Jerusalem way - Page 9

Sutri - Rome

It is getting hotter and hotter, further in the green countryside it goes over dirt roads past Lago Monterosi to Campagnano di Roma. As is often the case, the destination is on a mountain. At the Centro Parrocchiale, a kind of community center, I waited a long time for someone, I was again too early. The hospitalero, who arrived later, showed me the dormitories that resembled classrooms. We chatted a bit and he told me that tomorrow prisoners will have to walk a piece of Via Francigena as a social project. They would also spend the night here. I find it not bad. Only in the evening, when I came back from exploring the city, there was another pilgrim here, only one, that surprises me a bit. At least I'm rid of the snorers from the last accommodations.

Mostly on small roads and beautiful paths today we went via Formello to La Storta. The heat wore us down a bit. Anyway, time flew by as I suddenly realized in the nunnery, where I was staying with 2 German pilgrims, that I would reach Rome tomorrow. In the beautiful garden of the monastery I spent the warm evening with cheese and beer. Full of excitement, we had breakfast the next morning in the bar across the street and each went his own way. Only in the evening we met again in the accommodation.

So I ran then also early, the way through the Roman suburb was not so sparkling. Gypsies rummaged in the garbage containers, a lot of traffic, noisy, dirty. Then I met a Santiago pilgrim on the road, who had just started from Rome. You still have far to go I said, and he nodded happily 🙂. Overheard, that many pilgrims are traveling in the opposite direction. Only when I ran down the Monte Mario, I overlooked the beautiful Rome, saw my destination today, the Vatican. Arriving at St. Peter's Square, a young woman looked at me and asked, "Pellegrino?". "Si, si." Marti was quite enthusiastic about my route, we talked for a while and took a few more pictures together.

Now I first had to work through the organizational things: Get Testimonium, look for accommodation. Everything was unproblematic. As a pilgrim you register at the Swiss Guard, is checked by the police and is allowed to use an extra passage. Then you get your pilgrimage certificate, otherwise you stand in the crowd for hours. My accommodation I found in the Trastevere district, past Castel Sant'Angelo, a few kilometers along the Tiber, about opposite the Circus Maximus. Spedale della Provvidenza, a very good pilgrim hostel, with breakfast and dinner. Here you were allowed to stay 2 nights, so I made sure that somehow I could see Papa Francesco the next day. And I was lucky, tomorrow happens to be a mass for the Carabinieri, otherwise I would have had to wait here until Pentecost. But then there is really a lot going on here.

The hostel belongs to the Brotherhood of St. James, like the one in Radicofani. That is, there were again common meals and ritual foot washing. Dormitories were separated by gender. There were many pilgrims here, now and then someone came who had been read or heard about on the way. So there were many interesting things to hear. The next day I was at the Vatican early because I wanted to get a good seat. That was good, I had to defend my pole at the railing with force 2 hours before the Papa-Mobile arrived. It brought tears to my eyes to have such a moment on the tour.

And who did I meet there, in the midst of thousands of people? Alain and Gabrielle 🙂. This already happened to us in Siena. The crowds there, but we ran into each other. Fate, coincidence? No matter, just beautiful. And so we strolled after the Pope's Mass for a long time to the ancient sights: Tiber Island, Circus Maximus, Roman Forum, Imperial Forums, Palatine, Capitol, etc. We ended the beautiful day not in the accommodation, but in the pizzeria together with the German pilgrims with a few beers. The night was too noisy for me in the dormitory, I lay down in the anteroom. Bad mistake, the hospitalero woke me the next morning with shouting. Strict regime here 🙂.