Fine Settimana di Pasqua

Holy week in Rome was crazy intense! A few weeks leading up to it we started to notice the floods of tourist come in. There were lines at all our usual hang out spots and the buses and streets were super crowded. Even though I guess I am still technically a ‘tourist’ I did not like all these people invading my city, now I blend in with the tourist so my strong attempt to blend in is fading. On Good Friday my friend and I went to the Coliseum for a Stations of the Cross ceremony. There were A LOT of people there and we were all standing in the square right outside the coliseum and between the Arch of Constantine. The pope said a little prayer before and then all the stations were read in Italian. It was basically a bunch of people staring up at a stage where people were reading the story. The coolest part was seeing all the people from all over the place and hearing Papa Bene’s voice I hadn’t heard it since I went to World Youth Day in 2008.
(my view of stations of the cross, Papa Bene is under the red tent)
(Me with my De Michele margharita pizza!)

Saturday a few friends and I took the regional train down to Naples. I had been dying to go there because the artist of my favorite book (Eat, Pray Love) said the best pizzeria in all of Italy was there. We took the slowest, cheapest train which took 3 hours which went through a lot of pretty countryside. We heard some horror stories of how dirty and sketchy Naples was but honestly I didn’t think it was that bad. The city reminds me a lot of Mexico (no offence fam bam.) the streets near the station were dirty and there were a lot of immigrants selling random things but I never felt unsafe except for whenever I was crossing the street. I thought Roma was bad but I don’t believe people in Naples even need a license to drive! We walked around the major city sites, got THE pizza at De Michele’s which was as good as Elizabeth Gilbert said it was! There was a huge line to get in but the cooks were so nice and insisted I take a picture with them. We walked along the water which was gorgeous and then headed back to Roma in time to rest for what comes next.
(Bridget and I on the coast of Napoli)
(my look back of the crowded Piazza)
Easter mass was insane to say the least. Katarina, Catherine, and I got in line outside St. Peter’s square at 6am and there were about 30 people ahead of us, the doors didn’t open till 8:30 and the mass didn’t start till 10:15am. The wait did not feel that long and we meet some cool people but I was the group representative to run through security and try to get us the best seats possible. Once the doors opened it was MADNESS I threw my purse through the security machine and bolted through the crowd, security tried to stop me from running but I just smiled and said Buona Pasqua! I wish I could have film that moment it was great I was literally running with nuns and leaping over chairs and people but my efforts got us in the 3rd row dead center of the altar.
(Papa Bene!)

(Me infront of the St. Peter's- this is where my seat was!)
We ended up being surrounded by a bunch of US students 2 who go to USF, so crazy, but I was literally shaking I was so excited and pumped about our location. Despite it pouring pretty much the entire mass it was great. Communion was super hectic but being in the presence of sooooo many people from all over the world was amazing. I did not realize HOW MANY people were around me until we tried to leave. We just kept walking past tons and tons of people all standing and smashed in gated areas which made me so grateful for my chair way upfront. After mass we had an Easter dinner at Katarina’s apartment and then the next day all schools are closed for Holy Monday so we had a lovely picnic in Roma’s huge park Villa Borghese.
(Papa Bene's final message from his balcony)