Planetary Indulgences?

Rome. The Eternal City. Did no one read the info packets?

That's my favorite quote from The Lizzie McGuire Movie, my favorite movie about the wonderful city that is Roma. I was privileged to spend my Easter weekend there, with a bunch of other ND pilgrims, and it was definitely one of the best weekends of the semester. Here's why (in no particular order, of course):

1. gelato
2. throwing a coin in the Trevi Fountain
3. seeing my lovely roommate, Sarah Kathleen Ruszkowski
4. gnocchi
5. the Pope
6. pizza
7. seeing lots of other awesome ND people who I haven't seen all semester
8. nutella cookie
9. the Spanish Steps
10. Good Friday Stations of the Cross, with the Pope, at the Colosseum
11. ancient Roman ruins
12. Easter Mass with the Pope
13. beautiful spring weather and sunshine (except for the four hours on Sunday morning when we had to be outside for Mass, ironically enough. the bright yellow rain coat definitely came in handy)
14. absolutely stunning churches
15. seeing my "word," aka Chris Gautsch
16. relics of the saints and the Passion, including St. Francis' hand and St. Catherine of Siena's tomb
17. getting lost on the way back to the hostel on Saturday night and happening upon the Trevi Fountain again
18. touring the Vatican Museums
19. seeing the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel
20. the Pantheon

The whole experience as just amazing, to be surrounded by so much history and so much good food. ;)
And of course, Easter Mass at the Vatican in St. Peter's Square was an experience like no other. There was quite the crowd, which was amazing to see, so many people joined together in worship and celebration. Although the crowd did lend itself to lots of pushing and shoving, which was a little ironic at the Vatican, of all places. The most emotional experience of the weekend was climbing the steps from Pontius Pilate's palace, that Jesus walked up and down immediately before and after being condemned to death. It is customary for pilgrims to go up the steps on their knees, saying a prayer on each one. It was a little painful to go up such a large flight of stairs on my knees, but that was fitting, after all. It was just so moving to be on those stairs, on Good Friday, around 3 pm. It made the Passion seem more real to me, in a way, or more immediate. There was a painting at the top of the stairs of Jesus on the Cross, that was in clear view the entire time, a constant reminder of Jesus' sacrifice. Definitely a moment I will never forget.

Another unforgettable moment: when our knowledgeable, but nervous, tour guide in the Vatican Museum was talking about plenary indulgences and accidentally referred to them as planetary indulgences. So all weekend the running joke was, "If we do _____, will we get a planetary indulgence?"

All in all, a fabulous weekend, but also a whirlwind. There was so much that we saw, but also so much that I would love to go back and see. I didn't get to explore the ruins nearly as much as I would have liked to. A perfect excuse to go back someday!

And for more pictures of beautiful Roma: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=413182&id=538960556&l=51dd8049cd