CMSWR Summer in Rome 2013

Today Fr. Landry took us to a number of churches and sites: Sant' Andrea delle Fratte, the Spanish steps, the Capuchin Convent ("Church of the Bones"--more about that later), Saint Mary of Victory, Saint Mary of the Angels and the Martyrs, the Basilica of Saint Praxedes, Our Lady of Perpetual Help.  We then returned to St. Mary Major, and  lastly to St. Peter in Chains.

The "Church of the Bones" was inspiring in an unconventional way.  When the Capuchins had to move in 1631, they also moved the cemetery, which consisted of 300 cartloads of deceased friars.  One of the monks oversaw the arrangement of them in their new monastery, and as you can see, he was quite creative.  It is definitely a meditation on death.

As a special highlight for our Carmelite Sisters, who are celebrating the Solemnity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, we were able to pray before Bernini's St. Teresa in Ecstasy in the Church of our Lady of Victory.

Saint Teresa in Ecstasy by  Bernini

The Basilica of Saint Praxedes is built over a house church where the early Christians would gather to worship. Both Saint Praxedes and her sister were the daughters of the senator Prudens, who hosted Saint Peter when he was in Rome.  You can see the two sisters in this mosaic with Peter and Paul with their arms affectionately around their shoulders. Do you know the significance of the square halo on the figure on the far left?

Interesting fact: Fr. Landry in addition to being a very spiritual priest,  has a photographic memory which makes him an excellent tour guide.  He once memorized 450 pages of lecture notes and could recite them back verbatim to his teacher.