The 70 members of the seminarians, faculty and staff from Saint Mary Seminary and Graduate School of Theology and Borromeo Seminary who are on a weeklong pilgrimage to Rome began their experience on March 3. The group is sharing regular highlights of their experience.
(See photo gallery above.)
After spending the third day visiting several basilicas and churches, they gathered for Sunday Mass on March 5 in St. Peter’s Basilica in front of the tomb of St. Peter. Auxiliary Bishop Michael Woost was the celebrant with other priests in the group concelebrating.
They returned to the hotel for breakfast and were back to St. Peter’s Square in time for the Angelus with Pope Francis.
An early afternoon tour of Via Corso, including Plazza del Popolo, the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain and tours of the basilicas of Santa Maria del Popolo, San Ambrosio e San Carlo and Santi Apostoli, they enjoyed dinner at the Pontifical North American College-Casa Santa Maria.
They returned to the hotel to rest and prepare for their scheduled audience with the pope on March 6 and trips to more sites in the Rome area.
The trip is in conjunction with the 175th anniversary of Saint Mary Seminary, which was established in 1848, a year after the Diocese of Cleveland was founded.