Rome-ing around the Eternal City

I HAVE a great pal, Mick Doc, who regularly makes reference to his Catholic pals—including myself—as ‘Good Romans,’obviously coming from the fuller term ‘Roman Catholics.’ But I’m not sure Mick knows, because I didn’t, that this term originated in the 16th century and was initially used by Protestants to differentiate the Church they had separated from. It was their way of expressing their contempt and disapproval. So I’m delighted that it has since become a more universally accepted phrase and one that we are now proud of.

I was thinking about this when hubby and myself took a wee trip to Rome earlier last month. We wanted to go—like so many Roman Catholics from all around the world—for the jubilee year, and to take a walk through the Holy Doors. Walking through the Holy Doors—if you don’t know what they are—is a spiritual act that symbolises entering into God’s mercy; a symbolic gateway to spiritual conversion. For many, it also involves receiving a plenary indulgence so it’s no wonder I saw so many skip through them clicking their heels together!

Our original trip was set for May, but following Pope Francis’ death and the subsequent conclave, we were strongly advised not to go. And I’m so glad we didn’t, because Rome became something of a Catholic Disneyland with an estimated 15 million tourists descending on the city over that period. There were long, winding queues for everything from basilicas to toilets, restaurants to buses, and all in the discomfort of a scorching heat. So we did the right thing, and October turned out to be a pleasure with temperatures of 21-24 degrees, easy access to everything, and nothing like the crowds they experienced from April to September.

Our trip was therefore a tranquil Roman Catholic experience as we sauntered in and out of the basilicas of Santa Maria Maggiore, Santa Maria della Vittoria, Santa Maria deli Angeli e dei Martiri, among many others. We paid our respects at the unassuming gravestone of Pope Francis, admiring its simplicity. But of course it speaks volumes about the man he was; a simple man whose lifestyle and ethics were totally empathetic with the poor. He wasn’t a pomp and ceremony type of guy.

We were a half-hour walk from the Vatican, so we strolled to Mass on Sunday morning at 10.30am in St Peter’s Square. What we didn’t expect was Pope Leo XIV to celebrate Mass. What a lovely surprise and something we’ll treasure. He then took a tour around the square and down the ‘road of reconciliation’ in his Popemobile, so we got to see him at close quarters and not just on the big screen. We were happy Romans. Well apart from getting annoyed with the tourists who were making calls and face timing live during Mass. That was so disrespectful.

People watching

Rome is a fascinating city and the Roman people are equally fascinating to watch and listen to. I did a fair bit of Aperol sipping and people watching to be fair, so I do feel equipped to give a solid opinion. The women are stylish and mostly makeup free. Not a drop of fake tan, fake eyelashes or botox lips in sight. The men are like tailor’s dummies, so well-groomed and dressed in sophisticated Italian handmade suits and shirts. Little clusters of nuns in cream coloured habits darted like sheep being herded from one side of St Peter’s to the other to get a closer glimpse of ‘Il Papa.’ Chinese tourists appeared to chase each other, their chests thrust ahead leading the way, such agility and swiftness in their crusade. Pilgrim groups in matching t-shirts and lanyards walked side by side reciting the rosary. Baby-faced student priests in long black cassocks floated like ghosts to the nearby restaurants after Mass to fill up on carbonara and bolognese pastas and sample the local wines.

There is this incredible energy and passion in Rome and its people, even the police sirens are loud. Yet in just a few small steps inside any of the churches the silence falls on you like a heavy theatre curtain and you’re swiftly at peace having a private audience with God.

Sights of Sorrento

We ventured down to Sorrento, making a pit stop in the town of Cassio, home to the oldest and the Mother Monastery of the Benedictine Order founded by Saint Benedict of Nursia in 529AD. It’s located on a mountain peak 516 metres up and is quite a sight to behold. It’s also incredible that it still stands considering the amount of times it has been almost destroyed Between Muslim attacks, earthquakes and Germans blasting it during World War II, the monastery has survived and been restored to its original state.

We had a long, lazy lunch in a spectacular terrace restaurant in Sorrento overlooking the breath taking bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius. We felt we had a ‘sign’ as we walked up to the main reception when a guy with a Celtic hat walked right past us. Hubby called out ‘Hail Hail’ which he acknowledged with a laugh and a thumbs up. We were in the right place, and we were mesmerised, so we just wanted to sit there taking it all in, as opposed to rushing around souvenir shops buying bottles of Limoncello, oven gloves or hand-painted tiles. Tourist tat I call it. It’ll be a lunch we’ll never forget.

Pompeii and ceremony

We then travelled onto Pompeii to walk amidst the maze of stone structures that gave us real insight into the daily lives of those who lived there. Structures that were once people’s homes, restaurants and bars, wash houses, public amphitheatres, a forum and main square, all before being covered with six metres of volcanic ash by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79AD. This city was frozen in time containing human remains that were first discovered in 1599 when workmen began digging a canal, however, proper systematic excavations did not begin until 1748.

Our guide, Ariana, did a grand job of filling in the details of this catastrophic event. She was both well read and funny, all of which added to our archaeological experience. So when she pointed out the ‘entertainment rooms’ of which there were many, with their amply sized phallic-shaped stones both intact and prominent outside the buildings, there was an eruption of sniggers and lots of whisperings behind cupped hands. Well, they do say it’s the oldest occupation in the book. Some things never change in life eh?

The sophistication of the road and drainage systems enabled storm water to run down the sloped streets into a network of tunnels, channelling rainwater and waste away from the city. There were even raised blocks used as stepping stones which enabled residents to avoid the waste and debris that flowed along the street. The underground tunnel system is still intact and used to this day to help manage water. Pompeii gives us an incredible insight into the social and economic, religious and political systems in place all those years ago, and to this day they are continuing to uncover more.

They say when in Rome do as the Romans do. I can confirm we did a lot. Visiting chapels, basilicas, castles and catacombs. We ate pasta and drank wine. We walked, we mastered the metro system and we prayed. And we will never get bored of it. This wasn’t our first trip, nor will it be our last. Big shout out to Charlie Rooney for his expert guidance on all things Rome. And finally, if you do one thing in your life as a ‘Roman,’ go to Rome!

L J Sexton, mum of four, returned to university to pursue her passion for the written word. She achieved her Honours Degree in English Literature and Creative Writing and hasn't stopped writing since. Lyn is born of Irish parents and lived in Donegal for eight years. She is also the press officer for Irish Minstrels CCÉ music group based in St Roch’s Secondary School

PIC: NICHOLAS HARTMANN