Photo Galleries > ROMAN PILGRIMAGE 2007
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BD. POPE JOHN XXIII'S ALTAR
FR. PEREZ OFFERS MASS AT THE ALTAR OF THE INCORRUPT BODY (RELICS) OF BLESSED JOHN XXIII AT THE VATICAN BASILICA OF ST. PETER.
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FR. PEREZ CELEBRATES MASS AT THE ALTAR OF OUR LADY OF THE MIRACLE
THIS IS THE IMAGE OF OUR LADY, THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION AS APPEARS IN THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL, WHO APPEARED TO THE AGNOSTIC FRENCH HEBREW, ALPHONSE RATISBON. HE WAS CONVERTED TO THE FAITH ON THE SPOT AND EVENTUALLY CONVERTED HIS BROTHER. THEY BOTH BECAME PRIESTS. THIS IS THE ALTAR WHERE ST. MAXIMILIAN KOLBE CELEBREATED HIS FIRST MASS IN 1918. THIS IS FOUND IN THE CHURCH OF SANT'ANDREA DELLE FRATTE IN ROME.
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RELICS IN THE VATICAN BASILICA OF BD. POPE JOHN XXIII
FATHER WAS ABLE TO CELEBRATE MASS AT THE ALTAR OF BLESSED JOHN XXIII, ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR IN THE VATICAN (THERE WERE EVEN SEVERAL BISHOPS IN ASSISTANCE DURING THE MASS).
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BD.. SACRAMENT CHAPEL AT ST. PAUL'S BASILICA WITH MIRACULOUS CRUCIFIX
IN THE BLESSED SACRAMENT CHAPEL AT THE BASILICA OF ST. PAUL OUTSIDE THE WALLS WE FIND THE BEAUTIFUL MEDIEVAL CRUCIFIX WHICH CAME ALIVE AND TAUGHT ST. BRIDGET OF SWEDEN THE FAMOUS "FIFTEEN PRAYERS" IN HONOR OF CHRIST'S PASSION. THIS WAS MIRACULOUSLY SAVED FROM THE FIRE WHICH DESTROYED MOST OF THE BASILICA IN 1826. IT IS NOT FAR FROM THE ALTAR WHERE THE RELICS OF ST. PAUL ARE FOUND.
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MASS AT THE CHAPEL OF ST. STEPHEN PROTOMARTYR, BASILICA OF ST. PAUL
IT WAS A PRIVILEGE TO CELEBRATE HOLY MASS AT THE ALTAR OF ST. STEPHEN OUR PATRON IN THE BASILICA OF ST. PAUL OUTSIDE THE WALLS. IT WAS THE BLOOD OF ST. STEPHEN, FIRST MARTYR AFTER PENTECOST, WHICH CONVERTED SAUL INTO ST. PAUL.
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ECCE AGNUS DEI - BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD!
MASS AT THE NEW ALTAR BEFORE THE VERY TOMB OF ST. PETER THE APOSTLE IN THE CRYPT AT ST. PETER'S BASILICA CONSECRATED BY POPE JOHN PAUL II WHOSE TOMB IS ALSO NEARBY.
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ST. STEPHEN THE PROTOMARTYR
MAGNIFICENT MARBLE STATUE OF ST. STEPHEN IN THE BASILICA OF ST. PAUL OUTSIDE THE WALLS.
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MONUMENT TO POPE ST. GREGORY THE GREAT AT ST. ANDREWSS
THIS MONUMENT IS FOUND IN THE CHURCH OF THE MONASTERY OF ST. ANDREW BUILT BY POPE ST. GREGORY THE GREAT WHEN HE BECAME A BENEDICTINE MONK IN HIS OWN HOME. POPE JOHN PAUL II GAVE THIS AS HEADQUARTERS OF THE MISSIONARIES OF CHARITY IN ROME TO BLESSED MOTHER THERESA OF CALCUTTA.
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THE PIETA OF MICHELANGELO BUONARROTTI
AS ONE ENTERS ST. PETER'S BASILICA, AS SOON AS ONE GETS OVER ITS MAGNIFICENCE (IT TAKES A FEW MNUTES AT LEAST, IT IS INCREDIBLE!), ONE NOTICES ON THE RIGHT SIDE THE ALTAR OF THE PIETA. THIS IS PERHAPS THE MOST FAMOUS SCULPTURE IN THE WORLD. IT IS THE ONLY ONE SIGNED BY THE ARTIST. IT IS HERE THAT THE HOLY FATHER DONS HIS VESTMENTS WHEN CELEBRATING MASS IN THE BASILICA.
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FR. PEREZ BY ST. PETER'S STATUE
THIS STATUE OF ST. PETER IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR SPOTS FOR PILGRIMS AND TOURISTS ALIKE. THEY KISS OR RUB THE SAINT'S FOOT (EXTENDED FORWARD AS A SIGN OF HIS AUTHORITY OVER THE WHOLE CHURCH ON EARTH) SO THAT THE TOES ARE WORN OFF. THE ORIGINAL STATUE (MARBLE) FROM THE CONSTANTINIAN BASILICA OF THE EARLY FOURTH CENTURY IS NOW FOUND IN THE CRYPT OF THE BASILICA.
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RELIC OF THE HEAD OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST
FOUND IN A SPECIAL CHAPEL IN THE BASILICA OF POPE ST. SYLVESTER, THIS IS THE SKULL OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST. THERE ARE OTHER SO CALLED SUCH RELICS. THE PRACTICE WAS TO TAKE A PIECE OF THE SKULL AND INSERT IT INTO ANOTHER SKULL. THUS WE SOLVE THE MYSTERY OF ST. JOHN HAVING MORE THEN ONE HEAD AS SOME HAVE CLAIMED. THE SKULLS BECOME A REAL LIFE RELIQUARY!
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BASILICA OF OUR LADY OF LORETO
THIS BASILICA WAS BUILT OVER THE RELICS OF THE HOLY HOUSE OF THE HOLY FAMILY TRANSPORTED MIRACULOUSLY BY THE ANGELS TO THIS "HILL OF LAURELS" THUS "LORETO" FROM THE LATIN "LAURETANUM". ALL RECENT ARCHAELOGICAL DIGS CONFIRM THIS AS BEING THE HOUSE WHOSE FOUNDATIONS ARE STILL IN NAZARETH. FOR MORE SEE MY ARTICLE IN THE CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA, OSV EDITION.
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OUR LADY OF THE SNOWS
CHAPEL OF OUR LADY OF THE SNOWS AND OUR LADY HEALTH OF THE ROMAN PEOPLE IN THE PAPAL BASILICA OF ST, MARY MAJOR. BUILT OVER THE SPOT WHERE OUR LADY MADE IT SNOW ON AUGUST 4--5 CA.. 350 A.D. UNDER THE REIGN OF POPE LIBERIUS I. THE FRIEZE SHOWS THE POPE TRACING THE FUNDATIONS OF THE ORIGINAL CHURCH ON THE SNOW. THE PRESENT BASILICA WAS BUILT AT THE REQUEST OF THE FATHERS OF THE COUNCIL OF EPHESUS IN 431 A.D. TRADITIONALLY THE REIGNING SOVEREIGN OF SPAIN IS THE MAIN BENEFACTOR OF THE BASILICA.
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FR. PEREZ STANDS BY ST. GREGORY THE GREAT'S THRONE.
FOUND IN THE CHURCH OF ST. ANDREW BUILT BY ST. GREGORY ON HIS FAMILY HOME, THIS THRONE USED BY HIM AS POPE SITS IN A CHAPEL IN HIS HONOR.
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OUR LADY QUEEN OF PEACE
THIS LOVELY IMAGE OF OUR LADY AND JESUS WAS MADE AT THE COMMAND OF POPE BENEDICT XV AFTER WORLD WAR I AS A PRAYER FOR PEACE. IT WAS THEN THAT HE ADDED THIS INVOCATION TO OUR LADY'S LITANY, ALSO KNOW AS THE LITANY OF LORETO.
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MAIN ALTAR AT THE BASILICA OF SAN LORENZO IN DAMASO
THIS BASILICA DEDICATED TO THE ROMAN DEACON AND MARTYR, ST. LAWRENCE, WHO WAS ROASTED ALIVE ON A GRILL, WAS BUILT BY POPE ST. DAMASUS (A SPANISH POPE), WHOSE SECRETARY WAS THE GREAT FATHER ST. JEROME WHO GAVE US THE VULGATE EDITION OF THE BIBLE, THE OFFICIAL CATHOLIC BIBLE
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BAMBINO GESU DI ARA COELI
THE BABY JESUS OF THE BASILICA OF ARA COELI, LATIN FOR ALTAR OF HEAVEN, IS A FAVORITE OF THE ROMANS, ESPECIALLY CHILDREN, WHO COME TO RECITE POETRY BEFORE HIM DURING THE CHRISTMAS SEASON EACH YEAR. THE "ARA COELI" IS THE HIGHEST SPOT IN ROME AND THE EMPEROR USED TO GO PRAY TO THE PAGAN GODS THERE. CAESAR AUGUSTUS IS SAID TO HAVE HAD A VISION OF THE COMING MESSIAH, THE SON OF THE ONE TRUE GOD, AS HE PRAYED THERE AROUND THE TIME OF THE BIRTH OF CHRIST.
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RELICS OF ST. JOSEPH TOMMASSI
IN THE BASILICA OF ST. ANDREW ONE CAN SEE THE INCORRUPT RELICS OF ST. GIUSEPPE TOMMASSI, THEATINE CARDINAL AND LITURGIST OF THE 17TH CENTURY. THE THEATINES WERE FOUNDED BY ST. CAJETAN (GAETANO IN ITALIAN) OF THIENNE, THUS THE MONIKER "THEATINES" FOR HIS ORDER.
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THE TOWN HALL OF ROME
THE CAMPIDOGLIO OR TOWN HALL OF ROME STANDS NEXT TO THE ARA COELI CHURCH. DESIGNED BY MICHELANGELO IT BOASTS AN ANCIENT STATUE OF THE SO-CALLED PHILOSOPHER EMPEROR, MARCUS AURELIUS SEATED ON HIS HORSE. ENLIGHTENED AS HE WAS, THOUGH, MARCUS AURELIUS PERSECUTED THE CHRISTIANS FEROCIOUSLY. ALL HUMAN WISDOM, IF IT STAYS JUST HUMAN, HAS SERIOUS LIMITS...
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BASILICA OF THE HOLY HOUSE
BEAUTIFUL VIEW OF THE BASILICA OF THE HOLY HOUSE IN LORETO AS YOU APPROACH THROUGH THE GATES OF THE PAPAL COMPOUND AND PALACE. THE BASILICA IS ONE OF THOSE PLACES RESERVED BY THE HOLY FAHER FOR HIMSELF AND HE HAS A RESIDENCE THERE IF HE WANTS TO COME AND VISIT FOR ANY TIME. IT IS, INDEED, A SPECIAL AND HOLY PLACE.
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THE FAMOUS TREVI FOUTAIN
THE FONTANA DI TREVI IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL FOUNTAINS IN THE WORLD AND CERTAINLY THE MOST FAMOUS IN ROME. IT WAS FEATURED IN THE MOTION PICTURE "THREE COINS IN THE FOUNTAIN" BECAUSE ACCORDING TO LEGEND WHOEVER THROWS THREE COINS IN THE FOUNTAIN WHILE LOOKING THE OPPOSITE WAY WILL SURELY RETURN TO BEAUTIFUL ROME, THE ETERNAL CITY.