Our First Mass in Rome

Looking back at the collonade in St Peter's Square, I wanted to protest why St Joseph was located at almost the far end when he should be nearer the apostles or Christ even. My devotee mode was starting to kick in. At the back of my mind as I was walking inside this massive basilica I was looking for St Joseph's image. There should be one for the Patron of the Universal Church!

After viewing St Peter's tomb and throne, Bernini's Gloria, and a couple of other statues, we saw another chapel with a recognizable painting adorning the altar. It was a painting of San Giuseppe (Italian for St Joseph) carrying the Christ Child. Beneath this work of art is the tabernacle. On each side were paintings of Sts Jude and Simon the Apostles. There were other altars on both sides of the "St Joseph chapel" as well as confessionals. Each confessional is designated for a particular religious order - Dominican, Franciscan, Carmelite, etc. We were about to take photos when a tall male basilica staff in a suit told us that this isn't allowed. So no photos for now, readers.

We sat in one of the pews and offered some prayers before the Blessed Sacrament and St Joseph. I was now satisfied that I found a niche for my patron saint. I entrusted Gagalangin to the Mahal na Poon; that place of my birth would be celebrating its fiesta during my visit to Rome. I brought to mind also anluwage.com and the entire Anluwage family since St Joseph is their patron too.

(Researching later on, I found out that the collonade was built in the 17th century. The image of St Joseph was made by one Lazaro Morelli between 1671-1672. St Joseph was only proclaimed Patron of the Universal Church in 1870, two centuries later.)

Suddenly a bell rang. An old priest garbed in green vestments was coming from our left approaching the "St Joseph altar". Mass has commenced. In Italian. In spite of this, we felt no language barrier at all. We worshipped the same God, listened to the same Word (although delivered in Italian), and partook of the same Lord in the form of bread.

Our belief tells us that the Sacrifice of the Mass is the highest expression of our prayer, the summit of our existence as the Church founded by Jesus and entrusted to St Peter and his successors, namely the Pope and the bishops. The priest, in his homily, kept on saying the name Pietro. I started thinking of how St Peter and the other apostles have said the Mass, how they would enthusiastically share their encounters with Jesus and how they may have paused and shed tears as they quoted the Master's words: "Do this in memory of Me."

In the Mass we remember Jesus obedience to the Father's will. Had He followed His own whims, I doubt if there would be any Mass to celebrate. This obedience Jesus would have definitely seen in St Joseph; a virtue that He imitated from His foster father. This too is what the Mass teaches us: to be obedient to God so He too could commission us to spread His Kingdom.

I was touched with how fellow worshippers warmly shook our hands during the Sign of Peace as well as how a family (it seems) who sat in front of us held hands during the Lord's Prayer. I took note of how the Italians would dress properly for such a gathering. They are very good at it and I think this is something that we could learn from them. If we could be at our best (or better) in other occasions how much more when we meet and serve the Lord in the Mass?

(Up Next: A Revered Filipino)