” So I did. And what a load that was off my mind. But then the commercial tried to sell me slipcovers, but I didn’t know what they were talking about.I wrote a script.  The editor said it was good but I should rewrite it.  I figured that’s too much work, so I just copied it and gave it back to him.I was walking by a dry cleaner at three a.m., and it said "Sorry, we're closed." You don't have to be sorry. It's three a.m., and you're a dry cleaner. It would be ridiculous for me to expect you to be open.I haven't slept for ten days, because that would be too long.This is what my friend said to me; he said, "Guess what I like? Mashed potatoes." It's like, "Dude. you have to give me time to guess. If you're gonna quiz me, you have to insert a pause."
 
 
Happy Easter to everyone!
 
Thanks for listening,
 
Frank