After school ( I am being moved to the advanced class on Monday) I went to Santa Maria in Via.
In case you are not familiar with the legend: in the 13th century, a well in the palace of a Cardinal (where the church is presently) began to overflow abundantly, and the waves of water brought to the surface a stone, on which was an image of our Lady. The whole thing being miraculous, (stones do not normally float on water,) droves of people flocked to see it, and soon enough cures were reported. The contemporary Pope approved the whole business, the Cardinal was out of a home, the palace was demolished, and the present church was built. It was later rebuilt during the early 16th century.
The well is still active, and the image of our Lady has been enthroned above an altar. It is the first side chapel on the epistle-side as you come in. Little cups of water from the holy well are offered to pilgrims. It was very cool and refreshing. I must declare that I really enjoy this earthy sort of Catholicism I’ve discovered in Rome. Where ever one goes in this city, magnificent churches, relics, legends, and cups of water (or similar things) are found to inspire devotion. I don’t think I could ever go back to the insipid Canadian version, with our sterile churches, and general incredulity even towards the de Fide articles of the Faith.
After Mass at San Gregorio I met up with a former professor from U of T, Dr. Toporoski. He invited me to have dinner with him, (which was frugal, well in keeping with his character,) but the conversation very abundant, very pleasant as always. I took a picture right before we said goodbye as proof of the chance encounter.
4 comments:
Did you really just bump into him on the street?
When I was in Lanciano, I ran into someone from Toronto. My family thought I was mad, chasing an Italian man(he is genetically a wop) down the street, and accosting him in a rather familiar manner.
Gillian
Sure....that's what you say now....Just kidding.
Dr. Toporoski did in fact write to me to say that he was in town, so the meeting was prearranged to a certain extent.
Ah well...I prefer the "just bumped into him on the street stories".
As for the reliquaries...I ran into a similar situation in Germany...thankfully, I had the museum to myself, so I ran around venerating them. You weren't supposed to touch them! Crazy.
Perhaps, since I am the visitor from Toronto in question, I might be permitted to recount a "bump into him in the street" story. Many years ago, when I was outside St Augustine's Church, I think it was, in Milan, I did run into the now Most Rev. Michael Miller, C.S.B., Coadjutor Archbishop of Vancouver, when he was a young Basilian priest. "You're here to visit St Ambrose!" he immediately said since he knew me well enough to know what I would be doing in Milan. That's pretty serendipitous.
Post a Comment