Day 3: New Year at the Vatican

We rose at 7 am and set off walking to the Vatican along the west side of the Tiber at 7.45 am.  Zero degrees temperature sped us up and we arrived at St Peter's Square at 8 am to join the line for the Papal Mass.

Maureen thought she had been pick pocketed by a woman in the line but found nothing missing - a cautionary tale about no leaving your bag behind your back with the zip undone!!  At 9 am we were seated close to the left front of main altar and joined with the Rosary in preparation.  The Mass was in Latin and began at 9.30 - each of us had a booklet in Latin, Italian and English so we could join in,  Here is the homily in English.  The singing and chants were numinous and the liturgy simple but powerful.  This was a special time to reflect on our intentions for the coming year and all the loved ones and friends that we are concerned for.

Some interesting things we noticed were the many security guards, the young people dressed as Magi (who took up gifts at the Offertory) and the young altar boy who had to kneel up on the high altar to try and retrieve a tall candle - only to get wax over the altar cloth!

After the Mass we waited for the appearance of the Pope at his window for the Angelus and a sort message.  The square was over half full - perhaps 300,000 people, most there to see the Pope.  This is all part veneration, part pilgrimage and part hysteria.

Maureen had problems when the toilet she had queued for anxiously was suddenly closed by the Police leaving many upset women who had been waiting.  The comment was made - 'women are treated like cattle'.  We had to get through the crowd to the other side if the square to get to some toilets at the underground station.

There were too many people to do anything else at the Vatican so we walked back to Trastevere via lunch on the Via della Concilianzione and the back streets of Trastevere.  On the way I sampled some -Trastevere Gelati - delicious!!

Since the fireworks kept us awake last night we did some domestic chores and had an early night.