SIMONE (...AND NAN) IN ROME
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On Thursday, 3/14/06, we took off from Duesseldorf at 7:20. Flying time to Rome was about 1 hour 40 minutes.
When we landed in Fiumicino, the hotel driver was not there yet. There might have been accident? But finally he arrived anyway.
About the audience tickets, I must explain that since my husband is not in good health, I had written the Prefecture of the Pontifical Household (fax # available at
www.vatican.va/faq/index_ge.htm)
at the beginning of March to ask whether it was possible to make a seat reservation at the audience for people who had health problems. They answered very kindly within three days that reservations were not possible but that as a rule, there were always enough seats available, that they would reserve the audience tickets for us and that we could pick these up the day before the GA from their office by the Bronze Door.
That is an experience by itself to get the tickets, because one has the chance to step into the Apostolic Palace, even if it is only at the entrance. We picked up our tickets around 6 p.m. to avoid the long queue of visitors to the Basilica, as one passes by the Bronze Door on the way to the Basilica [if one is coming from the right side of the Square].
We happened to arrive during the shift change of the Swiss Guard so it was most interesting. However, only one of us could go in to get the tickets (who would that be?)… And so we got the blue tickets imprinted with “Reparto Speciale” [special section], and I had no idea until the GA started the next day that our tickets were special, because all the others arriving had green tickets.
After we got through (I can’t really remember if we had to go through personal inspection or not!] we asked a Swiss Guard where to go and he showed us the way to Paradise!!! And since it was relatively early (before 8), we had seats in the second row on the left of where Papa would be seated, but somewhat set back, as I had described earlier.
In general, one should get there early – they open the gates to St. Peter’s at 8 a.m. but already a crowd was there by that time.
The Prefecture had also informed us when we asked that tickets for the Mass on 3/19 were restricted only for Italian workers [it was called the Mass for Workers because it was St. Joseph’s feast day], that visitors would not be allowed, but that we could follow the Mass on the giant TV screeens mounted on the Piazza. I was very disappointed because I would have been very happy to experience a Mass with Papa.
In February when I asked the German Pilgrim Center about admission to Mass at St. Peter’s, they answered me simply, “You don’t need a ticket for Mass,” saying nothing about Italian workers, etc. I had imagined the Center at the Vatican to be much bigger with more staff, etc., but it turned out to be a relatively small office, somewhat like a government office in a German province. But they are very friendly and ready with information, so we went back there two times more.
I can only highly recommend our Hotel, Atlante Star, in via Vitelleschi. It has small rooms, but relatively more expensive. But that seems to be the rule if you want to be centrally located. The location is really very very favorable – a hop and skip away from St. Peter’s Square, the Vatican Museums or Castel Sant’Angelo. Crossing the Tiber, one can walk easily to Piazza Navona, Campo dei Fiori, the fountain of Trevi and the Spanish Steps.
Now we see why Papa-watching became so addicting! The window she encircled is the famous bathroom window!
Directly opposite the hotel is the Cantina Tirolese. But the best thing about it is the roof restaurant on the 6th floor with a dream view of St. Peter’s and Papa’s apartment! There is a roof terrace on the 7th floor but i was closed for renovation. If only because of that view, I will certainly use that hotel again. I don’t know what the food is like because we only ate breakfast there.
Most times we ate in the Cantina Tirolese, because quite apart from the association with Ratzi, the food is good; also many times at the Tre Pupazzi in Borgo Pio, which we liked best of all the restaurants in the area. I felt very happy that smoking is no longer allowed in Italian resaurants and bars, because although I used to smoke, I now cannot stand the smell of cigarette smoke!
Our room was on the 5th floor next to the inner courtyard, so quite peaceful, although we could hear the bells of St. Peter’s quite well!
Therefore the first thing I did in the morning and the last thing at night, always with my binoculars, was to go Papa-watching from the roof restaurant. Heaven knows what the other guests thought about me, I couldn’t care less – I wouldn’t have this opportunity again easily.
Since everything was easily reachable, we traced Ratzi’s steps in the Borgo on Tuesday afternoon – through Borgo Pio, via Mascherino, Piazza della Citta Leonina #1 – the main door was open, a concierge sat inside, and I asked if I could take pictures. He nodded Yes. You know the lobby now – Lapiranja took photos – and there is an elevator right next to the stairs, so Papa did not always have to take the stairs!
From there, into St. Peter’s Square and across the Piazza to the Ufficio (office of the CDF)… Meanwhile, for the first but not the last time, I was overcome by an urge to get on my knees and kiss the ground, as if I were on a pilgrimage – always thinking, here he walked back and forth daily for so many years …Incredible!…And then a pair of priests appeared and my fantasy crashed!
Directly opposite the Ufficio is the tailoring shop Euroclero. I went in among the priestly garments and fabrics are on display to take a photo, but I was ‘herauskomplimentiert” {Simone, ich weiss nicht was!]
After we had retrieved our tickets that first evening, we went to St. Peter’s just before it closed to get a first impression, but it was too dark inside to evoke the anticipated feeling!
Later we went to the Cantina for dinner with another couple from the hotel who happened to be standing otuside and looking at the menu… There are actually some people to whom one must explain that this was Ratzi’s preferred eating place! [small joke!]… tThen two priests came in, once again spoiling the fantasy….
So, here is where he sat and ate…His table (Nr. 6) is a table for 8 (???). They have attached a small bronze plate to it, and the waiter said he was never there alone…
Wednesday, 3/15/06, was the big day. As I said earlier, we were there shortly before 8, but the waiting time was not in the least boring. There was so much to see and to observe… and on top of it, the weather was great! We got ourselves a good tan! Papa’s secretary “Mietek” was running here and there, in a long black coat, like a big cat.
Then gradually, the bishops started to arrive. Some of them came over to our section, where there were also nuns and priests. Two rows behind us sat more nuns – one of them was chewing bubble gum and would giggle after blowing a nice big bubble…
One first hears the applause erupt before one sees Papa. That feels like one has stuck a finger into an electric socket!….By the time he arrived in the Popemobile and got off it, we were all standing on our chairs…and it was total madness!
The wind blew to and from his direction, and I breathed in deeply in the hope that an air molecule had found its way from him to me …{Giggle}…I have always wondered how “tiny” Papa really is… But he is not at all delicate… I would rather say, he seems to me rather compact, one might say. And he is pale.
The audience lasted till 1 p.m. Before it started at 10:30, the anoouncer had already ready a whole list of Germanand Italian groups present. Whether this always happens, I don’t know, as we do not get to see it on K-TV.
At the end, the bishops present are the first to approach him, and Papa seems to speak with each one in detail; then the pilgrims in wheelchairs are brought up to him. Then he began to speak with people who were across from us. Many brought gifts for him. If there were any prominent people there, I have no idea. [Teresa's
note - Danielle would have been there, wouldn't she?]
The audience has lasted too long and the security people kept looking at their watches. Then when Papa climbed back into the Popemobile, we all cried “Oooohhhh!” in disappointment, and that is when the miracle happened.
The Popemobile came slowly in our direction … For a heartbeat I feared he would just ride by… I called out “Heilige Vater, Heilige Vater”… and he extended his left hand to me and I could hold it for 2-3 seconds!
That is me! she writes, and look at her hand in Papa's!
What a gift! I had no words, I was completely up the moon! His hand was coool and dry… He must surely have frozen despite his beautiful coat because he sat in the shade all the time. I could have warmed him as I had warmth enough for 3, having sat 5 hours under the full sun!…
I will never forget those seconds in which I could hold his hand; they are like burned into me! He had looked at me only briefly when he held out his hand to me, then he looked over behind me. My husband stood behind me and had the impression that Papa had looked at him as if to say “Should I give you my hand too?”… but since my dear husband can be a mischievous rogue, I don’t know whether to believe him.
Papa-Watching at 23:00 – Lights still on in his bedroom… Well, no wonder, he couldn’t fall asleep because of me! {GIGGLE, GIGGLE]
Thursday, 3/16
Papa-watching around 8:00 – Kitchen and diningroom alight. By 11:00 – only the kitchen has lights on.
Unfortunately, it is raining today, so we are visiting the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. On the way there, we passed by the new Gate that was inaugurated a few weeks ago.
There was quite a long waiting line, in the rain… A group of Asians were well protected by large umbrellas… A group of pilgrims from Eifel were there; we had quite a lot to talk about yesterday’s audience.
After an hour we finally got in….In the Sistine Chapel, one must be quiet, no photos or videos allowed, and you cannot sit on the chairs. There are benches for seating. Despite the crowd, the atmosphere was very beautiful, and once again I had the urge to fall to my knees and kiss the floor. …Here it all happened… Here it was decided… How must his heart have raced…. And here was his chair for the concert of the Regensburg Domspatzen….
After visiting the Sistine Chapel, we made a brief visit to the Sant’Anna Church. These small churches often seem more festive than the bigger ones… and I thought once again of him…
Back in the hotel, there was an electricity blackout, and we had to walk 5 floors up with candles and flashlights… Siesta!
Friday, 3/17/06
Papa-Watching ca. 7:15: In his bedroom, one of the shutters is open; at 7:30 it is closed again.
Today, we visited the tomb of John Paul II just before 8 a.m. A Mass was being celebrated. But one had time to stay a little by the grave. I prayed to him, “Watch well over our Joseph, you tagged him, so now please help him.” And I could see his mischievous smile clearly with my inner eye!
Through a side passage one can catch a glimpse of Peter’s tomb. Wow, unbelievable! …Next, I climbed up the Dome of St. Peter’s, first with an elevator, then up 300 steps by foot. If you can manage it and have the strength for it, it is highly recommendable. The view is just fantastic. After that we visited the Camposanto Teutonico [the German cemetery with its own church inside the Vatican grounds], a beautiful still oasis… Then once more into St. Peter’s cathedral, where of course, one rubbed Peter’s Foot and prayed one’s wishes….
After a coffee break, we went on an open-top sightseeing bus. One is provded with taped guides and earphones, and you can get off when you want to visit a sight, and then catch the next bus …You’re familiar with that… At the fountain of Trevi, we carefully tossed coins over our left shoulder- who knows, maybe it works… Then further on to the Spanish Steps. The wreath from December 8 still hung on the Marian column.
The church at the top of the Spanish Steps was unfortunately completely under scaffolding and even the beautiful fountain in front of the steps was under repair(?) Nevertheless, a lot of people were sitting on the steps, sunning themselves. They have recently forbidden people to eat on the steps, and an Italian macho type with a whistle watched carefully that no one opened a food pack.
We started back to the hotel on foot, but passed by the photo shop to look at the photos from the GA. They had 3-4 that were halfway reasonable and I ordered 15x20 prints at 3 euros each. With a 3-euro surcharge, the photos would be ready by Tuesday, and it would take 10 days to reach me by mail.
Meanwhile, NanMn had called the hotel and we arranged to meet in her hotel bar that night. That was such a great joy. Long live the Internet! She travelled here from the USA especially for Papa, and despite my so-so English, we had a lot of fun! We had such an eager exchange that my dear husband now had the problem of having a double load of Benaddicts whose sighs and moans he had to endure! (small joke!] …
Papa-watching around 23:00 – Lights still on in the bedroom!
Saturday, 3/18/06
Sun in the morning, warm at noon, cloudy in the afternoon…
Papa-watching at 6:30- Both bedroom windows with their white curtains closed. No lights. But in the bathroom, one could see a wall lamp through the white curtain… Mmmmm…I will not write what I was thinking about our sweet angel …The Lord will forgive me, it was just a little hormonal disturbance, it will pass….mmmmmm....
By 8:00, no lights were on.
In the Pilgrim Center, I bought the current issue of
Osservatore Romano in the German edition – That means, one gets it anyway but a small donation is expected. We asked again about the Mass for next day. The man said that officially, it was a Mass at the initiative of the Italian bishops conference only for Italian workers, but we could try to get in. No tickets were available for visitors, only the Italians had tickets, and sometimes the tickets were carefully inspected, sometimes not.If we could not get in, we could still follow the mass through the giant TV screens on the Square.
We had arranged to meet NanMn at 10:00 at the Obelisk... and we went for a walk, first towards the colorful market at the Campo dei Fiori, then to drink coffee on the Piazza Navona, and then visited the Pantheon. Gammarelli’s was closed (it was Saturday) so we could only photograph the store sign.
NanMn was going on a bus tour in the afternoon, and after a siesta, we took the Metro to St. John Lateran. “His” church, the mother of all churches. There was a Mass celebrated by a bishop. I find it so great, that all the churches are open, and that often there is a Mass going on.
Papa-watching at 21:30- Lights on in the study, in the bedroom and in the kitchen! Maybe he wanted a snack served!
At 22:15 – lights on in the kitchen only, all else dark. Sleep well, dear Papa! When I think of how your dear head is resting on your pillow, I can only ask all the angels to guard you well in your sleep.
Sunday, 3/19 – clouds, sunny
Papa-Watching at 6:20 – Everrything still dark, the curtains in the bedroom drawn.
Even at 7:15, nothing changed. Can it be that on Sundays, Papa sleeps longer? If that were so, I would not begrudge him at all!
At 8:15 we picked up Nan from her hotel. We had agreed that in any case we would try to get into St. Peter’s. Already there was a long line that reached almost up to the left colonnade – all Italians (as far as one could see), most in their Sunday best, and with tickets.
NanMn and I were terribly on edge, my husband was very skeptical, but the first part went well, we went through inspection, and then they checked for tickets at the entrance to the Basilica, and that was it. They pointed us to the chairs in front of the giant TV screens.
There were, of course, many more people there who also wanted to get into the church, and we were joking to each other when suddenly someone cried, “Look, Werner got through,” and this Werner called back, “Come on, we can get in now!”, and we followed right behind him and saw there were no more ticket checkers!..
We all got in, towards the right side of the nave (Papa’s left as he faces the congregation) and we got in just before the Mass started. We could see the altar well but not Papa’s chair. It didn’t matter, we kept saying, “I can’t believe it, I can’t believe it! A woman in front of us smiled at us and said “Praise the Lord!”
Then it starts – Papa is coming, one hears the applause from the main nave and sees the Cross, then we see him, how he goes up to the altar and kisses it and then incenses it. Simply wonderful! Marini is of course near him, also Cardinal Ruini…The choir sings…
Papa is there, we are there, we are together, a part of the whole, can anything be better than that? …We listen to his homily… his beloved voice… it’s heavenly!
This photo page shows the long line of people waiting to get into the Sunday Mass; the Mass booklet; Simone and Nan after the Mass; and two wonderful shots of Papa saying mass.
Before leaving, once again I had the irresistible urge to fall on my knees there where he had just passed through. His chair was still there, and Nan said, “Let’s feel it, if it is still warm!” But the spoilsport gaurds would not let us near!
At 11:15, we were back in the Plaza. I thought, it must be rare to have so many people here! The Square was full. And once again, I was flabbergasted that some wer asking, “What is happening? Is the Pope going to be here soon?” Oh, these poor people, they don’t know any better!
Just as I was saying to Nan “We are so lucky with the weather!”, shortly before 12, it began to rain! And of course, it stopped as soon as Papa appeared! He spoke about St. Joseph, and he said thanks with laughter for the good wishes he received on his name day. The Angelus was carried over the giant scereens, and with my binoculars I would look up there then down here…
A wonderful experience. You may have seen it dozens of times on TV but it is something else when you are right there.
Nan and Simone at Papa's table in Cantina Tirolese. The brass plaque on the wall commemorates His Eminence who became Pope on April 19, 2005.
Papa-Watching at 19:30 – Both study windows with the lights on, also the kitchen.
At 21:00 – The same
That night we met up with Nan again in her hotel bar, then we took one last walk together on the Piazza, and then sadly, we had to say our farewells. It was so beautiful to meet someone from the Forum. I hope it is not the last time it happens…
Papa-watching at 22:30 – Both study windows have lights on, the bedroom also, but the curtains are drawn.
23:30 – all is dark. Only a small window that is over the left bedroom window is lit.
Monday, 3/20
Today we leave Rome and this is my last time for Papa-watching.
6:15 – Bedroom lights off, but the wall lamp is on in the bathroom again.
6:25 The same
6:55 No lights, everything closed
7:50 Lights in the dining room
Dear Papa, now you can have your peace back! [
Because Simone is no longer watching?]
We leave the hotel at 8 a.m. to go to the airport. I take a last look, I am a bit sad because I must now leave and I have a lump in my throat, I send him one last kiss, and one last look at St. Peter’s, then curtains.
God has sent two angels to earth, one is Papa, and the other my beloved husband who accompanied me, despite his misgivings and his poor health, not only accmpanied me , but also was happy for me and with me, and with true angelic patience, even endured the sighing and moaning of two Benaddicts.
As we flew over the Alps towards home,in brilliant sunshine, I could only thank the Lord that he held his protective hand over us and for the happiness that befell us, and for the precious gifts that we have been al1owed to receive.
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SIMONE- WHAT A WONDERFUL STORY! God saw you deserved it! I mentioned to Benefan last week that when you wrote your story, I wished that your husband would play a central role in it, and he did, and I am so glad for both of you! Now, we will sit and wait for NanMn's part...Thank you for sharing your story. With your photos, I felt like I was beside you watching those windows and getting a definite sense of his presence!
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 23/03/2006 16.42]