Bethlehem

 Merry Christmas!  Every day is Christmas day in Bethlehem, the town where Jesus was born. “Glory to God, in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”


(view from the balcony of our hotel)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Image
 +m I arrived in Rome yesterday afternoon.  We are staying at a "Casa" for pilgrims run by the Salesian Sisters of the Sacred Heart.  It is common that religious communities have houses of hospitality in Rome as a ministry and a way to raise funds for their congregation or order.  The lodgings are simple and perfect for the pilgrim - single beds, no TV in the room, no bar.  The house has a chapel and a great view from the 4th floor terrace.  Here is the chapel where I said Mass yesterday for the group.  Below is a picture of me and my parents on the terrace. Llegué a Roma ayer por la tarde. Nos alojamos en una "Casa" para peregrinos regentada por las Hermanas Salesianas del Sagrado Corazón. Es común que las comunidades religiosas tengan casas de hospitalidad en Roma como ministerio y forma de recaudar fondos para su congregación u orden. Los alojamientos son sencillos y perfectos para el peregrino: camas individuales, sin televisión en la habitación, s...
Read more

A tour of plazas and fountains (January 12)

Image
The Spanish steps and the Piazza de Spagna Column and monument commemorating the Immaculate Conception.  The Holy Father comes here each December 8 to pray and to place a wreath of flowers on the statue of Our Lady.     Trevi Fountain in the Piazza di Trevi.  The fountains of Rome are where the ancient aqua ducts built by the Romans come to the surface to provide drinking water to the city.  The tradition of throwing thee coins in the fountain to come back to Rome comes from the Roman soldiers making sacrifices to the god of the river for safe travel and to return home to Rome.   Piazza di Pantheon The Pantheon, built as a cylindrical domed temple to "All the gods",  is a very unique structure.  There are no other round temples in the ancient world.  Modern science and engineering are still trying to determine how the building has remained intact after more than 2000 years.  Now the Pantheon is a church dedicated to Mary and All the Mart...
Read more

St. Peter's Basilica

Image
 Our pilgrimage concluded Saturday and Sunday, January 13 and 14 with a visit to St. Peter's Basilica, a tour of the "Scavi"  - the excavations of the necropolis under the basilica, a tour of the Vatican Museums, Mass in St. Peter's at the main altar, and the Angelus and blessing of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square.   List of Pope's buried in St. Peter's Basilica Nave of St. Peter's Basilica Pieta of Michelangelo Tomb of Pope Benedict XVI View from the front of St. Peter's looking down the Via della Conciliazione Outside views of the Vatican Museum tour. Tombs of Constantine used for his mother and daughter Tapestries of the Resurrection Michelangelo modeled the image of Christ in "The Last Judgement" in the Sixtine Chapel on this sculpture. Sculpture discovered at the Domus Aurea  The Hall of Maps "Stairs of the Kings" - the stairs leading down from the Sistine Chapel which the Pope walks down after his election.   "Ange...
Read more