St. Peter's Basilica (The Vatican)

Today was a day of ooh's and aah's for the first time visitors to St. Peter's Basilica.  As Peter said, there is so much to take in while visiting the basilica that you need to keep going back to see what you missed while absorbing what you are seeing and experiencing for the first time.  We joined throngs of tourists who were inside the basilica, but, at our own pace, we walked through the basilica and the area of the crypt below the main altar of the basilica.  It was both fun and a blessing to be with Deanna, Denise, Vin and Peter as they were dazzled by what they were experiencing.  It is an extraordinary thrill to visit St. Peter's for the first time.  You cannot helped but be awed by everything you see inside the basilica.

The real cherubs are standing in front of the two fat babies on the wall of the basilica.

The steps the Pope would take to the main altar of the basilica.

Statue of Pope Benedict XV

Baptismal Font of the basilica

The Pieta is in the distance.

Peter and "Paul"

After visiting the basilica, Deanna, Denise and I went to get railroad tickets for the "gang" to visit Florence on Wednesday.  The ticket office is in the building of the Jesuit Curia, which is steps away from St. Peter's Square.  As we passed the front door of the Curia, we paused for me to have my photo taken.  The Jesuit Curia includes all of the administrative offices of the Society of Jesus.  I have been there on business several times in my former capacity as Treasurer of the New England Province.

After purchasing the tickets, we enjoyed a leisurely lunch at a cafe on the Borgo Pio in the shadow of the Vatican.  Our plan to visit the Castel Sant' Angelo had to be deferred because when we arrived at the Castel, we discovered it is closed on Mondays.  We crossed the Ponte San Angelo, over the Tiber River, and walked to the PIazza Navona where I left Deanna, Denise, Peter and Vin and returned to Casa O'Toole where I met the 9 new priests who will participate in the next round of conferences which begin tomorrow.  Interestingly, the first conference with the new group will be an art tour of St. Peter's Basilica.  And as Peter said, you have to keep going back in order to get a real appreciation of everything in the basilica, and so I return tomorrow!

An artist's "tools" on the Piazza Navona