PAPAL AUDIENCE

At the lobby of Hotel San Giorgio, Rev. Fr. Dennis Meim celebrated Mass at 6:00 a.m. This was followed by a quick breakfast then we walked to the terminal for a ride to the Vatican City. We arrived at St. Peter’s Square at 8:30 a.m. but were allowed to enter only after another half-hour.

There was a very big crowd and to keep everything in order needed a lot of people specially the security aspect.

We were assigned on the twenty second row in front of the canopy where the Pope was going to sit. Disabled people were seated on the right side of the canopy. We were surrounded by people who came from all corners of the world: British, Portuguese, Indonesians, Guatemalans, Polish, American Indians and many others.

Audience with the Pope ended at 1:00 o’clock in the afternoon. We proceeded to a nearby Chinese Restaurant. After lunch I separated myself from the group. I went back to the Basilica of St. Peter to visit the Catacomb. I took picture of the tomb of St. Peter and that of Pope John XXIII.

I failed to enter the Museum I failed to bring enough Lira. Going back to the hotel gave me a little problem because I did not know where to buy the ticket until someone helped mo how to use the machine nearby.

We met some Filipinos also on tour then later a lone member of Jehovah’s Witnesses. I did some window shopping around where I accidentally met brothers Robert and Domingo from the Philippines. We went to dinner afterwards.

After a little rest we started packing for a trip to the Philippines the following day..