Quando si lascia la vecchia per la nuova

With the transition into a new country comes the inevitable adoption of its culture.  Up until this point, my absorption of the Italian lifestyle has been one based primarily on a relationship with food, language, and the arts.  I have eaten my fair share of pasta, pizza, and gelato; I have stumbled my way through conversations in Italian and picked up a few new phrases in the process; I have seen the likes of the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, and Roman Forum.  But today served as an introduction to an aspect of Italian culture that is probably more unknown to me than the language itself –– attendance of the Papal Audience.  

For those who know me well enough, I am not a religious person.  Despite attending a Jesuit school, I have my own set of reasons as to why I have not integrated religion into my life; and while I am not opposed to religion nor will I criticize anyone for their beliefs, the understanding of a higher power or one God is not something I can wrap my head around.  This makes me the perfect candidate to pay a visit to the Pope, right?  When I heard that Loyola cancelled classes for the day and gave us all tickets to the Papal Audience, I decided that neglecting to go simply because I was not Catholic would only keep me from experiencing as much of Roma as I possibly could.  And after all, the Vatican is one of Roma's defining characteristics, despite many Romans being non-practicing Catholics (you will often hear "Io sono cattolica ma non pratico").  So instead I set my alarm for six a.m. and set out to view this whole experience from a sociological standpoint.  If nearly 1.1 billion people in this world define themselves as Roman Catholics, it is no secret that this religion has a large influence on our society.  After spending awhile figuring out what was appropriate to wear (it says something about our generation when only a handful of us brought dresses that covered both our knees and shoulders), we caught the 990 bus and set out toward the dome that serves as the highest building in Roma.  We passed through the security checkpoints, handed over our tickets, walked inside and took our seats about ten rows from the front.  

The rows of seats began to fill with people from all over the world, many of who were dressed up, carrying signs, flags, and singing.  While I may not understand the Catholic religion as a whole, one thing that is entirely apparent is the sense of community that stems from being part of it.  When one group would begin a song, another would join in, followed by the clapping of another and the tambourine of yet another.  The swell of excitement grew as the minutes ticked on until the Pope finally walked on stage to abounding camera flashes, cheers, and applause.  And so it began.  Two hours of introductions for each group in their native language (Loyola received its own recognition and a wave from the Pope) and the Pope reading the same thing in seven different languages.  Many groups greeted the Pope with chants and songs, revealing their overwhelming affection for him.  Being someone who has never felt this sort of devotion to a religion, it was quite the eye-opening experience.  It is amazing how something can serve to unify people from around the world, regardless of their language, social class, race, or ethnicity.  I may not identify, but there is no denying the power generated from the religious community.  Ultimately, we are a vastly religious society, and today I was at the heart of the Catholic sector of it.  I got another little taste of Italian life this morning that helped me to step outside my romanticized version of Roma filled with espresso shots and Nutella croissants, and it was nowhere near what I had anticipated.  Not bad by any means, just different.

It was a sunny day at the Vatican

Yes, there's still a Christmas tree up in February

The Pope (blurry, I know)