Ciao tutti,
Many of you have
been wondering about the feel for what it is like being in Rome during these days. Here are some first thoughts.
Peace to you all,
Joe
Since my arrival
here in Rome eighteen months ago, I have been fortunate enough to
experience many events at the Vatican and in Rome. In my first few months, his holiness, John Paul
II, celebrated the 25th anniversary of his Pontificate, Beatified
Mother Theresa of Calcutta, and then held a consistory of new Cardinals. All
extremely joyous occasions which were held in
Piazza S. Pietro. The celebrations of
Christmas Eve Mass 2003 and the Easter Triduum of
2004 were also memorable occasions. The opportunities to work “behind the
scenes” or as a minister of the Eucharist at various celebrations have brought
with them some memories and awesome feelings of belonging to a real u niversal church.
Holy week of 2005
brought with it a new feeling. There was still the joyous and awesome feeling
of what a universal church we have, but on account of the Pope’s recent
hospitalizations in February and early March, there was a sense of loss when
the Pope was not well enough to participate physically at the Palm Sunday and Triduum celebrations. Then, this past week my mother
and brother Tim and sister in law Bernadette and their family arrived just in
time to see John Paul II come to his window on Easter Sunday morning to offer a
blessing to the extremely joyous crowds which were overflowing into the streets
in front of and on both sides of Piazza S. Pietro.
The presence of Il Papa at the window brought such energy to the
gathering crowd. Words are difficult to find to express the feeling
in the air. Then in a surprise appearance, his holiness came to his
window for a few minutes on Wednesda y of Easter Week
to offer another blessing. The crowd was smaller than on Sunday but the
energy level was still quite high.
The mood in the
Piazza then suddenly changed on Thursday evening when word was starting to
spread that the Pope’s health had taken a turn for the worse and that he had
spiked a fever and was fighting infection. On Friday, crowds began to
gather in the Piazza again, but this time the joy had been replaced by a somber
anxious anticipation. Throughout the day the news seemed to be getting more grim. First was the news that the Pope’s blood
pressure was unstable, then heart complications and
septic shock set in. With each report, even the official spokesperson for
the Vatican seemed to be emotionally exhausted and at times had to
fight back tears.
Cardinal Ruini celebrated a vigil mass for the Pope at St. John
Lateran Basilica with an overflowing crowd which included both President Ciampi and Prime Minister Berlusconi. The Cardinal
encouraged all to keep His Holiness in our prayers so as to assist him in his
return to God. It was quite an emotional liturgy.
Following the Mass
at the Lateran there was a prayer service in Piazza S. Pietro
which ended around 10:00pm.
Tens of thousands of people remained until the early hours of the
morning. The difference in the mood from Easter Sunday morning to Friday
evening was immense. At times, even with over 40,000 people gathered
together, the silence was so strong, that the only sound in the Piazza came
from the fountains. The joyous Alleluias of Sunday morning still carried people
with faith in the Easter Resurrection as we gathered in both spoken and silent
prayer. There were groups reciting the rosary and others reading
scriptures. Some gathered with guitars and sang while others strolled
aimlessly around the Piazza in silence. I stayed until 1:30 am and even as I was leaving hundreds more people were
flooding in to replace those who were going home. It truly was a communal vigil
of prayer.
Today, Saturday,
we continue with the vigil of prayer. Each announcement from the Vatican spokesperson brings news of a worsening condition.
As of now, John Paul, II is slipping in and out of consciousness, but when he
received word about the prayers from the Piazza, he was pleased to know of so
many young people who remained in vigil with him in prayer during his last
hours. An image which struck me was going into the Piazza this morning and
seeing the crowds of people staring up at the window of the Pope’s study where
he usually makes his Angelus appearance. This time, the crowd new that
His Holiness was not going to be coming to the window, and yet there was still
that draw to look up and to contemplate the number of appearances John Paul II
made at that window and how many benedictions were offered there over the past
twenty-six years of his Pontificate. Let us con tinue
to keep the Pope, and all of us as Church in our prayers.
Here is part 2….
Saturday evening 2
Aprile, 2005…A chapter in our history as Church and
in our world has come to a close. Being present in the Piazza on the
evening of 2 April, 2005
praying with the thousands of people form around the world who came to join
together in a vigil of prayer to assist Pope John Paul II to Heaven was an
experience never to be forgotten. During the recitation of the Rosary
which began at 9:00pm, people joined in prayer and song. The centuries
old Hail Mary’s and Our Father’s, led in Italian, but recited in many
languages, with a rhythm that embraced all those present and included the
prayers and intentions of people from around the globe, helped all to join
together as one, lifting our voice for one who could no longer speak. The
windows of the third floor of the apostolic palace, at times were illuminated
and at other times remained in darkness; silent signals that the inevitable was
happen ing.
Just before 10:00pm, an announcement by Archbishop Leonardo Sandri, informed the crowd that at 9:37pm, “The Pope returned to the house of the Father.”
At that moment, once more, a silence filled the Piazza. Some of those
present wept, some knelt in prayer and others turned to look once again at the
illuminated windows of the Papal apartments. Then, applause began to fill
the Piazza and eventually spread throughout and flowed down the main street,
via della Conciliazione. Prayers and hymns continued then with
a service at 10:30pm and midnight.
The tolling of the bell of the Basilica of St. Peter’s began around 10:30pm. The regular tolling which signals the time of day
had been suspended and a slow distinctive toll commenced at various
intervals. Phone calls and e-mails to and from family and friends, helped
unite us in the realization of what had taken place that evening.
Sunday 3 April, 2005 Second
Sunday of Easter.
The slow and
distinct tolling of the bells began at 7:00am
reminding the city and the world that this day still carried the result
historic event of the evening before. A Mass, presided over by Cardinal
Angelo Soldano, Secretary of State for Vatican City,
was celebrated by all those gathered in an overflowing Piazza S. Pietro and down via della Conciliazione. As we gathered near the sacristy of
St. Peter’s Basilica preparing to concelebrate the Mass this morning, there was
a sense of loss knowing that the Pope would not join us for the Mass. Yet Cardinal Soldano
reminded all of us in his homily of the Easter joy of the Resurrection and the
cause to be people of hope who believe that in death, life is changed, not
ended. I was able to witness many expressions on the faces of the
gathered faithful while distributing communion. Some had tears streaming
down their cheeks, others responding with a strong and clear AMEN… a universal
response of belief in what unites us as the Body of Christ.
Now, a new vigil
begins, the diplomatic corps of the Vatican and various political and religious leaders gathered in
the Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace immediately after the Mass this morning to begin the
viewing of the body of John Paul II. Reports are that he is vested in
crimson vestments, with a white miter on his head, his Crozier
in his left hand, while his head rests on a golden pillow. The Cardinals
will hold a meeting tomorrow morning to firm up plans regarding the upcoming
funeral…..
Monday 4 April, 2005
We now
know that the funeral will be held in the Piazza on Friday morning. This morning the Pope remained in the
Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace while numerous employees of Vatican City, religious leaders and government
dignitaries waited to pray in front of the Pope’s body. At 5:00pm there
were more prayers and the transfer of the body into the Basilica. This day, I felt as if I were living in two
different worlds. Classes were still in
session, so the morning and afternoon were filled with some of the regular
activities that come with being a student.
This evening though, I joined in the line of people waiting to view the
body John Paul II one last time. A group of us from Collegio
Santa Monica went out after Cena and arrived at the
queue just after 9:30pm. I noticed how close it was to the exact time
when the Pope passed away just two nights ago and we were all in the Piazza.
The line
of people filled the side street heading toward what was Hadrian’s 2nd
century mausoleum. This street runs
parallel to a passageway linking the Apostolic Palace to Castel
St. Angelo.
The line then turned right towards via della Conciliazione and
then turned to proceed immediately down the via toward the Basilica. The
atmosphere was at times joyous with songs, and at other times quietly
reverent. Large screen televisions
projected images from within the Basilica of people passing in front of the
casket…hopeful signs to us all that the line was still moving when at times it seeme d to be at a standstill