University of Mary High School Rome Pilgrimage

This morning, we were able to see some of the best historical sights of Rome. These sights included the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Capitoline Hill, and the Circus Maximus. Students were particularly struck by the sheer size of the Colosseum, and how on earth they could’ve filled it with water for the mock naval battles. It is truly incredible to be able to walk through such a magnificent feat of ancient engineering. We also were able to go pray in the very prison that held Sts. Peter and Paul when they were spreading the Gospel. Dr. Nicholas Emmel provided an excellent reflection on what imprisons us in our modern lives, and how Jesus can set us free. Thanks be to God for our amazing chaperones! 

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Our third day on pilgrimage started with a trip to the smallest nation in the world: the Vatican City. While the Vatican is not even a square mile, the museums...

Today we began our journey through Rome with Jesus Christ himself. We started by seeing the church of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, or the Holy Cross of Jerusalem. In this church alone, we were able to see a nail from the crucifixion, two thorns that pierced Jesus’s head, the inscription that hung above Him on the cross, the finger of the Apostle Thomas that he placed in Christ’s side, wood from the Good Thief’s cross, as well as some of the wood from the cross from which Jesus hung. Students were able to pray in the presence of these relics while our choir sang several beautiful hymns. This morning, we were also able to journey through the catacombs of San Callisto, where our students saw a fraction of the miles of tombs where Christian’s, including several early popes, were buried while under persecution from the Roman Empire. Here are some pictures from the day, including my catacombs group: Shanley High School!

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Day one of the pilgrimage has not disappointed! All the groups have had relatively smooth travel days. However, the final group ended up leaving Bismarck 30 minutes late. This means that we saw our 55-minute layover quickly dwindle to a 25-minute layover. However, there is strength in numbers, and with some coordination with other groups, we were able to get the flight attendants to hold the plane and allow us to all board. Not only have all our students arrived safe and sound in Rome, somehow, by the grace of God, every one of our 158 bags made it to Rome. Grazie Dio! Now we finish our day with Mass, and a big communal meal before we venture into the city tomorrow.

Thank you for your prayers!