A Religious Experience

Last night Meghan, Erin, Carly, and I got to talking about how Advent started today, and we'd like to go to mass, and Erin wanted to hear mass in Latin, and, oh why don't we go to the Vatican?

So we did... Kathleen and her parents were there as well and saved us seats, but no sooner had we sat down than one of the ushers approached and asked, in English, where we were from.

I responded, "America..." not sure where he was going with that, but my questions were soon answered. He said, "America... hmmm. Do you think you would like to do the second reading in English?"

I paused a moment and said, "Um... me?" He responded, "Yes, if you like."

I nervously agreed, delving back through my memories of doing the readings at St. Francis of Assisi in the Netherlands, and he led Erin (who he said could accompany me so I wouldn't be alone) and me to the front row, gave me the book, let me read the passage a few times, and then did a quick run through of the motions we were to go through. I couldn't believe I was going to be standing on the actual altar of the Vatican, speaking in the capital of the Catholic faith at mass! It was nearly overwhelming.

So the time came, I put on my coat as they had requested of me (despite the fact that my shirt was not low cut and I was wearing a sweater that covered my shoulders...), and then followed the first reader and choir man who was to sing the psalm between readings to the altar. A lot of incense had been released, and you couldn't really smell it from the pews but on the altar it was very strong. There were priests from all over the world in their violet Advent robes, and a Cardinal in red. The first reading was in Italian and to be honest I kind of zoned out to observe my surroundings... it was seriously so unreal to be standing there when I know so few have had that privilege... The choir man started singing the psalm, I bowed and walked behind him as instructed... He stepped off the platform and I took his place... and then the man who did the first reading took the English book down from the pedestal!

I looked down and whispered, "No... ho bisogno di questo..." and he motioned to the Italian book that was still there... the choir man stepped forward and tried to help me out and then the other man realized his mistake and replaced the book.

And then I read:

A reading from the letter of Saint Paul to the Romans:

"It is now the hour for you to wake from sleep, for our salvation is closer than when we first accepted the faith. The night is far spent; the day draws near. Let us cast off deed of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us live honorably as in daylight; not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual excess and lust, not in quarreling and jealousy. Rather, put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the desires of the flesh."

I looked to the choir, they started singing, I stepped down, the three of us bowed, and I took my seat. I was shaking by the time I got there, but it was such an absolutely amazing experience. In all honesty I thought it was an almost ironic reading to have chosen, as the things it preaches against pertain so directly to my generation in a lot of ways, and the fact that it was a letter to the Romans, and that just by pure chance I was to be chosen when just the day before I didn't even think mass was offered at the Vatican on Sundays (I know... I received false information early on and just went with it, but that notion is completely senseless...). It just really made the whole mass so much more significant (especially since through most of it Erin and I were struggling to find where we were in our programs haha), and it's something that I'll remember forever.

Erin laughed to me when I sat down, "Our guy [the usher who invited me to read] slid in next to me when you got up and said, 'You can take pictures of your friend if you want, you're not supposed to, but I won't say anything.' So I got a couple!"



Afterwards we went out to the square and listened to the Pope's address which followed the general theme of makings oneself ready for the coming of the Lord, and he made a brief address at the end to speakers of various languages... English, Spanish, Polish, a few others (Meghan: "Oh come on, he's just showing off now."), and then made our way back home.

So there you have it, one of the most unique and meaningful experiences I've had in Rome so far:).