Young People's Pilgrimage to Rome
October 2011
On 25-29th October 2011 a group of young people went from the parish on a pilgrimage to Rome: 16 teenagers accompanied by 3 adults and Father Dylan.
Before being appointed to Shaftesbury in 2007 Fr Dylan had lived in Rome for 2 and a half years while doing further study so he was able to put his knowledge of the city to good use in acting as a tour guide.
Here is his report on the trip. If you would like to see a larger version of any of the pictures, just click on them!
The idea
The idea for the trip came from the Italian grandparents of some children in the parish and I’d like to thank them, Giancarlo and Marisa Colombelli, for not only initiating it and accompanying it but for organising all the bookings, which was major task. I'd also like to offer a particular word of thanks to Catherine Simmonds whose professional experience working with young people was invaluable and enabled the whole event to happen very smoothly. The young people themselves have offered a few brief comments that we'll put in the newsletter over the next few weeks, a couple of them are quoted below. The following is a brief summary of what we did and saw.
Days 1 - getting there
A number of people have asked what we did in Rome. We arrived late on Tues night and immediately climbed the 106 steps up the Gianicolo hill to view the city we would tour for the next 5 days.
Day 2 - Vatican Day
Undeterred by a heavy thunderstorm and a half-foot deep river of rainwater on theroad, we headed out to the General Papal Audience, with the usual crowds of about 50,000. Rain meant the audience was moved indoors where there was littleseating and extreme overcrowding, but there is still nothing like the thrill of seeing the Pope and being part of the cheering crowds. We gave a particular cheer when our parish group name was read out.
The Papal Audience - under cover!
We then headed on to the Sistine Chapel and artwork of the Vatican Museum, after which we were rewarded with gelato (ice cream) at my favourite gelateria in all of Rome: 'Old Bridge'. We returned to enter St Peter's Basilica where we visited the 'confessio' at St Peter's tomb, prayed, and saw some highlights.
A walk to Castel S. Angelo and over the bridge then brought us to an authentic pasta supper at a restaurant I know on the Governo Vecchio. Finally, we saw the Piazza Navona and Pantheon, before having more gelato at Giolitti's (my second favourite). 9 miles in day! Verdict? "A real cracker of a pilgrimage.. bring on the next!!" (Octavia). "I loved St Peter's Basilica and the Trevi Fountain because they were beautiful! The trip allowed me to see things which I didn't know were still around" (Penny).
Day 3 - Ancient Rome
We took a couple of buses out to the Catacomb of St Callistus on the Via Appia Antica, outside central Rome. We then had a tour of the 2nd century Christian catacombs: 12 miles of tunnels housing 500,000 tombs, with ancient frescos depicting the heavenly hopes held for the faithful departed. Like the early Christians, we were then able to celebrate Mass in a small underground chapel.
Walking at the Catacombs
We then returned to central Rome for a grand tour that included the Circus Maximus, the Colosseum, the Arch of Constantine, the many ruins of the Imperial Forum, the Senate of ancient Rome, a number of ancient temples, and Trajan's Column. After that, we saw the outside of the Mamertine Prison that held St Peter and St Paul (it was locked, sadly), and on to the Piazza Venezia with the huge Victor Emmanuel Monument, mockingly derided by the Italians as ‘the typewriter’.
At the Colosseum
We then went on to the magnificent Trevi Fountain, where most of the group threw in a few coins. This was just by the Casa Santa Maria where I lived when I studied in Rome (before being appointed to Shaftesbury) and so we concluded with supper at one of my old favourites: the L’Archetto restaurant for spaghetti, followed by a fantastic range of desserts, before getting the bus home for a good night’s sleep! Another 9 mile day.
View of the Imperial Forum
Verdict? "It was a fantastic experience. From the Colosseum to Mass in the grotto of St Peter’s Basilica. The food, company and humour made this a very special pilgrimage. Not to mention some terrible singing from particular members of the group. Also thank you to Father Dylan, Marisa, Giancarlo and Catherine. The fact that none of us were knocked over by a stray Italian motorist is testament to their organisation and care." (Ambrose)
Day 4 - Mass in St Peter's - Basilicas aplenty - Spanish Steps and shopping
We started Thursday with one of the highlights of the week: an 8am Mass in a grotto chapel under St Peter’s Basilica, close to the tomb of St Peter himself. We then had an hour of shopping on the tourist strip of the Borgo Pio. The metro then took us out to St Paul’s Outside the Walls, one of major basilicas of Rome and probably the best example of what the basilicas of ancient Rome looked and felt like, followed by a pleasant restaurant lunch of gnocchi (potato pasta).
St Paul's Outside the Walls
Two of the other major basilicas came next: St John Lateran (the pope’s cathedral) and St Mary Major, pausing to say a decade of the rosary at the Scala Santa (holy stairs) on the way. We then spent the late afternoon and evening at the Spanish Steps and on a walk past the magnificent and expensive shops of the Via del Corso, before closing the evening with supper at my favourite pizzeria.
St John Lateran
Day 5 - St Peter's - English College and home
On the final half-day we made a final trip to St Peter’s to see what we hadn’t yet seen, and to gustily sing “Full in the Panting Heart of Rome” at the confessio. A couple seminarians then gave us a tour of the English College seminary before we closed the week with a splendid 3 course lunch off the Campo dei Fiori. A slightly delayed flight got us back to Shaftesbury just before midnight. What a week!
More pictures...
Maria Findlay-Wilson presents the sculpture and the obelisk of St Peter's Square
Ambrose Connolly presents the bronze doors (in photo: from left Emma Findlay-Wilson, Henry Lawes, Maria Findlay-Wilson, Penny Pollard, Honoria Connolly, Octavia Connolly)
St Peter's Square in the morning
Emma Findlay-Wilson presents the artwork of the Sistine Chapel
View from the Forum
Pilgrims!
Henry Holmes presents Trajan's Column
Henry Holmes presents Trajan's Column