Now, just because the title says 5 days in Rome, that doesn’t mean … this post is in fact just part 2 of day 3. But you weren’t thinking that, of course.

After the Catacombs of St. Callixtus on the Appian Way, we headed out to the Basilica di San Paolo fuori le Mura (St. Paul outside the Walls), one of the major papal basilicas in Rome.

San Paolo fuori le Mura is a patriarchal basilica dedicated to St. Paul, near the site of his tomb and containing his shrine. It is also the Roman basilica assigned to the Patriarch of Alexandria, and the second largest church in Rome. (from http://romanchurches.wikia.com/wiki/San_Paolo_fuori_le_Mura)

It is also here we would celebrate our second mass on pilgrimage. Msgr. Dreiling was still in the hospital, and the musicians from OLPH in Fresno CA came prepared, under the direction of Ruben Cabatic. They livened up the liturgy indeed.

Notable at St. Paul’s are the mosaic portraits of all 266 bishops of Rome … and says Eleonora our city guide, “There have never been two living popes, so it is more than unusual to have both Papa Francesco and Papa Ratzi up there at the same time.” I didn’t think that was so unusual at all. I think she meant she hadn’t ever seen it in her lifetime.

Then in the evening, dinner at La Vittoria with Lois, Marta & Jim. Here are some of the dishes we enjoyed … unless we enjoyed it first, so I didn’t remember to take a pic.

Rolo B Castillo © 2014