Diary of a Pilgrim

Southern Cross and Radio Veritas pilgrims travelled to Rome and Assisi for the canonisation of Ss Pope John XXIII and John Paul II. CLAIRE MATHIESON takes us through her diary of each day of the pilgrimage.

DAY 1 & 2

We met at OR Tambo International. Some of the pilgrims were easy to spot: the white Fowler Tour caps stood out in the crowd, but many others blended in, so the first flight involved trying to make eye contact with people in the hope they’d somehow recognise you.

It was only once we were on the bus in Rome on day 2, that we saw our group in its entirety. And what better way to get to know everyone than by spending time together at Mass and sharing in a delicious Italian meal. By the end of the day, we knew one another and friendships were forged.

DAY 3

The night was short and morning came fast. Our alarms went off at 3:15 and we were on the bus an hour later, headed off to become part of history as Popes John Paul II and John XXIII were canonised. But so too were a million other people. There was a degree of anxiety. What would we see? What wouldn’t we see? How many Poles would be there? Did I pack my wallet?

Thousands had camped out overnight and despite getting to the Vatican before sunrise, we were still 800m away, positioned at the bottom of Via della Conciliazione, the road leading to the Vatican. We found a position next to a group of young people from the Czech Republic piled on top of blankets, camping bags and mats. Half were still sleeping, the others chatting or praying the rosary. The spirit was festive and the atmosphere exciting.

Our South African pilgrims were decked out in their Bafana Bafana and Springbok jerseys (no Protea fans on this trip?) and waving South African flags. Some had brought chairs; others hit the floor unafraid of the Roman dirt. The wait would be long and legs would be tired. Five hours later, another few thousand additional people had joined our already cramped space and body space became non-existent.

The pushing was spectacular and tensions rose high. The mixture of pushy people desperate to catch a glimpse of a screen collided with the passion of the Italians. As soon as it sounded like a fight might break out the internationally recognised “ssssh sssh” would pacify the argument. Peace prevailed. As the crowd got too thick and you bonded a little too closely with those around you,  people still tried to push forward with no room to move. It was a recipe for disaster but miraculously no one was hurt.

Sadly, some of our group did get pushed out and a mini group relocated to the less-congested Navona Square where a smaller but equally passionate crowd was watching the ceremony.

My favourite moment was after the ceremony as Catholics from around the world streamed out of the Vatican waving their flags, joyously renewed.

Almost as expected in a crowd 1 million strong, two pilgrims went missing and did not make it back to the bus. Reports to the police were prepared, phone calls to South Africa made and a mad dash around the immediate vicinity by those in running shoes was undertaken three or four times, in the hope of spotting the lost souls. Thank goodness for running shoes and a new fitness regime.

The group was reunited and the bus ride home was a time of reflection—the meal that night was a time to recount the history we had just been a part of.

DAY 4

The group was grateful for a good night’s sleep in their comfortable hotel as the day would be another busy one. Discovering ancient Rome and Rome of the Renaissance was on the itinerary.

Our day started with Mass in the beautiful St Alfonso church. A neighbour to St Mary Major basilica, it’s hard to believe so many beautiful places of worship exist in such close proximity.

After an encouraging word from spiritual director Fr Emil Blaser, we headed towards the basilica. Rome was still particularly busy—far busier than usual, raising concerns of the infamous pick-pocketers. St Mary’s, like the other basilicas, can leave one dizzy from the dramatic ceilings. We found a similar situation inside the basilica of St John Lateran, our next stop.

I particularly enjoyed seeing this church, the pope’s parish church as the bishop of Rome. The basilica was also decked out with giant pictures of the two newly canonised saints—both of whom called this church their parish. It was another special moment.

Pilgrims had the opportunity to visit the Colosseum next. The stories and histories of the landmark are intriguing but what is most mind-boggling is the quality of workmanship and the speed at which it was built.

It’s a reminder that not only gladiators and animals died here but thousands of slaves who did not build up to scratch.

Lunch was spent at the world-famous Trevi fountain where we enjoyed a slice of classic Italian pizza and tossed coins into the fountain, with the hope of returning to the Eternal City.

We also saw the Pantheon which was dedicated to pagan gods but recently celebrated 1405 years as a Catholic church.

After another mad scramble to find a missing pilgrim, our afternoon was spent on Navona square before heading back.

Day 5, 6 & 7

I don’t speak Italian but I do eat it —lots of it. Partly because it’s delicious and partly because it just keeps coming. The sights and sounds keep coming too. Rome is not a city you can do in just a few days, or months, but pilgrims were treated to the must-see highlights. Tuesday would see our return to the Vatican, this time to explore the Vatican museums, Sistine Chapel (hold on to something, you’re about to get dizzy again) and St Peter’s basilica.

Again, the city was chaotically busy; the lure of the city and its new saints was unprecedented. Pilgrims were blown away by the chapel and the basilica, where they could stop and pray at a chapel dedicated to St John Paul II and see the uncorrupted body of St John XXIII.

The sheer scale of the basilica is something that you are continuously reminded of. The lettering around the inside of the dome is 2m high—something incomprehensible from down below. The statues too dwarfed our pilgrims.

In the afternoon we did what popes do in the summer time, we retreated to Castel Gandolfo, the traditional summer residence of the popes. It is peaceful, green and beautiful. Mass here was serene and inspiring and a good opportunity to ease into the evening.

Day 6 was another early one. We had a pope to see! The papal audience is not a Mass, but rather a time for the Holy Father to share a message with the faithful. It’s a joyous occasion and our pilgrims brought out their flags once again. I’m fairly certain Pope Francis heard us when the “pilgrims from South Africa” were welcomed on loudspeaker.

The papal audience and canonisation were meant to see rain. If the new saints are to become patrons of something, I propose they become saints of the weather clearing up. The weather always improved at pivotal moments!

Our pilgrims got very close to Pope Francis and were able to wave and get a good look at the pontiff as he drove past.

I did warn pilgrims to ensure they saw him through their own eyes, and not through the screen of an iPad or camera lens. We’ve travelled this far to see him in person; you can view him on a screen from your couch. And we did see him!

We continued on a high note! After a bit of shopping and lunch, it was off to the catacombs, a fascinating history in Christianity seen up close before joining the bishops of Southern Africa for Mass in St Paul’s Outside the Walls.

The pilgrimage coincided with the ad limina visit of the region’s bishops. It was a beautiful moment for many of the pilgrims to see their bishops in Rome.

It was also an opportunity to put a face to the names so familiar in Catholic media—this was no more true for this journalist who has a great telephonic and digital relationship with many of the bishops but had not had the pleasure of meeting many of them. This was it!

Day 7 was our morning to sleep in. And it was well-needed. The hours of walking, standing and the emotional experience of encountering Rome, the saints and our popes had been exhausting.

We were able to further relax and enjoy the drive through the Umbrian countryside on our way to Assisi, famed as the home of St Francis and St Clare.

Photos are not allowed in the majority of Assisi’s churches, forcing pilgrims to experience the church with their own eyes—not a bad thing at all! Assisi had a slower but spiritual pace.

We received further insight into the popular saint and learnt more about his faith life—something quite apt considering we had just encountered the pope who had taken his name.

From spending time in St Mary of the Angels, where St Francis’ church still stands, to visiting the basilicas of St Francis and St Clare, pilgrims were able to understand Franciscan spirituality.

Pilgrims hiked along the same path St Francis did and spent time in Greccio where he created the first nativity scene, and visited Fonte Colombo where the saint wrote the rule of his order.

And all too soon, it was over and we were reminiscing on the trip. We were physically tired but spiritually renewed.

And the best part of a pilgrimage? You might be one person but you don’t have to do it alone. You start out with strangers and you end with friends—those that have inspired you and grown with you in the faith.