Marinna Ventures to Italia: The Papal Audience

This morning came early after going out last night for a while! But definitely well worth our adventure! We left our apartment at 7:15, went downstairs and got a quick cappuccino and a muffin before we headed out to the tram. Got Tram 8 to Largo Argentina and hopped the 40 Bus to Piazza San Pietro to watch the Papal Audience.

The Pope does a blessing every Sunday over the square, and speaks every Wednesday to people. He only does this when he is in town, obviously! When we made it to the square we were about the 30 people back waiting in line! Soon more and more people would come and join the long line.

There were brides and grooms dressed up at the front of the line waiting to get in. Supposedly for newly wed couples if they wear their gowns/tuxes again they get special seating at the audience and a blessing during the ceremony! Good excuse to wear a dress again I would say! Anyways enough about that...we finally got to go in about 8:30. They did a quick security check and we were off. People were running to get good seats. We had been told by friends who went last week to watch about where good places to sit were. Right at the edge of any aisle. To be honest I had no idea what we were going to get ourselves into by sitting there. What a treat it was! The pictures sure do tell all!

We sat and waited until about 10:45 in the heat when the Pope finally made it to the square! It really was exciting! So many people were cheering as he came across the square in his Pope-mobile! Because the weather was so nice today the car was open like a convertible and he was standing waving at people. He came right in front of where we were standing not only once but twice before making his way up to the alter. I am not sure that it is still called an alter when it is outside. You will see in pictures what I mean!

He opened with a prayer and then went into a reading. All of them were said in a multitude of languages! It was very cool to see. Then the ceremony went into a blessing over the people and any artifacts they brought! I will post pictures of those as well. We missed hearing this part though because Michelle, Kate's friend who came along with us was not feeling well sitting in the heat for that long, so we were getting water out of the fountains and sitting in some shade. Not to be worried though, the rosaries did get blessed! After that, in all of the different languages again, the Cardinals read and gave introductions to all of the groups that were there. Ironically the group sitting next to us was from Billings! What a small world!

Soon the ceremony was over and we hustled back to Trastevere to get some food in us and get out of the shade! It was back for naps, and then dinner! What a great day!

Blessings to you all back home!