October 8, 2021 • Tivoli Gardens

Some kind friends offered to let us borrow their car.  So before our temple shift later today, we took a morning drive out to Tivioli to visit the Villa d'Este with its spectacular gardens.  The palace and gardens were built by Ippolito d'Este, a Catholic Cardinal and son of Lucrezia Borgia (the femme-fatale who probably inspired the Blood, Sweat & Tears song "Lucretia McEvil")!  Ippolito fell out of favor with the church when he demolished a Benedictine monastery to build his palace.  But history remembers him kindly for his beautiful gardens with hundreds of gravity-powered fountains.  

The Oval Fountain

The Fountain of Neptune

Avenue of the Hundred Fountains

Terraced Gardens

Pomegranates

 

The Dragon Fountain

The Water Organ 

(It actually plays)

Deluxe Panini's (panini di lusso) in Tivoli Old City

08 October 2021 • Sprouting Seeds

We are loving this wonderful opportunity of being here at this unique time.  The temple currently has only one evening shift per day from 4:00 pm until 9:00 except on Saturdays that also have morning shifts.  We have not yet been able to return to a normal schedule of two shifts every day due to the limited number of trained workers and with covid related closure of patron housing.  But we are being trained and getting ready in anticipation of adding more morning shifts hopefully soon. Consequently, we are assigned on almost every shift, even sometimes two on the same day. And we are being used in virtually every possible assignment, including as coordinators in the various ordinance areas.

Last night I was assigned to be the coordinator over the baptistry.  A small group came from Caserta, near Naples.  This group included a senior missionary couple as chaperones, one experienced Melchizedek priesthood bearer, two men who were recent converts and the two sister missionaries who had taught these two men.  President Pacini has made it possible to provide train tickets for young missionaries to come to the temple with new converts if they have first taught them how to do family history work and have prepared them do baptisms for their own family members. The experienced brother first performed the baptisms for the new converts, doing this work for their own ancestors.  The new convert having just had that new experience would then in turn perform other baptisms. What a profound and rich experience for these new members and what a joy for us to watch the seeds they recently planted begin to blossom.

Rome Temple Baptismal Font

(stock photo)

 October 6, 2021 - Italy and Covid 19

When this pandemic first began, Italy was hit very hard and early.  That's why we had to return home early back in 2019.  Milano in the north, with fashion industry connections and daily flights to and from Wuhan China, was devastated.  Some smaller towns lost almost an entire generation of older residents.  Because of this, the Italians are taking vaccinations and the wearing of face masks very seriously.  A "Green Pass" (proof of vaccination) is required for trains, museums, restaurants, etc.  On busses, trains, stores and churches virtually everyone is wearing a mask. Even in crowded outdoor areas people are masked even though it is not required.  

This has not nearly become the divisive political issue in Italy as it is in the U.S. where many argue that mask and vaccination mandates are a violation of civil liberties.  We all are free to choose on which issues we will draw the line. And I admit that wearing a mask is kind of a pain. But currently Italy has a much higher vaccine and mask wearing rate than the U.S., and their incident of Covid infection and death rates are significantly lower. You could call this a coincidence and not cause and effect.  But for the Italians, this is not the hill they choose to die on, because the dying is not just figurative for them.  

 

 Monday, October 4, 2021 • San Giovanni in Laterano

One great advantage of being in Italy for three months is that we can experience it in many small bites rather than consecutive days of gluttonous overdosing like we had to do when we would bring student groups to see several countries in only three or four weeks. Today I focused on the Papal Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano with its accompanying, cloister, baptistry and Scala Santa.

The impressive nave of the basilica, redesigned in the early 1700's by Italian architect Borromini, is flanked by heroic scale marble statues of the twelve apostles, frescos of old testament prophets and Biblical events in bas relief. The mosaics in the apse center around Christ flanked by saints.  From cromatesque mosaic floors to sculpted and frescoed ceiling, this basilica is magnificent.

The peaceful cloister is surrounded by varied double marble columns and contains important relics including the porphyry slab on which it is believed Roman soldiers cast lots for Jesus' robe and the "Mensura Christi", a slab supported by four columns measures what is believed to be the physical height of Christ.

The Laterian Baptistry is built on the spot where tradition says the Emperor Constantine was baptized.

The Scala Santa is the stairway brought from Jerusalem by Constantine's mother that tradition says is where Christ ascended when taken before Pontius Pilate.  

On these stairs faithful Catholics make the prayerful climb on their knees in an attitude of prayer.  Three of the steps are stained with what is believed to be the blood of Christ.  At the top of the Scala Santa lies the Sancta Sanctorum, the "Holy of Holies" of this sacred edifice.  I walked up a different set of stairs and was blessed to have over 30 minutes as the only person in this small chapel "reading" the stories of saints and martyrs in the beautiful frescos.  We are loving our small-bite approach to Italy.

San Giovanni in Laterano

A nun dwarfed by the figure of Saint Andrew

Cromatesque Floor Mosaics

Varied Columns in the Cloister

"Mensura Christi" and Porphyry "Dice" Slab

Lateran Baptistry

The Scala Santa

Sancta Santorum

Sancta Santorum

Saturday October 2, 2021 - A Special Invitation

Elizabetta and Pierluigi, both natives of Rome, are the landlords of the AirB&B apartment we rented for our three months here, even though we are actually staying in one of the temple missionary apartments for now.  We were very excited and honored when Elizabetta invited us to come to dinner at their apartment in the city center.  Elizabetta came to pick us up a fashionable 45 minutes late with her two children, nine year old Andrea, and five year old daughter Lola.  What ensued during the drive into the heart of the capital city would make a Disney ride envious: Honks, curves, cobblestone clatter and constant chatter from Elizabetta, driving with one hand on the steering wheel, one hand holding a cell phone, and one hand on the stick shift?! And throughout the white-knuckle event, landmarks of the Eternal City were flashing past the car windows until we reached the checkered flag at her apartment overlooking the Colosseum.

The performance that followed was prepared from scratch and then enjoyed, one course at a time.  Elizabetta started with "Fiori di Zucchini".  We watched as she stuffed the zucchini flowers with fresh mozzarella and an anchovy, then battered and deep fried them.  Next, by mixing flower, salt, egg yolk plus a little egg white, she began hand mixing pasta dough, and with the help of a little pasta roller, prepared fresh linguini.  After about a two minute boil in salted water, the steaming linguini noodles were topped with a sauce she prepared from fresh tomatoes, a few mixed vegetables, Italian sausage and olive oil: very simple and buonissimo!  That would have been enough, but we still had a way to go.  The next course was "Salta in Bocca", literally "jump in the mouth".  Elizabetta wrapped prosciutto and dried sage leaves in a thin filet of beef, securing each with a toothpick, and quickly deep frying them.  The name says it all.  The final event was home-made cannoli.  Elizabetta mixed another sweet dough, rolled it into little squares, wrapped each around a hollow wooden dowel to hold the shape, and deep fried while still on the form.  Each crunchy tube was then filled with sweetened ricotta and little chocolate bits, garnished with candied cedar cubes and sprinkled with powdered sugar.  

It was almost midnight before we left the table for a little passeggiata from the apartment around the colosseum and Arc of Constantine.  The two children were just going to bed when we left, and the city looked like it wasn't planning on sleeping any time soon. Maybe that's why they drink so much cappuccino!  

What a beautiful and rare opportunity it was for us to spend an evening like this with such delightful people in their home in this historic place.  We finally strapped ourselves back into Elizabetta's little rocket for our return "home" and a repeat performance of "Mister Toadalini's Wild Ride".

Elizabetta in her cucina

Fiori di Zucchini

Preparing Linguini

Salta in Bocca

Cannoli Dough on Wooden Forms

Finished Cannoli

View from their Apartment

October 1, 2021 • Culinary and Visual Paradise

We did a little research for a good place to have lunch before our 1:30 reservation at the Vatican Museums.  A little back street, hole-in-the-wall Italian bistrot called Sfiziami had great reviews. (Note for later: Located at Via degli Ombrellari 7, between Ottaviano Metro stop and St. Peter's square.). Only an umbrella and two tables out front and four or five more tables indoors.  The cook kept checking to make sure my spaghetti carbonara and Chris' cannelloni al carne were to our liking.  I've never tasted rich, creamy carbonara like that: Buonissimo!!!  He takes great pride in his 20 years of pleasing both the hearts and stomachs of his patrons, and only wants to continue doing so until his last breath.  A shared tiramisu "fatto a casa" served with heart-shaped spoons completed his performance.

The Musei Vaticani is among the finest of art collections.  Even though we have been there many times in the past, we couldn't come to Rome without at least one more visit.  The only down side is that the Vatican is always very crowded, especially the "death march" through the quarter-mile long hallway of tapestries and maps.  Being here in October plus the pandemic has changed that.  This time we experienced a peaceful, slow-paced and uncrowded three hours.  It was a total joy to be there amongst the finest art in the world.  We even enjoyed our leisurely passeggiata through the tapestries and maps.

  

Sifiziami Italian Bistrot

             

Raphael • School of Athens

Most of the people in the room were in the fresco!

Laocoon

Belvedere Torso

Hall of Tapestries • No crowds!

Strange Masked Woman on the Metro

 September 27-29, 2021 - A Wonderful Trip to Florence

Because the temple is closed for cleaning this week we bought train tickets to Florence.  We had so many wonderful experiences in these three short days:

On Monday on the train to Rome we met Christopher, a young American who is a Catholic Chaplin. He and  a few friends came to Italy to see two of their friends be ordained as priests in Saint Peter's Basilica. We talked a lot about the our similar religious beliefs and told him of our mission to France and our Temple assignment here. We also told them that if they were looking for leather while in Florence to go see our dear friend, Massimo.  Later in the day we ran into them again in Massimo's shop.  They ended up buying several things including four jackets!

In the afternoon we walked to the Oltrarno side of the river to visit Jason Arkles in his studio.  I met him earlier online and wanted to see his studio: Amazing.  Some of the tools he has date back centuries, and I have never actually seen some of them.  Also went to the Romanelli Studio, still an active studio and sculpture shop.

Tuesday was a perfect day.  Breakfast in the hotel was not the typical Italian "espresso and cornetto".  Rather, they had bacon, eggs, pancakes, yoghurt, fresh juices, pastries....  We didn't really need it but did some serious damage anyway.  After finding exactly what Chris was wanting in the Mercado we went to the Bargello sculpture museum, one of my favorites.  Michelangelo, Giambologna, Bernini, Verrocchio, Donatello...the list goes on.  For lunch we just grabbed a very good pizza & insalata at a little open air bistro next to the museum.  Then it was off to the Academia to pay homage to seven incredible Michelangelo sculptures including his David.  Dinner that evening was with Massimo & Colette at "Za Za", a wonderful Italian place.  There was a huge line, but Massimo is friends with the owner so we had a table waiting for us.  A French couple near us offered their leftover partially full wine bottle which Massimo said was really excellent.  The couple said they where were from Senlis and were very surprised that we could not only speak French but also that we had eaten in "Les Barbares", a restaurant in their small town.  We just spent a lovely evening with our very dear friends.

On Wednesday we just relaxed with a visit to the Monastery of San Marco that has so many wonderful Fra Angelico frescos.  On the way to San Marco we passed by Mario's Trattoria, a great little hole in the wall that is only open for lunch and made a "prenottazione" for noon.  Learning a little Italian has been both very helpful and great fun.  The lunch of agnello arrosto, ravioli, zucchini and insalata was fresh, simple homemade goodness. Finally we made our way back to the Santa Maria Novella train station for our journey back "home" to Roma.  

The Duomo on a misty morning

David • Verrocchio and Donatello

Michelangelo's David in the Accademia

Fra Angelico "Annunciation" • San Marco Monastery

Dinner with dear friends Massimo and Colette