The first leg of our flight took us to Amsterdam at 7 AM, (1 AM our time) and from there, we needed to get to the right gate for  our plane to Rome. Our arrival in Amsterdam and our departure  to Rome were at different parts of the airport,  requiring us to hurry  to reach  the gate of our second flight on time. The Passport Control officer asked me, “Are you in a church group?” Nick replied, “Yes she is, and I’m her husband.” We reached the gate on time, and we learned that the flight to Rome would take less than two hours. Soon we were in our tour bus heading for Rome!

The first church of our pilgrimage is called the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. We had never heard of it before, but our guide, Sofia, was very informative. We learned that it is a major Catholic basilica, one of the city’s Seven Pilgrim Churches, and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Built on the traditional burial site of the Apostle Paul outside the walls of Rome, the original 4th-century basilica was largely destroyed by fire in 1823 and subsequently rebuilt. We didn’t know what to expect, but  we were amazed by its stunning 19th-century portico with 150 columns.

When we entered the Holy Doors, we were stunned by its the massive size and  its rich mosaics. There are mosaic portraits of every pope, from St. Peter to  Pope Francis, with  a space ready for the eventual inclusion of Pope Leo XIV. Why did the church’s artists use mosaics? They are more durable than paint, which can be damaged by water, sunlight, and by the smoke from that many candles that were lit inside church.

After this experience, we were taken on  a panoramic drive, seeing many remnants of Rome’s bygone era. We passed the baths of Caracalla, in which we had seen Aida on our  honeymoon many years ago. We passed the Circus Maximus, in which chariot races were held. We  learned that chariot drivers had to go around the track seven times in order to win! We passed the Pyramid of Cestius, a structure that we had never heard about before, that was built in about 15 BC. Rome’s other pyramids no longer exist, but this one has been renovated and is open to visitors.   Eventually we reached our hotel, the Mediterraneo Roma. We observed that  the art on the walls there was done in mosaics.

Our first  dinner in Rome was held at a  nearby trattoria-ristorante called D’Azeglio, where our group enjoyed pasta, salad,  and pork, with tiramisu for dessert.

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