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Session on Ongoing Formation - P 6 |
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Written by Messias PEREIRA, A.A. and Julio NAVARRO, A.A.
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Friday, 19 September 2008 |
Rome, August 18 to September 6, 2008
Outing to the Castelli Romani
Saturday August 30 was set aside for an outing to the Castelli Romani. This name takes us back to the Roman Castles of the Middle Ages, to a group of thirteen villages on the slopes of the Albano Mountains. This was originally a volcanic region whose ancient craters became Lakes Albano and Nemi. Noble families that had fled from the disorder and the lack of security in Rome built their fortified castles in this area. Today, during the summer, Romans, like the Pope, find in these villages a pleasant climate amid the groves of chestnut trees, olive trees, and grape vines that produce excellent wine.
First, we visited Monte Porzio Catone, some 30 km from Rome and 450
meters above sea-level, with its eight-thousand-or-so inhabitants. Why
did we want to visit this site? Because Fr. d’Alzon spent a few days
of vacation here in 1834 as a guest of the English College which had a
summer residence for its seminarians in this village. Fr. Jean-Paul
Périer-Muzet helped us to appreciate a letter Fr. d’Alzon had written
to his cousin Clément Rodier poetically describing the beauty of this
spot and of the surrounding landscape. We visited the village church,
we admired the big building that had housed the English College, and we
tried to make out on the horizon the Cupola of Saint Peter’s in Rome.
We then proceeded to Castel Gandolfo in order to admire the beautiful view of Lake Albano and of the apostolic palace.
Then, we were off to Genzano, to the Religious of the Assumption (in
their hospitality center which, until two years ago, belonged to the
Little Sisters of the Assumption), where we celebrated the Eucharist
under a big five-centuries-old tree. On their beautiful property,
there is a magnificent view of Lake Nemi. It was a great festive and
fraternal celebration, in communion with God, the confreres, and nature!
After regaining our strength with a copious meal in “La Casina delle
Rose,” we continued our trip toward the Greek abbey in Grottaferrata.
Here in 1004, monks of the Byzantine Rite in Calabria, with Saint Nile
as their superior, founded this monastery whose claim to fame comes
from the fact that it saw the day before the separation between the
Eastern and Western Churches. We arrived at the time when the monks
were praying Vespers, after which we were honored to be guided through
the church and the monastery, with its Chapter Hall and its rich
library that contains manuscripts of great value. It was the abbot
himself, Archimandrite Emiliano, who plunged us into the thousand-year
history of this abbey.
We therefore had a day of rest in which we were able to admire the
beauty of nature, to enjoy a day of history and culture, and especially
to have an occasion to strengthen our bonds of brotherhood.
Messias PEREIRA, A.A. and Julio NAVARRO, A.A.
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Last Updated ( Friday, 19 September 2008 )
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