A Carpe Diem Snapshot:
This Carpe Diem moment was captured two years ago at one of my favorite sites in Rome, Castel Sant' Angelo, a perfect example of a Roman palimpsest. I decided to feature it today because, sadly, we are not in Rome to celebrate the city's patron saints day- the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul- which centers around this monument tonight, so close to St. Peter's Basilica, where fireworks will be set off from the top. This is a very old, and dangerous, Roman tradition. Apparently, some of these fireworks landed in the rooms of St. Philip Neri at nearby Chiesa Nuova, setting the place ablaze. Fortunately, it was after the saint's death and the rooms were uninhabited, but the saint's belongings had to be transferred to another room and were arranged as a small museum, which you can still visit today, adjacent to the chapel of St. Philip's tomb. Another interesting anecdote about today's feast day is the 1901 pilgrimage of Hilaire Belloc, who walked 750 miles from Toul, France to Rome in order to arrive on the feasts of Sts. Peter and Paul. He succeeded, and the memoir of his journey, The Path to Rome, has become a classic for pilgrims and students.
Liturgical: Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
Bishop Barron's Gospel reflections today.
Sanctoral: Rome's Patron Saints' Day! Today there will be fireworks and a party at Castel Sant'Angelo (remember the scene in "Roman Holiday" with Audrey Hepburn?). Here is a video on how Romans celebrate and its origins. And here are some ideas for celebrations at home.
Human: Death of Elizabeth Barrett Browning (poet) – 1861; Birth of Dr. William Mayo (surgeon and founder of the Mayo Clinic) – 1861
293 BC – consul Papirius Cursor dedicated the temple of the god Quirinus. At this building, about 100 years later, architect and engineer Vitruvius set up the first public clock in Rome. In his book, De Architectura, he mentions that in Rome portable solar clocks are in use – in other words, the first pocket watches. The sun clocks were the main chronometers until the Renaissance.
Writer's Almanac edition for today.
Natural: June 2024 biting black fly invasion of the shores of Lake Michigan!
Italian Word of the Day: Can you pass this basic Italian test?
Quote: “It comes the very moment you wake up each morning. All your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists simply in shoving them all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in. And so on, all day. Standing back from all your natural fussings and frettings; coming in out of the wind.”
― C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
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