Bonjurno;
We got up slowly today…..everyone was tired, so I made eggs for breakfast and we got dressed to go, when the lights went out. Johna had turned on the iron and everything blew. Must have been some water on the plug. We looked at the panel box and didn’t see any tripped breakers so I tried to go outthe front door, but that was locked and the key didn’t work. I called the owner and left a message, in the mean time Sam was yelling down to people to see if they had lights. They all did, so back to the panel box and we found a tripped breaker. Lights!
The owner arrived and she couldn’t get the door open either. There is a round knob on the door, so I tried it again and this time it unlocked and we got the door open. Tourist! No one admitted to turning that lock, but I have a suspect!
It was almost 11:00 so we headed out for today’s adventure. We walked to Saint Peters, and then to Castel Sant’Angelo to find out where we had to go tomorrow, when we walk with cross in hand to the doors of mercy at Saint Peters and get another Plenary Indulgence…..one of many Sam and I were getting on this trip, since we went to confession in Spain.
From there we walked to the subway and caught a train to the Basilica of Saint John Lateran. As you approach the Basilica, the doors to Scala Santa, the holy stairs that Jesus walked up to Pilate to be condemned, are located just across the street.
Susan and I have been here twice before and they were closed and I had been here many years ago and it was closed. Susan made the decision not to take a chance by going to Saint John Lantern first and then find them closed when we got out. There are 28 wide marble steps covered with mahogany wood that is very worn from so many people crawling up them on their knees. You are not allowed to walk on them and if you are unable to go up on your knees, there is another staircase that also counts for the Plenary Indulgence you get for going up and meditating on the Passion of Christ as you go.
I made one step and had to back down, the leg and knees were hurting today, the others started their trek u and I walked up and said Divine Mercy on the way. There are three places on the way up to venerate what they believe to be from Jesus. I did manage to get down to venerate the one on the last step.
Everyone was very moved by their experience and we were all quietly reflecting what we just did on our way to Saint John Lateran across the street. Susan and I had been here before and still love the place. Sam and Johna walked around with their mouths open, not knowing what to look at next. We took some pictures for those of you who haven’t been, or have not seen previous photo’s from other trips.
After an hour or so we left and walked to the Basilica of Santa Croce in Jerusalem (Holy Cross in Jerusalem), about 6 blocks away. This Church has several important relics from the Passion of Christ and no photo’s are allowed………..Right!
The chapel of the Passion houses a nail from the cross, two thorns from Jesus’ crown, the wood that was inscribed above Him proclaiming Him the King of the Jews, actual wood from the cross, stones from Bethlehem, Calvary and the Holy Sepulcher, and the finger of St. Thomas the Apostle. (Thanks, St. Helena.)
We prayed for all of you and lit candles and toured the rest of the church, including a chapel which honors the youngest mystic of the church, Antonietta Meo, who wrote some 160 letters to God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the Blessed Mother and many miracles happened. She is venerable and up for Sainthood. She died at the age of 7. She was baptized here in the Basilica and a shrine with relics of her life is here. Antonietta’s body was moved inside the church in 1999.[8]
We then visited the chapel of St. Helena here and decided it was time to go.
We found the subway and got off at the wrong stop, my fault, so the walk to the Apartment was a little tedious. We stayed in tonight, all pretty exhausted, not having had much of a break since we started. Sam went for the pizza and Johna prepared some meat and cheese and goodies for our dinner.
To bed early……..for tomorrow is another early one.
Bona Serra
God Bless you all
Love
Susan, Tom and the Kids.
Prayer to Our Lady of Sorrows
O Most holy Virgin, Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ: by the overwhelming
grief you experienced when you witnessed the martyrdom, the crucifixion, and
the death of your divine Son, look upon me with eyes of compassion and
awaken in my heart a tender compassion for those suffering, as well as a
sincere detestation of my sins, in order that, being disengaged from all undue
affections for the passing joys of this earth, I may long for the eternal
Jerusalem, and that henceforth all my thoughts and all my actions may be
directed toward this one most desirable object.
Honor, glory, and love to our divine Lord Jesus, and to the holy and
immaculate Mother of God.
Amen.
May God Bless Each and Every One Of You!
Tom & Susan Melillo
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418 (USA)
E-Mail:
_TSMelillo13@aol.com_ (mailto:TSMelillo13@aol.com)
