Standing in Holy Ground - Assisi

He Is Risen!

Last night, we celebrated the Vigil of Easter at the Church of Santa Suzanna with the Paulist Fathers and the American Community in Rome. I had been there for Holy Thursday and Good Friday. Their liturgies are prayerful, well done and the music is fantastic.

This morning I went down to the Vatican for the Pope's Mass and then his Urbi et Orbi ("to the City of Rome and to the World"). Crowded? I am convienced that everyone in Rome was there ...

This afternoon, some of us are heading out for Easter Dinner. We have chosen a place called Ristorante Orazio and, with the weather cooperating, we will be dining outdoors. 

Easter Monday morning we travel to Assisi by bus for our retreat and will be lead by Fr. John Harris, O.P. We will be staying at Casa Papa Giovanni, and have an opportunity to celebrate Masses in all the major Churchs in Assisi. I look forward to returning to Assisi. It really is a special place to me and countless others. In 2007, I spent some time there with a group of priests as part of the Seton Hall Institute, and have always wanted to go back. The weather sould be nice this time of year in Assisi.

Happy Easter !

Good Friday Reflection



Sketch of the Chapel Wall at Casa O'Toole

Good Friday Reflection

Tree of Life

How splendid is the cross of Christ!  It brings life, not death;  light, not darkness; Paradise, not loss.  It is the wood on wehich the Lord, like a great warrior, was wounded in hands and feet and side, but  healed thereby our wounds.  A tree has destroyed us, a tree now brought us life.

Saint Theordore the Studite

The 'Tree of Life' painting - based on that of the Basilica of San Clemente in Rome - is found int eh Chapel of the Casa O'Toole, home to the priests who attend the sabbatical program offered by the Pontifical North American College.  At the center is the glorious Cross, upon which lies Our Lord Jesus Christ, His body squeezed dry 'having loved to the end.' (John 13.1).  Beneath the cross. on the left, Mary stands with lowered eyes and hands raised in prayer.  On the right is St. John the Apostle.  The doves on the Cross represent all the apostles.  Above the Cross the Father's hand carries the laurel wreath destined for the 'lamb once slain' (Rev. 5.6), who awaits now the crown of victory.

Rooted in the earth, represented by the dark soil, the Tree extends all the way to the dome of heaven, shown in the semi-circular bands of color.  From its roots, a luxuriant acanthus vine bursts forth, which envelopes the Chapel's tabernacle; it sends its branches far and wide, covering the entire wall space.  The image is of Christ and His Church, based on the words, 'I am the vine and you are the branches' (Jon 5.5)  The curling tendrils of the vine terminate in stylized flowers pointing to the rich fruits born from remaining in Christ.  This is depicted also by birds of every kind, who find home within the vine, a sign of creation resting in the happiness of heaven.

The streams gushing forth from the base of the Tree are symbols of new life that flows from Baptism.  Two deer drink from the water; they allude to the soul that 'thirsts from God' (Psalm 42.1; 63.1), a thirst that is quenched at the Altar of the Eucharist.

Msgr. Anthony Figueiredo, Director



Today we begin the Sacred Triduum

 Today This is the most important time in the Church's calendar, and beginning last evening, we've now begun it's most important feast. The three-day Easter Triduum commemorates the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and, through him, the very mystery of our salvation. It's what we've spent all of Lent preparing for, a time for earnest prayer, consideration of what we hold most dear in our lives, and an invitation to draw ever closer to our Savior, before whom all pales in comparison. As St. Paul said, "I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ" (Php 3:8).

On Wednesday, the day before the beginning of the Triduum, there is a tradition here in Rome of an ancient pilgrimage, and one which for me was a nice way to cap off the station church practice.  Known as the Seven Church Walk, the path was first laid out in the mid-16th century by St. Philip Neri and his friends as a way of visiting the four major basilicas of Rome(above: B: St. Mary Major, E: St. John Lateran, G: St. Paul Outside the Walls, and H: St. Peter's) as well as three important minor basilicas (C: St. Lawrence Outside the Walls; D: Holy Cross of Jerusalem; F: Saint Sebastian Outside the Walls). In the succeeding centuries, it's been a way of gathering to worship with friends, spend some time in the fresh air, and see some of the beautiful religious and cultural sights of Rome all in one day. These same things were what appealed to those of us who undertook the walk on Wednesday. Our group included priests and seminarians from the NAC, American college kids studying abroad for the semester, some lay men and women who work here in Rome, and a few other colorful individuals.

The Walk Ends ....

For the past six weeks, those of us here on sabbatical have had the opportunity of participating in the station church pilgrimage of Lent, a Roman tradition that dates back to Christian antiquity. From at least the early fourth century, the Pope celebrated Mass during Lent with his clergy and the Roman Christian community at a designated “station” church. As Christianity became a more public faith, these “stations” were often basilicas built to honor Roman martyrs, constructed atop or around a former house church. Pope St. Gregory the Great fixed the order of the Roman station church pilgrimage in the sixth century, although further stations were added later as the Roman Church began to celebrate Mass on every one of the Forty Days.

The classic station church pilgrimage died when the popes moved to Avignon in the 14th century. But strong echoes of the ancient pilgrimage remained in the liturgy, for the Mass texts and prayers of Lent frequently reflected the Roman station church of the day and the saint honored there. Those echoes continue, if in more muted form, in the post-conciliar Lenten liturgy. What has been revived, however, and in a very dramatic way, is the station church pilgrimage itself. And the revival has been largely an American affair.

In the mid-1980s, students here at the NAC, began to follow the ancient custom of walking to the station church traditionally appointed for that day, each day of Lent. The practice caught on among other English-speakers in the city, so that each morning, as many as 500 Anglophones have come to the traditional station church of the day at 7 a.m. for Mass. Many walk. Others take buses, or the Metro, or drive. But on any given day of Lent, Monday through Saturday, you’ll find hundreds of English-speakers at the station church of the day, keeping faith with the traditions of the first millennium.
I have posted on some of the churches visited, and will try to add more as I review some of my notes.  But, the opportunity to have done this is a memory I will cherish. 

2/22/2012   Ash Wednesday     S. Sabina all'Aventino 

2/23/2012   Thursday    S. Giorgio al Velabro  
2/24/2012   Friday      Ss. Giovanni e Paolo 
2/25/2012   Saturday    S. Agostino
2/26/2012   Sunday–WEEK I     S. Giovanni in Laterano
2/27/2012   Monday      S. Pietro in Vincoli   
2/28/2012   Tuesday     S. Anastasia al Palatino     
2/29/2012   Wednesday   S. Maria Maggiore
3/1/2012    Thursday    S. Lorenzo in
3/2/2012    Friday      Ss. Dodici Apostoli  
3/3/2012    Saturday    S. Pietro in Vaticano  
3/4/2012    Sunday–WEEK II    S. Maria in Domnica    
3/5/2012    Monday      S. Clemente
3/6/2012    Tuesday     S. Balbina all’Aventino
3/7/2012    Wednesday   S. Cecilia in Trastevere     
3/8/2012    Thursday    S. Maria in Trastevere 
3/9/2012    Friday      S. Vitale
3/10/2012   Saturday    Ss. Pietro e Marcellino
3/11/2012   Sunday–WEEK III  San Lorenzo Fuori le Mura
3/12/2012   Monday      S. Marco al Campidoglio
3/13/2012   Tuesday     S. Pudenziana al Viminale    
3/14/2012   Wednesday   S. Sisto   
3/15/2012   Thursday    Ss. Cosma e Damiano    
3/16/2012   Friday      S. Lorenzo in Lucina 
3/17/2012   Saturday    S. Susanna 
3/18/2012   Sunday–WEEK IV    S. Croce in Gerusalemme
3/19/2012   Monday      Ss. Quattro
3/20/2012   Tuesday     S. Lorenzo in Damaso   
3/21/2012   Wednesday   S. Paolo fuori le Mura 
3/22/2012   Thursday    Ss. Silvestro e Martino
3/23/2012   Friday      S. Eusebio all’Esquilino   
3/24/2012   Saturday    S. Nicola in Carcere   
3/25/2012   Sunday–WEEK V     S. Pietro in Vaticano
3/26/2012   Monday      S. Crisogono in Trastevere   
3/27/2012   Tuesday     S. Maria in via Lata
3/28/2012   Wednesday   S. Marcello al Corso
3/29/2012   Thursday    S. Apollinare    
3/30/2012   Friday      S. Stefano Rotondo     
3/31/2012   Saturday    S. Giovanni a Porta Latina   
4/1/2012    Palm Sunday S. Giovanni in Laterano
4/2/2012    Monday      S. Prassede all’Esquilino    
4/3/2012    Tuesday     S. Prisca all’Aventino 
4/4/2012    Wednesday   S. Maria Maggiore

St Mary Major - Christmas in March

Friday we had a tour of the Basilica of St. Mary Major, led by Monsignor McInerny, one of the canonist of the church.  He explained the history of the church and took us places within the church that few visitors see, including the Borghese crypt where two Popes are buried.  Yet, the highlight of the visit was praying before the wood of the manager where Christ was born.  I do not care who believes in these relics or not; it does not even matter if it is the holy relic, but what I do believe it is, either way, the focus of prayer before the manager humbles one to love God more. Just think the One who is all powerful, who died for our sins, who rose from the dead, who sends His Spirit upon us was born in a humble place, in the wood for feeding animals of poor parents who were far from home.  As we stood and sang Silent Night, I was again reminded of the depth of God's love for us.  This completes our tours of the four major Basilicas.

The Law of the Gospel in Itself ---

Today we were taught by Fr. Giertych, OP, who just happens to be the theologian of the  Papal Household.  His responsibilities are to read all the speeches of Pope Benedict XVI to assure that they are theologically without error.  He taught us on moral theology and it was a wonderful review of Thomas Aquinas.  The one thing I found most helpful was how much St. Thomas believed in the grace of the Holy Spirit.  Also, the reminder that spirit of Christ saves any one who responds to this grace, even if they do not know it.  Thus, a good Hindu or other person who does not recognize Christ but follows the grace of God is saved by Jesus Christ.  There is room in heaven for many, if not all.

Thursday, March 22 - Santi Martino e Silvestro ai Monti

This church was built by Pope Saint Sylvester (314-335) who was at the helm of the bark of Peter through the last of the persecutions and the conversion of emperor Constantine. Two hundred years later, it was later restored and rededicated to Saints Martin of Tours (317-397) and Pope Saint Sylvester. This church was the site of preparatory meetings for the Council of Nicaea (325), which was called to fight the heresies, which denied that Christ is true God and true man. This was the first church in Rome where the Nicene Creed was proclaimed.
Since this is Thursday, we also know that from ancient times,  it was a place where the poor have always been able to get food.

Tuesday - March 20 San Lorenzo in Damaso

This is another ancient church dedicated to Saint Lawrence by Pope Saint Damasus I (366-384) over his house. Today it is part of the Cancelleria, or the chancery, and houses the Holy Father's Tribunals: the Roman Rota, Apostolic Signatura, and Apostolic Penitentiary. The Roman Rota judges all judicial cases (especially marriage and rights). The Apostolic Signatura hears all cases of administrative recourse and watches over the lower tribunals. The Sacred Penitentiary hears all cases involving the internal forum. For example, there are certain sins, which only the Holy Father can absolve (i.e., a priest who reveals a confession). This tribunal will here these petitions for forgiveness in the name of the Pope.

Women Doctors in the Church & Three 20th Century Women

Today's program was presented by Dr. Donna Orsuto, S.T.D., professor at the Gregorian University, Angelicum, and other Rome schools of Theology. She offered two lectures entitled, "Three Women Doctors of the Church and their message to Priests", and in the afternoon, "Three Influential 20th Century Women of the Church."

The three doctors of the church are St. Catherine of Siena, St. Theresa of Avila, and St. Therese of Lisieux. In the afternoon, Dr. Orsuto presented the works of Dorothy Day, Edith Stein, and Blessed Mother Theresa. The power of the lessons taught by these women is in both the depth and the simplicity of the messages - which is generally true of all great spiritual teaching.

Each one cultivated a particular intimacy with Jesus and strived to give their all to the Lord who had given his all to the world.

Catherine of Siena lived in the 14th century, a time of immense turmoil in the church - plague, western schisms, and the Papacy abandoning Rome for Avignon in France. Her writings, much of which is letters, offer three themes;

• Knowing the truth about love, (she uses the phrase that God is "patso d'amore" or God is madly in love, crazy in love, with all of creation, and especially with human creation.
• Knowledge of self, and knowing God; this overlapping of knowledge creates a "cell" where we live and meet Christ.
• NOT individualism. This is way ahead of her time. She writes that we need each other. Her spirituality is a radically ecclesial spirituality.

Pope Paul VI called her, "the saint who loved the church the most."

Catherine of Siena was influential in convincing the pope to return to Rome, stop relying on the cardinals who were controling him. She called them, "the devil incarnate".

Theresa of Avila offers the church a spirituality of prayers when she says, Prayer is 5 steps.

• taking time
• frequently
• to be alone
• with Him
• who we know loves us

HOwever in the mind and heart of Theresa, all this is God's initiative, not ours.
She calls us "to do what stirs us to love"

St. Therese of Lisieux (1873-1897) She is also known as the Little Flower.
Therese is declared a doctor of the Church, even with the writing of one small book called "The Story of a Soul". Therese contracted Tuberculosis, as a time when there was no cure. This was the great darkness in her life - knowing that she would not survive this disease. Her spirituality can be summed up by saying she lived and proposes to us a spirituality focused on a total confidence and abandonment of oneself to the merciful love of God. It is apiritual path for those who feel that they are imperfect, weak, or little. It is a spiritual path that relies on the purifying love of God that evokes in one the desire to return love for love.

Dorothy Day is a 20th century spiritual giant who began her adult life anything but holy. A common law relationship, an abortion, and weak faith. She brought her daughter to be baptised even though she was not Catholic, and through the instruction of the priest, she herself becomes a convert. She founded the Catholic Worker movement and spent her life working on the lower East side of New York City with the poor. She is know for her activism for justice, a fierce pacifism, and her work for peace. There is a great deal of information on line about her. She was an avid letter writer, and has a huge correspondence with Thomas Merton.


Edith Stein was part of a devout Jewish family in Belgium. She was a brilliant young woman who taught philosophy. After reading St. Catherine of Siena, she declared, this is the truth. She converted to Catholicsm and entered the Carmelites. After the northern European Catholic Bishops strongly denounced Hitler and the Nazis, attacks against the Jews were stepped up. Many convents were attacked and sisters who were belived to have Jewish roots were rounded up and taken to the concentration camps. Edith Stein died in Auschwitz even as she ministered to the victims of the Nazi horror.

Mother Theresa of Calcutta. Well, what can we say. She lived with us in our homes via television and media. She was the first saint to part of our daily lives all around the world. Her lessons for us can be summed up in one of her most famous statements, "Do small things with great love"

And one final mark of celebration ... even at the Vatican

March 17 Happy St. Patrick's Day

Mosaic of St. Patrick from the Irish College,  Rome

Just preparing to begin our celebrations here in the Eternal City.

Plans for the day include Pranzo (main meal) at the Abbey Tavern Pub -- suppose to be the definitive Irish pub in Rome and it is only about a 30 minute walk from the NAC.

Mass at 6pm at St. Suzanne

The Irish College celebration begins at 8pm.

’Dracula’ Bram Stoker’s classic tale of danger, mystery and excitement is the 2012 St Patrick’s Day entertainment presented by the Pontifical Irish College. Anxious to impress his prospective father-in-law, Jonathan Harker sets off from Donegal to Transylvania to assist a mysterious nobleman who is keen to buy property in Ireland. But all is not what it seems at Castle Dracula. Has Jonathan stumbled upon a vampire? Does the Count really intend on bringing death and mayhem to the Emerald Isle? And can he be stopped before it’s too late?
The play is produced by Conor McCarthy and directed by Damian McCaughan.  

Wednesday, March 7 - Santa Cecilia

Venerated as the patron saint of musicians, St. Cecilia is one of those many Romans who held steadfast to the faith in the persecutions against the Roman Church during its early years.  She was a Roman maiden engaged to be married to a pagan named Valerian.  After their marriage, she brought him to Pope Urban I.  Santa Cecilia in Trastevere. Through prayers and good example, Saint Cecilia converted her husband, St. Valerian, and her brother-in-law, St. Tiburtius, to Christianity. As a result, all three were condemned to death (230). They tried unsuccessfully to suffocate St. Cecilia in her own bath by steaming her alive. Witnesses heard her singing songs to God throughout the ordeal (that is why she is the patron saint of music). They then tried to behead her. By Roman law, the executioner only had three attempts to severe the head.
The executioner, unsuccessful, ran away leaving her to slowly bleed to death. During the next few days, many were converted by her preaching. She died in a pool of her own blood, her fingers outstretched to proclaim her faith in the Triune God.

The bodies of this holy family were transferred to this church in 821 by Pope Paschal I (817-824). (See the mosaic depicting Paschal (with square nibus) giving the church to St. Cecilia who introduces him to St. Paul. Jesus in the center and next to him is Ss. Peter, Valerian, and Agatha. Below are the 12 lambs approaching Christ the Lamb of God from Bethlehem and Jerusalem.) In 1599, her tomb was opened and her body was found to be incorruptible. The sculptor Moderno was there, drew what he saw, and later made the famed statue (see photo). It' is located below the main altar.

Missing in Action???? No just Spring Break

I appreciate the emails I have received -- especially the ones expressing concern over the lack of activity on the blog the past few days.   I want to assure every one that I am not responsible for any international incidents, nor have I joined a cloistered monastery.   We are on Spring break and like most students, that means travel time.  And how easy it is to do in Europe with discount airlines, hotels and the common currency, the Euro.  Fr. Andy Prachar is here for the week so we are making the best of it.  The institute offered a trip to the Holy Land, but you may recall we did a parish trip there in 2009,  so I opted a not to go.  Instead, I would see some places that I had always wanted to visit. We left Rome last Friday for Amsterdam.  Andy had some friends to visit.  Spent most of the days sightseeing lots of museums and the various districts.  Our hotel was located at Museum Square, a little off the beaten track, but easy access by tram.  And much quieter than some of the more tourist areas. We then flew to Berlin, a city still under transition from the fall of the Wall, but certainly has come along way since its reunification.  To see so much of what was studied in World History in high school.  While most of the wall is gone, it's location is marked by a simple double row of bricks in the road and I must admit that walking 'through the wall' did evoke feelings of amazement, anger and history.  We toured the city by bus, and it is utterly amazing how far they have come in 20 years.  What was East Berlin is now a booming area of commerce, industry and homes. Visited Checkpoint Charlie one of the last remaining reminders of the Cold War, along with its museum and timeline.  How easy it is to forget some of the history of our lifetime. All over the city, there are photographs of what it looked like before, during and now after World War II.  Reminders of man's cruelty to man and the danger we all face when the power of evil is allowed to take root.  Hopefully, we will always remember the lessons learned and at what a price. We are ending the week with a trip back to Barcelona.  I went there earlier in the sabbatical and I am looking forward to spending more time exploring some of the things we did not get to see last time.  We return to Rome on Friday to be there to celebrate the high holyday (St. Patrick's Day) on Saturday with dinner and a show at the Irish College (seminary). Andy leaves on Sunday.  The program resumes on Monday. Need to mention that Fr. Clatton was a big help arranging all these flights/hotels.  The parishioners reading this will remember him from his two summers with us.  He is awaiting the date of the defense of his dissertation and the will return to India about the same time Fr. Grace will be returning in May.  He sends his regards to everyone.

Monday, March 5 - Church of San Clemente

Clement was a slave owned by the cousin of the emperor, Domitian. He was succeeded by the martyr Linus (66-78), the martyr Cletus (79-91), and then Clement (91-101). He may have been a co-worker with Paul (Phil 4:3) and a witness of Peter and Paul's martyrdoms. He wrote a letter to the Corinthians (96), the first known example of a Pope intervening in the affairs of another Church and speaks of the Orders of bishop, priest, and deacon as being instituted by Christ (for a while this was considered by some to be part of the New Testament). Legend has it he was martyred by being drowned with an anchor tied around his neck. His earthly remains rest under the main altar. Saints Cyril and Methodious are also buried here.
This ancient church is living history. It was first a temple to Mithras (pre-Roman). An imperial palace was then built on top of the ruins (1st C). Clement had a house here where he gathered the faithful for Divine Liturgies. It continued to be a place of worship.

Constantine started to built a church on this site and it was dedicated in 384. This church was destroyed by the Norman invaders (1804). The present church was built on top of the ruins by Pachal II (1099-1118). The former ruins have been excavated so you can now go down and visit all four levels of history. Extraordinary!! Raphael was the architect (1483-1520).

Some notes from classes ....

I am trying to catch up on some of the classes we have had ... the schedule is a bit lighter this week and I think it is a good time to try to post some details of the academia stuff that has been going on .....

Fr. Craig Morrison, O.Carm, professor of Biblical Studies at the Pontifical Biblical Institute.

We spent several sessions over a number of days looking at techniques for reading and reflecting on Sacred Scripture using a method he refers to as Narrative analysis.

This is very different from the method I learned at my own seminary education some 30 years ago. At that time the prevalent method was called the Historical - Critical Method.  It basically means that in order to know what the sacred authors meant, one must know the history of the period. Hence, the many examples I give of the daily life in the time of Jesus. Also, understanding the meaning required knowing the history of the period in which the passage was written.

Fr. Morrison offered us a method in addition to the historical - critical method which relies on a direct analysis of the narrative of the text. He claims that if you read the text deeply and raise questions from what you read, you will arrive at a meaning that is helpful for preaching and to "open up the scriptures" for people. He is not suggesting that we abandon the historical - critical method which we learned. He believes that reading the scripture as a narrative will make the scripture come alive for the modern hearer.

The technique requires a careful reading of the text and asking many questions of what is happening: who is speaking? who is observing? what is said? what is not said? What are the questions? Are the answers true? false? unanswered? Was the question evaded? Are statements true? false? relevant? What part of the narrative are extraneous to the story? What parts move the story along? What information is omitted? withheld? delayed? Does the character know more than the listener? Does the listener know more than the character(s)?

The questions go on and on.

Fr. Morrison reminded us to be careful not to read things into the story. And to be careful not to add details that are not there. For example: No where in the story of Adam and Eve is there a mention of an apple. None of the gospels ever say that Jesus was nailed to a cross. It says only that they crucified him. The words nail or nailed never appears in the gospel. Those details come from religious art, not the Bible.

I think that I will be purchasing Fr. Morrison's books and that my preaching, certainly the content will never be the same again.

Thursday - Church of San Lorenzo in Panisperna.

 Saint Lawrence was one of the seven deacons of Rome and was martyred in 258, four days after Sixtus II (257-258) during the Valerian persecution (253-260). The emperor knew that the Christians were noted for their generosity and so he assumed the Church was rich. He ordered Saint Lawrence to appear before him with the treasures of the Church. Saint Lawrence did so. He returned with the poor and sick saying "Here is the Church's treasure." He was put to death at the site of today's Station Church by being roasted alive on a grill. Tradition says that at one point, he asked his executioners to turn him over so he could be burnt evenly.

Also inside this church is one of the crucifixes which was said to have spoken to St Bridget.

The Station Masses on Thursdays took place in the traditional diaconate churches in Rome - dedicated to feeding the poor. This is accord with the Holy Thursday, the day when we were first fed the Bread of Life and Cup of Salvation. The church of Saint Lawrence, true to her patron, was always one of the diaconate churches in Rome. That is probably were the title "Panisperna" is derived (panis - bread and perna - ham). The monks probably distributed ham sandwiches!

Wednesday Station Church - St. Mary Major

Saint Mary Major is one of the four major basilicas and the oldest church in the West dedicated to the Mother of God. In 353, a noble Roman received a message from our Lady that a church dedicated to her honor should be built on the Esquiline Hill. When he told Pope Liberius (353-366), the Holy Father asked for a sign. The next day, August 5th, it snowed on the spot designated by our Lady (August is unbearably hot in Rome). (To this day, August 5th is celebrated as Our Lady of Snows and white rose pedals are showered upon those who enter the church for prayer.) The building was dedicated by Pope Sixtus III (432-440) shortly after the Council of Ephesus, which declared Mary as the theotokos - the Mother of God (431). The photo is of the Pauline chapel (after Pope Paul V), which was built to house the ancient icon of Mary, which hangs over the altar. (Note the luminous tabernacle!)

It also contains a relic said to be of the true crib .... which is the second picture.
This day, the Wednesday of the first week of Lent, is the traditional day for scrutiny of the candidates for priesthood.

Station Church - Monday, Februrary 28

San Pietro in Vincoli. Saint Peter in Chains. This basilica in 109 by Theodora, a pious Roman lady, to house the chains which bound Saint Peter in the Mamertine prison. In 436, Eudocia, who husband was Theodocius II, Emperor of the East (408-450), sent the chains which bound Saint Peter in Jerusalem to her daughter, Euxodia Zicinia, in Rome. When Sixtus III (432-440) placed these two chains side by side, they miraculously united to form one chain. The chains are located in the confessio before the high altar for the faithful to venerate (see photo). Also under the altar are the remains of the seven Maccabee brothers (2 Macc 7). Also in this church is the famed Moses, sculpted by Michelangelo (1515), as part of a tomb for the famed Renaissance pope, Julius II, 1503-1513).

Week Four in Review

• Tour of Santa Croce & Basilica of St. John Lateran
• The Theology of Preaching - Fr. Michael Monshau, OP 
• Ash Wednesday - Santa Sabina, First Stational Church
• Normative & Axiological Ethics & Conscience Development
• The Art of Reading the Bible for Preaching
• Moral Theology & Intro into Biomedical Ethics