A Little Bit of Back-Tracking...

+JMJ+
Back to catching you all up on Holy week.
On Good Friday, I went to Stations of the Cross at the Colosseum with my family.  My family had no seen Pope Francis yet.  We knew he was going to be saying the stations of the Cross at the Colosseum, so we went to spend Good Friday evening with him.  We ended up spending a good part of our afternoon there as well;  we arrived at the Colosseum four hours prior to the time when stations were scheduled to start.  My family got a taste of all the waiting for the Holy Father I've been doing this semester.  They handled it pretty well, and it was a fun time to share with them!

My siblings!

Trying to be artsy while waiting for Papa and contemplating Christ crucified and reading for class...

Papa!   (The lighting makes him look like retro Papa,,, this was not intentional)

On Holy Saturday, I intended to spend the day working on homework and studying, but I instead I ended up working on organizing my life a little bit, walking around Trastevere to check Easter Vigil times at different churches, and spending some quality time with friends and family.  Holy Saturday night, the vigil of Easter Sunday, I went to the Easter Vigil Mass at St. Cecila's.  It was so so beautiful!  There were only about forty people there, which was a nice change of pace after so many thousands of people at papal Masses and events.  The liturgy was a beautiful celebration of the resurrection of Jesus! We processed down into the crypt of the Church for the part of the Mass in which the people renew their baptismal vows.  My mom, my sister, and two of my classmates went with me.  It was perfect.

Blessing the Easter candle

Preparing the incense

St. Cecilias's during the Easter Vigil 

Processing down into the crypt

Christ is risen!  Alleluia!

Easter Sunday was a joyous occasion, as it should be!!  We got up early and went to wait in line for Easter Sunday Mass with Papa.  The gentlemen held our spot while the ladies took a morning coffee break.  It was a long wait, but by the grace of God through the generosity and persistence and bravery of my RD, we ended up in the 9th row back from the altar. That's really close!!!

Early morning coffee break!

We sat this close!!!  Deo gratias!!

Pope Francis paused in front of this image of the Risen Lord

Easter Gospel!

JESUS!!!  

Swiss guards

Pope Francis, making rounds on the Pope Mobile

Urbi et Urbi address after Mass

After Mass, I came back to where my family is staying to try to get some work done, but I just fell asleep for a few hours instead.  I believe those few hours were more productive than any schoolwork could have been at that point.  Deo gratias!

This evening, I just got back from a two day trip with my family, one day in Florence, one day in Assisi.  It was so beautiful, but also exhausting, and I still have much to do in preparation for tomorrow, so I must wait to share with you about my little two-day excursion.  Hopefully my blogging will return to a more regular state soon!