History in the Making - Rome, Italy 2025 - Part 1

The Villa Vada in Poggibonsi was a terrific place for a baker’s dozen family and friends to rest, reset, and roam the breathtaking Tuscan countryside. If one or more of the gang desired to visit those stunning locations, they could take a side trip to Rome via the fast train from Florence or the same method to Venice. And, we did - on different days and times!

One planning group of six, the main group I was in for our trip to Rome and the Florence cooking class, started sharing resources, ideas, and bookings in October/November 2024. At that time, we had no idea the Pope would have health issues and die the week before we arrived in Italy. When the pope died at the end of April, we counted the days to get into the attractions our group already had tickets for: St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican Museum, and most importantly and desired, the Sistine Chapel. We were crossing our fingers that the timing of all the funeral arrangements and the Conclave of selecting a new Pope would be done before we headed to Rome on May 5th.

No dice; we weren’t so lucky on the timing, but only not getting into the Sistine Chapel (does it mean we have to go back? I was the only one out of six who had seen it before).

So, instead, we were on the cusp of visiting two out of three - calling it - and then calling our trip to Rome History in the Making. The fact that 2025 is a Jubilee year never even entered our minds in those early planning days (Jubilee in Rome = thousands of people or more visitors than usual - yikes!).

Of course, we made the best of it. Our guide, Roberto, was excellent and gave us interesting tidbits of more info since he knew we couldn’t get into the Sistine Chapel. Once we arrived at “the door,” usually opened in the Vatican Museum to get into the Sistine Chapel, he stopped and pointed out the door so we could get close. Boy, I really wanted to touch that door! On the other side of this door, Roberto articulated, were the Conclave cardinals and other clergy, preparing the place for “the vote.” Wow!

Interesting, right? And frankly, it doesn’t matter what faith or religion one practices to be in the presence of a thousand or two-thousand-year practice. Except for seeing the press in any direction we looked, or the smartphones encased in every hand, the centuries seemed to melt away with the entire process.

However, the difference between going to the Vatican and the Vatican when a pope dies and a new one is elected has happened only 267 times in 2025 years, give or take. I’ll add that St. Peter was the first pope, you know, elected by the one and only Jesus, and yes, that Jesus, but the papal election as we know it today began in 1059 with the Conclave selecting Pope Nicholas II.

I can’t believe that on May 6, 2025, as Bill, Ryan, Don & Beth Tomoff, Linda Misencik, and I sauntered through the Vatican, St Peter’s Basilica, and the Square, we were definitely in the groove of History in the Making. Roberto also made a point to show us where the smoke would be coming out of the small “chimney.” It was above where we entered the church on the extreme right side, small enough to miss if you didn’t know where (everyone knows where to look once the smoke is coming out). The process of getting everything ready for the Conclave was hours away as we finished this tour and looked forward to visiting the Coliseum the next morning (which was also the start of the Conclave voting).

The idea of not seeing Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel was disappointing, or at least it was for me. Not too far, though, another one of Michelangelo’s marble sculptures that is MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE - the Pietá - was steps away in St. Peter’s with people around it, but not obnoxiously so. The only other thing about the colossal church was a thousand clear plastic chairs for the eventual Mass by the newly elected pope, and curtained-off side chapels of the massive church that are quite lovely in their own spaces. On some, we could move back the curtain to look inside; others were severely cordoned off. Oh well, that Piatá was my highlight once again.

One last thing, Roberto, our guide, was efficient and concise on everything we saw and moved on foot to get to. Not a moment wasted. There was no time for perusing the gift shops inside the Vatican (we actually raced through them), but we all had to go to the bathroom at one point. Ah, this was my one moment (I’m not kidding) to pick up one thing I had glanced at as we quickly buzzed through the little gift shop to the other side for the women’s WC. I was in luck as I headed back, as I had the exact amount of euros to purchase the gold-covered Vatican notebook, and never got out of step in meeting up with the entourage and Roberto.

Photos: 1) Pietá (means compassion); 2) Front of St. Peter's Basilica -Note: The basilica, erected over the tomb of St Peter the Apostle, is the largest religious building in the world, the fruit of the combined genius of Bramante, Raphael, Michelangelo, Bernini and Maderno. 3) hundreds of plastic chairs inside the church for the upcoming new pope's mass; 4) Inside the Vatican Museum and the frescos on the ceiling(s); 5) One of many alters in the church; 6) Back of St. Peter's, 7) the small pipe to the left of the statue is where the smoke rises in either black or white as the Conclave votes and 8) the gold-covered Vatican notebook with the exact amount of Euros in my handbag for a quick purchase (no line!).

TBC - More of Rome, Nuns, and a Calendar of Priests!

Ciao!

Terri