Visitors from Chattanooga

I haven't posted in a couple of days because school is in full swing now and there isn't much time for leisure posting!  But all the same, there is still time to greet pilgrims to the eternal city.

This past weekend Glen and Karen Griffiths came into town.   They are parishioners at St. Jude in Chattanooga. I had the opportunity to spend some time with them on Sunday.

Here we are standing in front of St. Peter's:

We took a nice cruise down the Tiber river:

After a nice lunch and a lot of walking we made our way over to St. John Lateran and the Scala Santa:

The Scala Santa are the steps that Jesus walked up when he entered the Praetorium of Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem.  They were brought to Rome by St. Helen, the mother of Constantine, and reconstructed.  A shrine was built around them that sits across the street from St. John Lateran.  As you climb the stairs on your knees (as is the traditional custom, you can see this in the picture) you look up to see a beautiful depiction of Jesus crucified with Mary and John under the cross.  It is a beautiful meditation on the passion of Christ. After all, Jesus knew that he was going to His death, He had predicted it, and so as He walked up those steps He was doing it for you and I!  What depth of love is found in the passion of our Lord!

After that we had a nice walk back through the Forum.  It was really a nice visit.  Today, Wednesday, they had a chance to see the Holy Father in his general audience.   It is always nice to meet up with good folks from home.  It makes Tennessee seem so much closer!