Rome III - Vaticani

Friday, June 11, 2010 - While in Rome we had the opportunity to do yet again something that, as my friend Alberto said, many wait a lifetime for. A special mass was being held at St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. You may have heard of the person who gave the sermon: the Pope.

It was hot that day in Rome: not a cloud in the sky, barely a breeze, and easily in the 90s. In fact, I actually saw one man collapse there. But it was a pilgrimage of sorts and so a little suffering was expected, even welcomed.

We sat in the midst of a sea of Brazilians, though the monk sitting next to me was a very personable man from France. He didn’t speak a word of English, so he and I mimed things to each other throughout the service.

Unfortunately I couldn’t understand the sermon as it was in Latin (the official language of Vatican City), but I was nonetheless excited to see this Pope, as he is known as quite a brilliant Theologian. He has been quoted next to the likes of classic exegetes from Augustine to Ambrose to Athanasius.