Well, we may have woken up earlier than I would have enjoyed, but it was all worth it. We all were in the lobby by 8 to go across the street to the Vatican so we could see Pope Francis’s bible study in the Vatican. While we hoped we could go and get a good seat up front, it was a bit crowded, to say the least, and we needed a ticket to sit in the seats. Unfazed by our lack of tickets, we found a corner that was on the path the Pope would cruise around. I ran into the corner so I could get a good place to stand and take photos. Once the whole class packed in, we waited. Eventually the crowds filled up, and the monitors set up in St. Peters Square started playing footage of the Pope walking down to his Popemobile. The crowd tensed up, anxious to see him. However, being the people’s Pope that he is, he stopped to everyone who was waiting for him in the auditorium hall and greeted them. Once he finally got out, he stepped into the square, and the crowd started cheering. He climbed in his car and started waving around as they drove him through the people. The driver zipped him around the square, quick enough to see everyone, but slow enough that the Pope could wave all around and kiss babies that were given to him. Twice, it looked as if he was turning down our stretch of territory, but both times he quickly turned and went down another path. Eventually, he turned our way. Instantly I felt my body squeezed between the barricade and my classmates behind me, inching forwards, trying to get a good picture of him. We all started screaming his name, and I did my best to get a good picture of him (see photo), without only seeing him through my small camera screen, and instead looking at him with my own eyes. He waved, smiled, and laughed his way through our section before driving up to his chair in the square.

The forecast had called for rain, and rain, it did. Showers were off and on the whole time we were in the Vatican. I was lucky enough to hold the umbrella for a nun who was beside me, so I stayed relatively dry. The Pope gave his speech, and it was beautiful. He talked about how we (Catholics) do not need the Church, but how the Church needs us, and how the ministry of Christ can only be fulfilled through community. The speech, initially read in Italian, was then translated into about nine different languages, and a few I did not understand. Once it was done, the Pope offered a blessing to all of us and our families, and blessed any religious items we may have had.

Afterwards, we all went back for a lunch on our own. Jacob and I roamed around to find somewhere with WiFi, and others did the same. Then, we hopped on a private bus to go to the US Embassy to the Holy See. The embassy was high security, so we couldn’t take any photos unless done by an intern. However, it was atop a hill that looked over the Circus Maximus, and was very beautiful. There we met a few members of the embassy, and talked about what the career was like and what relations with the Holy See were like. First, we learned that there is a difference between the Vatican and Holy See; one is the independent state, the other is the governmental organization controlled by the Pope. We learned that the US and Holy See are in constant communication all the time, and are often working together to help spread peace and aid. Everyone at the embassy loved Pope Francis, and enjoyed working with him and the Cardinals, and after seeing them all in the morning, I understand why.

Once we were finished with the embassy, we took a group photo and walked up a hill to see a spectacular view of Rome from on top of a hill, and to see the building of the Knights of Malta. It is interesting, as the Knights are a government without a territory to rule over, and one of the requirements to be a knight is to recognize it as a government. Also, there is a secret in the keyhole, but you’ll have to see to find out. When we finished that, we went to the Circus Maximus and walked in the footsteps of the great Roman Athletes. When we finished, we hopped back on our bus and had some time to kill before dinner. Dinner, once it came, was delicious. The appetizers included two types of caviar, bruschetta, and a small slice of bread with a lox of sorts. For dinner, I was supposed to get mushroom risotto, but instead, I got the seafood risotto. I didn’t complain, it was delicious, with octopus, clam, and shrimp. Much better than mushroom. Afterwards, we all got a small gelato and hiked back to the hotel, a long day finished.