Our Adventure over Easter Weekend in Rome

PART 140: It might be interesting to share how we pulled off living in Italy for part of the year. I will post some steps and what we are learning along the way.

We love every minute of it, and what was once a dream is our life!

We live in Tuscany in the Fall, then back again in the Spring, and in California for the rest of the time (in a previous blog, I explained why we live in Italy only part of the year).

Step 1: As we explore areas in Italy, we discover some gems worth sharing. Some are well-known tourist magnets, and others are lesser-known but always amazing. 

This week, let's explore our adventure in Rome during Easter weekend.

Step 2: Whenever I go to Rome, I encounter a series of extraordinary situations and weird coincidences.

This trip was no exception.

Step 3: The plan

I told my partner last year, "I would like to go to Rome during Easter week next year to experience the Easter Triduum services at the Vatican.'" He responded, "That sounds cool." Since it's a Jubilee year, we booked our Airbnb a year in advance and planned to stay from Thursday to Monday.

Step 4: The transportation

When I was young and broke, I always chose the cheapest lodging and modes of travel. When I was 19, I flew to London and then took a train to Rome, crossing the Channel on a ferry. It was a challenging experience, but it was affordable.

Now, we have two choices to get to Rome from our area in Tuscany: take a train from Grosseto or drive. Driving would increase the cost due to parking fees in Rome, whereas taking the train would require us to transport our suitcases on a bus to reach our lodging.

My partner suggested, "Let's drive; it's worth it. " I agreed. My teacher's pension would cover half the parking expenses, so we decided to skip the train and drive instead.

It turned out to be a great idea. We parked at the foot of the Gianicolo Hill and were able to walk to our Airbnb in just seven minutes.

Suppose you habitually choose the lowest-cost transportation due to past experiences. In that case, it's worth pausing to reflect on whether you can afford a more convenient and comfortable way to get there. I'm glad we did.

Step 5: Thursday night: The city and the church

We arrived on Thursday, known as "Holy Thursday" in the Catholic calendar, during a brief but intense rain shower that drenched us. When we reached our AirBnB, we found it was still being cleaned, so we decided to head to Piazza Navona after the rain stopped. We discovered a charming café under the arches, next to the Museo di Roma. After securing a premier spot by a window with a heater, we ordered cream teas and hung our jackets on the coat rack to dry.

Sometimes, it's best to pause and enjoy the moment before moving forward when traveling.

Afterward, we stopped by the supermarket before returning to our Airbnb on a lovely street in Rome (Via dei Coronari) near Castel Sant'Angelo. We turned on the heating, and after enjoying another hot tea and a sandwich, we relaxed until it was time for dinner. The city was crowded, and the weather was chilly, so spending a few hours in our apartment felt like the best option.

We decided to keep dinner simple and walked over to a Chinese restaurant I know near Campo de Fiori. This restaurant is famous for its great Hot and sour soup, rice, and other dishes. I know the standard rule: for good food, don't choose a foreign restaurant, which is often true. However, I assure you, this place has fantastic food, and the soup cleared our sniffling noses!

After dinner, we took a stroll, people-watched, and soaked in the vibrant atmosphere. Later, I decided to attend the Holy Thursday service at my favorite church in Rome, Chiesa Nuova.

Chiesa Nuova is my favorite church because the priests are young and dynamic, and there's a lot of participation from people of all ages, creating a strong sense of community.

I found the service moving, especially the involvement of scouts of all ages who had roles to play during the ceremony, resembling a color guard.

During the service, I reflected on the entire Passion narrative, from the Garden of Gethsemane to the Praetorium of Pontius Pilate and finally to Golgotha. When I returned to our apartment, I found myself immersed in the mysteries of Holy Week.

Step 6: Friday at the Capitoline and the Vatican

We planned to attend the Good Friday service at the Vatican at 5 PM, thanks to a friend in Rome who secured us tickets. Having the morning free, we decided to visit the Capitoline Museum.

As a history lover and a former high school history teacher for 25 years, I was excited to head to the Capitoline Museum for what was likely the 8th or 9th time. My partner had never been there, so I was eager to share the experience with him.

What I appreciate about the Capitoline is its manageable size. Unlike larger museums such as the Louvre or the Prado—which can leave you feeling exhausted after trying to take in so much—the Capitoline's collection of Roman art is just enough to digest comfortably. The building itself is fascinating, and the art is impressively displayed. My favorite feature is the large central hall with the bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius on horseback.

After exploring the museum, we strolled back toward our hotel, grabbing food along the way, and enjoyed a few hours of downtime before heading to the Vatican.

"How long will the service last?" my partner asked on the way. "Probably a little over two hours," I replied. "TWO HOURS?" he exclaimed. "What do you expect? It's the Vatican," was my curt response.

One important thing to know about attending papal ceremonies is that they are lengthy; they're manageable if you're prepared for that. They are also rich in tradition, music, and symbolism, excellently choreographed, and deeply spiritual if you choose to engage with them.

The chanting struck me most about the Good Friday service at the Vatican. There is a haunting and melancholic chant used only on Good Friday when the Gospel is sung. It's hard to describe, but as I followed along with the English translation in my booklet, vivid images danced in my imagination.

Our tickets allowed us to sit near the choir, which placed us at the front of the crowd but behind the altar area. Fortunately, a journalist in front of us was live-streaming the ceremony on YouTube, so when we couldn't see what was happening at the altar, we followed along on her screen.

At one point, even I felt the ceremony dragging on. I looked around at the 8-foot-high letters lining the ceiling and dome, the side altars, the people, and the gilded chair in the back. I noticed four teenage boys behind us making paper airplanes from their entrance tickets. I chuckled as it reminded me of my days in the classroom.

After the service concluded, we made our way out of the basilica and toward our lodging.

My partner had struck up a friendship with a couple he met in Cortona, who were visiting from Mississippi. He encouraged them to expand their travel plans while they were in Italy. Later that morning, in Cortona, he introduced them to me.

As we walked across the bridge over the Tiber toward our apartment after the Vatican services, my partner suddenly spotted the couple from Cortona standing right before us. "With all the thousands of people in Rome this weekend," he noted, "we happen to be crossing the same bridge at the same moment!" We were all astonished. We stopped to chat and swap travel stories. "I'm not Catholic," one of them said, "but when I walked through the 'Holy Door,' I felt something like a huge hug. I was almost in tears." Her husband explained how they had hopped on a train to experience Rome. "We have to run for dinner," they said, and we all shook hands, still in disbelief.

We intended to attend the Way of the Cross at the Colosseum that evening, my favorite Holy Week service in Rome. However, after the service ended and we walked home, grabbed food, and sat down to eat at our apartment, we realized we only had 30 minutes to get to the Colosseum from the other side of town.

I wanted to go, but I decided to pace myself, finish dinner, and then decide. Considering various factors, including my aching feet and the remnants of a cold, we ultimately decided to forgo the Colosseum and watch part of it on YouTube while enjoying a more relaxing evening.

The lesson I took from this experience is that sometimes, when I travel, I need to let go of my plans to maintain a positive experience and be present in the moment.

The second lesson is that travel creates magical experiences, like the one we had on that bridge.

Step 7: Saturday at the catacombs

I hadn't visited the Catacombs in decades, and my partner had never seen them. I did some online research to find the "best" catacomb to see, and "San Callisto" came highly recommended by most visitors, likely because it contains the tombs of the first popes and that of St. Cecilia.

Since we were unsure about the bus routes, we decided to take a taxi, which cost us about 20 euros. Once we arrived, we realized that the buses were relatively easy to navigate, so we took one back.

The area of the catacombs is located on the Via Appia, in a beautiful region surrounded by fields and olive trees. It felt like we had stepped into another world, just 20 minutes away from the historical center of Rome.

Our English-speaking group included a wide variety of people, but the largest group caught my eye; they seemed to be members of a prep school for girls, with a leader who occasionally tried to guide the conversation of our archaeologist/guide instead of simply listening.

However, I pushed that thought aside and focused on the tour.

Anyone interested in archaeology shouldn't miss the catacombs. The corridors lined with tombs, the centuries-old graffiti scratched into the walls, and the painted mausoleums all created a sense of being in a time machine, transporting us back to the 2nd and 3rd centuries.

The tour lasted about an hour, and by the end, we were hungry. But first, we wanted to see the chariot tracks left on the exposed parts of the Via Appia Antica. When we asked a kind-looking lady driving a tourist shuttle, she told us it was "up there, about a 5-minute walk." In reality, it was closer to a 15-minute walk. Still, it was interesting to see the buildings along the way, walk past the tomb of Caecilia Metella, and finally reach the original stones of the Via Appia, where the tracks were clearly visible.

Nearby, we found a charming family-run restaurant with great outdoor seating and a fantastic atmosphere. We ordered hamburgers but quickly remembered why it's usually wise to avoid ordering a hamburger while traveling in another country. "This isn't about the food; it's about the experience," my partner said, and he was right.

After leaving the restaurant, we hopped on a bus in the wrong direction, got off, and boarded the correct one. Once back in Rome, we wandered through the city towards our apartment, reflecting on our morning at the catacombs.

Step 8: Easter Sunday and the Surprise of Pope Francis

My friend in Rome got us excellent tickets for the Sunday Easter mass. We sat behind the altar next to the choir. We noticed several choirs and an orchestra, which we could hear but not see.

The weather was sunny, the atmosphere joyful, and the ceremonies were meaningful. We could walk up to the railing and get a close view of the altar area while looking out at the ever-increasing crowds in the piazza.

After the service, Pope Francis came out on the balcony. It was difficult to see him clearly as he was seated in his wheelchair. However, we listened to his speech, which was read by an assistant. He spoke about war and peace, love and hate, meaning and emptiness. I was particularly moved when he addressed the suffering in Gaza. After the speech, Pope Francis gave a blessing. Although his voice was weak, all reports indicated that he was recovering.

Then, it was over. I felt happy and grateful to be there, as did my partner.

We decided to dodge the crowd and leave before everyone else. We hurried down the steps and were about to exit the piazza when I spotted a bathroom. "Posso?" I asked the strict guard, meaning "Can I?" I went down the long corridor to the restroom, and when I returned, I saw an announcement on the jumbotrons: "Pope Francis will be descending shortly."

Suddenly, a guard motioned for us to step behind a barrier with about eight other people to wait for the Pope.

Then, it happened. In an open-air jeep, the Pope came from the side of St. Peter's. The next thing we knew, he was just four feet away. We were amazed and couldn't believe our luck. "If we had left a minute earlier, we wouldn't have seen this!" my partner exclaimed.

We waited as the Pope was driven around the piazza. A few minutes later, as he returned to the area from which he had come, he was in front of us again. I took a video, wanting to capture the moment. Looking back, I wish I had kept the camera in my pocket and just looked at him, waved, and enjoyed the moment instead of only filming.

But I was close to him, and he was close to me, and that was enough.

Step 9: The return and hearing the sad news

We returned to our apartment, packed our bags, and prepared for our trip back to Tuscany.

The next morning, we grabbed a coffee, loaded our bags, and set off for Tuscany around 9 AM. I asked my partner, "Do you want to cook tonight?" He replied, "Nope. Why don't we stop at our favorite breakfast place? They serve lunch, too. We can get food and have it for lunch and dinner."

It took us about three hours to reach our destination, and we arrived at our favorite breakfast café around noon. "Buon giorno!" one of the women who worked there greeted us.

After placing our order, we turned to see the owner, our friend, coming to greet us. "I saw on your Facebook page that you got close to Pope Francis yesterday," she began. We nodded and smiled in response. "It's so sad that he died today." My mouth dropped open in shock. "You're kidding, right? This is a bad joke, isn't it?" I asked, but she shook her head. I quickly fumbled for my phone and opened the news app. "Pope Francis passed away..." I turned to my partner. "Pope Francis is dead!"

I can't fully express the emotion I felt at that moment—like a weight had dropped onto my heart and settled there. He was one of my heroes, someone who showed me that there is room in the church even for someone like me; in fact, there is room for everyone.

"I can't talk about this," our friend, the owner, said as she backed away. We sank into two chairs, overwhelmed. "Yesterday, we were so happy to be close to him; today, he is gone. How is that possible?" I asked. We sat in silence, struggling to comprehend the joy of yesterday and the devastation of today.

Easter in Rome was unlike any Easter we have ever experienced or will ever experience again. Even amidst the sadness, I felt grateful for it.

As soon as the date of his funeral was announced, we rushed online and booked a place near the Vatican. After it occurs, I will write another blog post about what happened, how it felt, and whether it provided us the necessary closure.

More next time.

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