General Audience and Centro Storico
People who work in Rome always have time to meet you over coffee. It seems to be an institution that you go out at 11am to a favoured local bar for a cappucino. Before and after this incontro, I took in some of the General Audience and, I hope, got some good photos. After putting my best intentions into gaining the Plenary Indulgence at the Papal Blessing, I made off on the 40 bus to the Centro Storico, the "historic centre" of Rome.
Of course, the whole of Rome is pretty "historic" compared with most cities but there is an area comprising such delights as the Pantheon, the Campo de'Fiori and the Trevi Fountain, which is referred to as the Centro Storico. It is a rather foolish exercise to go tramping round there this lunchtime in the scorching sun but I can never resist it. Even despite the crush of tourists (like myself, I hasten to add), it has a charm all of its own, most especially because of the tremendous building and restoration activity during the counter-reformation.
I go on a "Church crawl" in between getting some photos in the glorious weather, and spend quite a bit of time at Santa Maria Sopra Minerva. The obelisk outside this Church has appeared on this blog before; it is one of my compulsory pilgrimage destinations on visits to Rome. I said a prayer at the tomb of St Catherine of Siena and took some photos.
This afternoon, the Latin Mass Society are having their Mass at the Church, and saying a special prayer for Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor who sent them a very kind letter of encouragement.
Of course, the whole of Rome is pretty "historic" compared with most cities but there is an area comprising such delights as the Pantheon, the Campo de'Fiori and the Trevi Fountain, which is referred to as the Centro Storico. It is a rather foolish exercise to go tramping round there this lunchtime in the scorching sun but I can never resist it. Even despite the crush of tourists (like myself, I hasten to add), it has a charm all of its own, most especially because of the tremendous building and restoration activity during the counter-reformation.
I go on a "Church crawl" in between getting some photos in the glorious weather, and spend quite a bit of time at Santa Maria Sopra Minerva. The obelisk outside this Church has appeared on this blog before; it is one of my compulsory pilgrimage destinations on visits to Rome. I said a prayer at the tomb of St Catherine of Siena and took some photos.This afternoon, the Latin Mass Society are having their Mass at the Church, and saying a special prayer for Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor who sent them a very kind letter of encouragement.
