St. Mary's Church Elizabeth, IL

10/19

Trip to Italy

I traveled with Msgr. Kobberman and a group of pilgrims from Los Angeles to Italy.  We landed in Venice greeted with heavy rains and winds.  Soaked to my skin.  We visited Venice and had rode on water buses, most popular way of traveling in this city, spent time on St. Mark Square I could not visit St. Mark's Basilica-tickets were sold out), we traveled to Padua, Assisi, and of course Rome.  We attended solemn Mass on Sunday at St. Peter's Square and then, again we saw Pope Leo during general audience on Wednesday.  Yes, I did say "hello" to Pope Leo from Parishioners in Elizabeth and Hanover.  It was an exciting experience, but I would like to share with you about two places that made special impact on me.

We celebrate Mass in "Chiesa di San Zaccaria"-church of St. Zechariah-in Venice.  The churh was founded in 827.  Initially, the church had been designed to receive the remains of St. Zachariah.  There are gorgeous paintings, like "St. Zechariah in Glory" or 'San Zaccaria the Virgin and Child," and many others.  I spent time there on prayer and admiring the beautiful art.  But the most exciting experiene there was the Mass celebrated with 90 years-old Italian priest Don Carlo.  He was ordained in 1957 (the year I was born) by then Patriarch of Venice Cardinal Angelo Roncalli, who in 1958 became Pope John XXIII.  It was like going back in time, touching history.  I felt like a beginner in my priestly life, standing next to him.  The way he celebrated the Eucharist is something that I will never forget.

The second place that was also exciting were the Catacombs of St. Callixtus, outside of Rome, on Appian Way.  The Catacombs contained at one time the tombs of several popes, from the 2nd to 4th centuries.  They originated during second centry and are part of cemeterial complex that occupies roughly an area of 90 acres, with network of galleries of about 22 kilometeres on four levels, some 30 meters deep.  In the Catacombs were buried many Christians, tens of matryrs and 16 popes.  These Catacombs are named after deacon Callixtus who, at the beginning of the 3rd century, was appointed the administrator of the cemetery.  The Catacombs of St. Callixtus became the official cemetery of the Church of Rome.

In the Catacombs, there is a crypt of St. Cecilia, the popular patron saint of music.  She was martyred in the 3rd century and entombed in the crypt where her statue now lies.  In the crypt on wall we can see a painting of St. Cecilia praying.

Some memories from my trip to Italy before they slip into the past.

Fr. Joachim