So in my last post last thursday, a mere 4 days ago, i told the tale of my unreal experience seeing Il Papa up close, in the front row. i truely thought that was gonna be the most amazing part of my trip... oh no.
Yesterday, we had a mass to celebrate the begining of the school year with all the Ponitcal Univesities in Rome, it was held In Saint Peters Basilica. It was a huge mass 8,000 people where there. All of them were students or affiliates at the Pontifical Schools. The mass was in Latin and Italian. Same drill for this mass too, we got in line at 2:00 for the 5:00 mass, i was up near the front of the line so when they moved the barricades it was a mad dash through the security check point into Saint Peters. Mind you we are running full speed to get good seats and the mass starts 3 and half hours later. haha. well being the athletic adonis that i am (ha!) i got in the very first row in the very first seat. It was so cool. I had to drop my shoulder to a few monks but it was worth it.
The coolest part is yet to come.....
The mass ends and none of the 400 priests present move. Then from all sides come about 100 Swiss guards. Then from the way back fo the basilica there is a ROAR of the crowd. Mind you we are in a church. Here he comes walking down the isle, the friggin pope. At this point im so excited i cant contain myself and my roomate Rob is standing next to me balling. Well he makes his way up the isle and SHOOK MY GOD FORSAKEN HAND. I TOUCHED THE POPE AND HE LOOKED ME IN THE EYE! it was UNREAL!
oh, i was totally composed i had what i wanted to say to him as hes walking down. i was gonna say "bless you your holiness, all glory and honor to you" what came out at the time was "AHHHH OH MY GODDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" hahah didnt go as planned but i think he got the idea.
So me and Benny are homeboys now. it doesnt get much better.
on a side note: on sunday i went to a Roma soccer game, one of the more terrifying expirences of my trip. I knew it was gonna be trouble because i got frisked by what looked like a guy from the navy seals, he had an automatic machine gun out, a bullet proof vest and one of those riot helmets on. well we get in there and its crazy, there are flares going off, smoke bombs. every good call the fans would go nuts and throw stuff. It was amazing and terrifing at the same time. We plan on going to the Roma/ Lazio game which is suppose to be 50 times worse then the game i was at. it was fun
- pace,
Matty
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