Fr. Z's Blog

The Roman day was made brighter by the rising of the sun at 06:47. It will rapidly get darker after 19:48.

The Ave Maria Bell should ring at 20:00.

Today the Roman Station is at Sant’ Apollinare.

Welcome Registrant:

monica13

The Crucifixion as Trinitarian Revelation
This miniature opens a 15th-century manuscript of St. Augustine’s works, placing the Crucifixion front and center. Above the cross, we see God the Father and the Holy Spirit as a dove, forming a powerful visual Trinity with the crucified… pic.twitter.com/MRKiiCgjxY

— Vir Desideriorum (@VirDesideriorum) April 10, 2025

I’m getting my legs under me.

Today I did shopping for necessities in The Hobbit Hole™.

ALERT: The beautiful apartment I had before IS AVAILABLE NOW.   THROUGH MAY (maybe).  t is a GREAT place.   I was so happy there.  And, I think they very much want to rent it.  Very close to The Parish™.  You won’t be disappointed.  HERE  To email… HERE  Tell them “don John” sent you.

Francis went into the Basilica today to pray at the tomb of Pius X.

I used to say Mass at that altar back in the day.  Often.  And whenever I see or think of it, I remember dear Fr. Goswin Habets, who was a brilliant prof at the Gregorian University.  He was there EVERY DAY.  Then we lived together for a while.  I helped him to bed the night he died.

In chessy news, something fun happened yesterday in the big “Freestyle” tournament in Paris. HERE

Today the sun rose over Rome at 06:37, shortly before my arrival, and it will set at 19:47.

The Ave Maria Bell ought to ring at 20:00.

Happy feast of St. Liborius.

Passport check went alright, quickly.   As it turns out, the fellow sitting next to me on the plane saw I was posting to this blog.  He works for a Catholic information entity and he recognized it.

Taxi, right away.  Nice driver.  We had a good chat coming in.

Things went smoothly.  However, had I arrived later in the day…

Due to the national air transport strike announced for 9th April, from 10:30am to 2:30pm, some flights could be delayed or cancelled.
Passengers are therefore invited to check the status of their flight with their airline. pic.twitter.com/vGjD3XVlW1

— Aeroporti di Roma (@AeroportidiRoma) April 8, 2025

And there is a national railway strike coming up.

So, Roman streets are bumpy, what can I say.

Again, from a moving cab. The side of the Church of San Nicola in carcere, built into an ancient temple.  Though the cab window.

Time for some breakfast.

They didn’t have any of my preferred simple cornetti, so I got one with some pistachio cream.

Here’s the visual jasmine report (and I don’t mean the Jesuit).

WORK has started in The Parish™!  I didn’t think it would start until long after Easter.   This restricts the use of the nave, but it will be worth it.  I’ve seen some photos of what is being uncovered as years… lots of years… of smoke, etc., is being gently removed.   No one is better at this than Italians.

Back in the Campo again…

Tonight for supper I had due spaghetti and a little roulade of chicken and prosciutto, rosemary and veal filling accompanied by a lovely “bio” Chianti with no additives. The artichokes are in, but I’ll probably go to one of my favorite restos for those.   Rosina near The Parish™ does an incomparable job.  And right now FAVE (“fá-vey”)!  Raw fave, fave beans, out of the pods with pecorino and cold white wine… heaven.   And there’s fave in tegame!   So many options.  Maybe tomorrow I’ll have liver and with fave and that nice Chianti.

6:39 and 19:46.

Those are the times for the Roman sunrise and sunset.

The Ave Maria Bell is in the 20:00 cycle.

I am not in Rome.  I’m in New York, but I am about to head to the airport for my flight to FCO.

Thus, today is my zeroth day in Rome.

I’m praying for a smooth flight.  I will for sure say prayers for my Roman Donors.  How grateful I am to you.

Yesterday evening we (clerics) went for some supper…

The burger was good, but I had to disassemble and construct it. Cooks… please… make sandwiches which can be eaten?

Last night we stayed up way too late talking. Then I played a few games of chess with one of them… way too late.

My little travel set which I have written about.  HERE  Super compact, but easy to play on.

This morning a bagel with lox. Yes.

And now I have to finish some packing.

UPDATE

In the lounge

There were not long lines, at first, but it seemed to take forever to get to the check in counter and through security.   It’s as if everyone is moving in slow motion.   So, the lines behind me got longer and longer.  Strange.

Anyway, I met a Nigerian priest in the lounge who is heading to Rome on the same flight.   We chatted for a while.  Turns out we know some of the same people.

I hope the wi-fi on the plane works this time.  It didn’t last time.  I’d really like to get some sleep, however, since I get into FCO really early in the morning.  That makes for long hard first day.

Closed doors. But we are being delayed because one dope after another keeps standing up.

Okay… we seem to be moving.

Later.

UPDATE

Almost there.