Pilgrimage to Rome. 5th October

Feeling pretty tired just now as I was up at 2.30 am and it is now supper time. Great day though. The bus worked very well and Manchester Airport was a dream. Not often you can say that. Someone lost a watch and bracelet at security but got it back so that crisis was over. Not a lot of social distancing on Jet2.com but good journey with usual breakfast and a good view of Elba and the Italian coast. We awaited the medical check for Covid-19 at Fiumicino (Rome Airport) with some trepidation but just a man (somewhat overdressed in bright red Red-Cross overalls) checking an overhead screen that must have monitored us somehow. We just walked on by, as they say. (If that works and is efficient why do we not do it?) Sunshine was the first thing to hit us as we peeled off layers (only as far as a pilgrimage will allow of course) and were walking around in T-shirts. The bells of Rome are going off at the moment in the distance. We have a lovely hotel with an old church apse at the end of the road. We celebrated our first Mass in St. Alphonsus where the icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour is, and then went on to St Mary Major’s where the mosaics are amazing and we sat and listened to the rosary in Italian being sung. Nice hear some live singing in church (even though I am not often the one to say that.) Back from the Esquiline Hill to our hotel (The Lancelot), and after a good day and some good prayer I think most of us are ready for an earlyish night. We have been praying for the parish of course, but especially Malcolm and Bernard.