This morning we were blessed to find Mass being said in the Chapel where Padre Pio celebrated Mass and reconciliation on numerous occasions. I then went to the hill of the Stations of the Cross.
I gathered you up with me as I walked this road of Calvary. The sky was a beautiful clear blue. Each station was sculptured in bronze and silver with figures, about a meter in height, set amongst green trees and ferns. Each station dramatically portrayed the tragedy of the murder of Jesus. The victory of Christ’s resurrection was the summit of the journey.
We also were shown the thurible (‘incensor’) that Nicola and Corrando had made in 2002 for the formal celebrations of the New Church. They used gold and silver, and incorporated a disc from an ancient farm plow to include the history of the area into this sacred item.
We then caught the bus from San Giovanni Rotonda to Foggia and then the train on to Rome. The train has proved to be a fascinating experience both times. We have met wonderful people who have helped us plan our journey and made sure we arrived at the right station. We share this journey with three lovely travelers – Maria Grazia, Giovanni and Giuseppe. We had so much fun sharing stories about our pilgrimage, our family, our wonderful countries and our faith journey. It was so much fun the trip took no time at all. It was amazing to learn that Maria Grazia is passionate about Icons and has acquired several beautiful works. She is a primary school teacher and Giovanni was a medico.
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| Wendy and Maria Grazia |
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| Giovanni and Giuseppe |
It was a laugh to share the photos of the trip and some ones from home – so if you were on my phone camera you were introduced to our new friends – sorry kids I particularly showed them how special you are.
I was also able to show off our beautiful Australian beaches and Sydney Opera House.
We had to have a photo shoot to keep the memory of the new friendship alive.
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| Saying goodbye to Donato who had looked after us at the Hotel. He was off to have a day on his Kawasaki 750 |
This morning when we were saying goodbye to Nicola, he commented about the stars in the Australian sky. We take them for granted. I was surprised that when I looked up at the sky in Rome tonight the only lights that could be seen were Venus and the full moon. How strange – ‘I love a sun burnt country a land of sweeping plain, of rugged mountain range...’.
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| Love the Car I had to show you this one - the bike is as big as the car! I love it! I am going to bring one home in my suitcase, I am sure it will fit! |
