Day of Thanks

Tempo di lettura: 15 minuti

Our meeting with Pope Francis: a day of thanksgiving

Un vero amico è chi ti prende per la mano e ti tocca il cuore.

Gabriel García Márquez

Yesterday evening, at 18.30 we speak by phone with Alessandro Gisotti: I tell him that we are parked with our beloved motorhome Pio at the Vatican Park which is in via delle Fornaci at number 24.

Enthusiastically, Alessandro tells me that he lives nearby, very nearby, so that the following morning, a morning of historical and sentimental importance from all points of view, we could have breakfast together.

I ooze joy and affection from every pore: I keep repeating to him: "thank you Alessandro, thank you for everything you have done, and for sure what you will do“. And he, in a friendly and affectionate way, keeps repeating to me: “è frutto della nostra amicizia, del nostro affetto per Eugenio!"

What to say: when the mouth is silent, the heart speaks!

Start the day

So at the first light of dawn, I go out with Lussy to make her take her usual morning stroll dedicated to pooping.

La giornata è splendida, l’aria è frizzante e nessuna nube offusca il nostro cammino verso il nostro amato Santo Padre Francesco.

The appointment with Alessandro is at the Fornaci-Cavalleggeri crossroads at 7.30

Carramba! what a meeting

In spite of the restrictions regulations we hugged each other: we couldn't live without it! A warm, strong hug, full of emotions, full of that sincerity that comes only from the bottom of the heart.

Un unico filo ci unisce: Eugenio!

Cornetto, caffè, cappuccino e via: direzione Vaticano.

Pope Francis, here we come!

With Alessandro and his Vatican pass we enter from Door of Perugino, transitato da capi di stato e personalità di alto livello.

Beh, ci sentiamo proprio così in questo momento: non personalità di alto livello, ma speciali, perché siamo illuminati dalla luce di Dio.

And it is another world, made of peace, serenity, silence. And in silence the heart speaks.

Pochi passi e davanti ai nostri occhi esce lui, il nostro amato Pontefice. Esce da Santa Marta, accompagnato dai suoi collaboratori più stretti, e sta per entrare nella sua 500 nera per dirigersi verso la Basilica di San Pietro per la celebrazione della Santa Messa.

It is a vision that fills the heart, fills the sight, fills the gaze with infinite goodness, fills the short stretch of cobblestones that divides our heart from His with gratitude.

We give him a simple but obsequious "bye bye" with our little hand.

From behind his car window we see him answering: “bye Bye” con la sua mano vestita di bianco.

Un brivido lungo la schiena ci percorre.

After a few moments of ecstasy, we resumed our journey towards the Paul VI Hall

Alessandro gives us the passes for entry.

We say goodbye to Alessandro with a nice selfie: and we wanted it!

We enter the Paul VI Hall

Immense, bright, large, spacious, light, lots of light.

I cardinali parlano ognuno nella propria lingua, ma solo una vibra nel cuore: la Parola di Dio.

Tutto è Dio qui dentro!

Gli ammalati in carrozzina; i bimbi con la testa calva, pazienti della dottoressa Cacchione, provenienti dalla Polonia; le migliaia di persone assiepate dietro la transenna in attesa di un piccolo sorriso del Santo Padre.

The Paul VI Hall has a capacity of approximately 6,300 seats, but if these in the various sectors are eliminated, transforming them into standing spaces, the capacity progressively increases until reaching the capacity of approximately 12,000 people.

source Cathopedia

Noi siamo 4 delle 6mila persone: c’è Eugenio, c’è Francesca, c’è Giuseppina e ci sono io.

I send a message to Alessandro to reassure him of our position and our serenity as we await the Pontiff.

After a few minutes a master of ceremonies asks for me, asks for us, and softly and softly moves us to a "more strategic" position

He tells us, whispering: “il Santo Padre vuole intrattenersi qualche minuto con voi!"

We look at each other astonished, trying to understand from our looks if our heart continues to beat, or has had a moment's stop due to the jolt! We are alive, serene, with a heavenly serenity!

Ci spostiamo sull’estremo lato della terza fila, giusto sotto la scalinata che porta al Santo Padre.

There is no one to our right, we are near the corridor; to our left, quite distant, are two people. We are practically isolated. We will be able to gather around our Francesco.

Ascoltiamo con trasporto, con serenità angelica e cuore puro le parole pronunciate dai cardinali di tutti i paesi del mondo, e come dono finale le parole del Santo Padre, come miele per il nostro cuore.

Terminata l’udienza, il Santo Padre scende gli scalini sorretto al braccio destro dal Mons. Leonardo Sapienza.

Msgr.Leonardo Sapienza(Cassano delle Murge, 18 November 1952) is an Italian priest and writer, protonotary apostolic by number. The task of the apostolic prothonotaries is to draw up the most important acts and the documents announcing idogmas, Thecanonizations, coronations, enthronements and deaths of popes. Moreover, they supervise the regular closing and opening of theconclaveand follow the protocol of theconsistories. The actual apostolic prothonotaries are classified in the first section of theSecretariat of Stateand are indicated asProtonotarii Apostolici de numero.

Tempo qualche minuto, mentre il Santo Padre è ancora impegnato a salutare ammalati, laici e presbiteri delle prime file, si avvicina a noi proprio Mons. Leonardo Sapienza.

Leonardo Sapienza speaks to us

Always in a low voice, but with the air of a longtime friend, a family member with whom we share lunch and dinner every day, he tells us: “Voi siete i genitori di Eugenio?” and we, timidly: “yes!"

Continue, Msgr. Leonardo Sapienza, determined: “Il Santo Padre si ricorda sempre di Eugenio, è sempre nei suoi pensieri!"

We look at each other, trying once again to understand if all this is really happening, or if it's a déjà vu with memories of a life that has been or will be!

We smile: it is happening to us, just to us. Giuseppina smiles, behind a semi-lowered anti-covid mask.

Wisdom, pleased, returns the smile and says to her: "well, it's good to smile!"

We settle down again, waiting for Pope Francis.

Eccolo, si avvicina. Sono pronto, siamo pronti. Anestetizzati, freddi ma caldi, senza respiro ma con una calma addosso di cui non ne capiamo la provenienza.

Mi armo del mio smartphone: il mio braccio sinistro è pietrificato, prenda quel che prenda, ma io mi tuffo fra le braccia del Santo Padre, del nostro Santo Padre, del nostro Padre Francesco.

Archbishop Sapienza whispers in the ear of Pope Francis: “sono il papà e la mamma di Eugenio!"

We cling to the Holy Father Francis

We caress him, as one does with a member of the family.

She caresses us: Francesca is ecstatic!

Pope Francis tells us, holding up the book that Francesca hands him: “Eugenio è venuto!"

He felt it with us, among us: at that moment we were united in the same heart, the 4 of us "fantastic 4” e il nostro amato Santo Padre Francesco.

Your caress will always remain imprinted in our hearts; her voice candid like her dress will always be the music that will accompany our prayers.

La Sua mano ci stringerà ancora, e sempre saremo uniti, nel cuore di Eugenio e fra le braccia del Signore.

His Holiness pauses to leaf through the book, Eugene's book .

Il Suo volto è contrito, quasi emozionato.

Si sofferma a gustare alcune foto, e il disegno di Francesca.

E’ compiaciuto, soddisfatto, sicuramente in contatto con Eugenio, come solo lui sa fare.

Si volta con fare serafico, indica al suo collaboratore di consegnarci dei doni.

Two pearly white crowns for the women, and the other in black for me.

La croce è simile a quella del pastorale del Santo Padre.

The medal of the Rosary is that of the mosaic Maria Mater Ecclesiae accompanied by the lemma Totus Tuus

Mi soffermo ad ammirarlo qualche altro secondo, ammaliato dal suo procedere lento e pacifico.

The guards and security urge our exit. Reluctantly we go out.

We leave the Paul VI hall

We are full, full of thanks. Thank you. “Grazie Santo Padre!” the words I managed to utter.

The sun is shining, our heart too.

Piazza San Pietro becomes for a few minutes our home, our home, our bed.

We exchange a few messages with Alessandro and Benedetta Capelli. They are waiting for us at Vatican media.

The Vatican Media office is just a few steps away from Piazza San Pietro: we meet Alessandro at the beginning of Viale della Conciliazione. We walk it with such a light heart that our feet seem to be detached from the ground.

We meet again with Alessandro Gisotti

Alessandro is visibly pleased with us, he smiles at our joy, as only a friend can do.

Lo sentiamo vicino, lo sentiamo nel nostro cuore. E’ amicizia vera quella che scorre nelle nostre vene. E’ amore sincero per Eugenio quello che ci accomuna. Lo sentiamo sulla pelle.

Vatican Media

We reach Piazza Pia 3, headquarters of Vatican Media, which includes Vatican Radio and the Osservatore Romano.

Alessandro Gisotti he is deputy editorial director of the Dicastery for Communication of the Holy See.

We immediately feel at home, even here. The Vatican is our home, I can't tell you if it's a first or second home, but home is for sure!

We are welcomed as princes and queens, in their kingdom, by Benedetta Capelli, Vatican News journalist and best friend, sister of many interviews and articles published precisely by the Vatican portal.

Veniamo abbracciati dal calore immenso e gratificante della sorella di Benedetta, Tiziana, con cui abbiamo condiviso in toto l’amore di Eugenio e per Eugenio.

While Francesca, Benedetta and Tiziana go out like sisters in beautiful Rome illuminated by the warm sun of late November, Alessandro as an excellent host illustrates and accompanies us to the large main meeting room of Vatican Radio, which houses the historic microphones used by the Popes in recent years during their official speeches.

We meet, with our great pleasure, the editorial director of the Dicastery for Communication of the Holy See, Andrew Tornielli.

The thing that amazes us most, pleasantly amazes and shocks us, is hearing ourselves say: “thank you, thank you for coming to visit us!"

To us, who rarely hear a greeting even from the closest of relatives or friends; to us who almost beg for a good morning every day, they continue to tell us: "Thanks!"

And what about the affection, sympathy, generosity of mind and hospitality of Sergio Centofanti.

We laugh together, heartily, like old friends, at his new mega desk: he, used to hammering keys on a heavy and roaring Olivetti lying like an elephant on a mini desk, now finds himself typing buttons on a platform similar to an aircraft carrier . Journalists of yesteryear!

Astonished and pleased, we gloat in selfies with Castel Sant'Angelo just off the terrace of Vatican News.

Amici? Macchè amici! I brividi sulla pelle non sono di amicizia: sono di affetto, sincero affetto e quel filo d’amore che ci unisce nel nome di Eugenio!

Benedetto Eugenio! Benedetto!

I'm fascinated by their control room, of course:

We go around the house, as if we lived with them every day, in their articles, in their interviews, in their publications.

And the word that always resonates with us, from right and left, is always: "thank you, thank you for your visit!"

Here too, as in the Vatican, one breathes an air of holiness, truth, candor and sincerity. Which is rare to find anywhere else!

Finally we enter the huge editorial room where every day, incessantly and busily, Benedetta Capelli presses the worn-out keys of her keyboard and writes wonderful and interesting articles on Vatican News.

And here too we find friends, forever, from childhood, from diapers: Gabriella Ceraso, appena conosciuta, ma immediatamente i nostri fili si sono intrecciati, a matassa, come se veramente ci conoscessimo da una vita.

Queste sono le meraviglie della fede: affidarsi totalmente a Dio e alle sue opere. E qui abbiamo trovato tante sue opere, meravigliose opere.

And finally we can embrace the fantastic, very sweet and dearest Marina Tomarro.

It is the same with Marina: met by telephone through an interview on Vatican News, a few spot messages here and there, and immediately the spark of sharing, of affection, of the serene exchange of lofty feelings was struck!

We stop for a few minutes to chat with too Massimiliano Menichetti, head of the Vatican Radio – Vatican News masthead, and with Luca Collodi, chief editor: and even with him, with them, he is affected at first sight. Massimiliano also thanks us for our visit: amazement, ours is amazement, wonder, gratification and affection.

What a day, what meetings, what affection! Indelibly engraved in the heart, in our 4 hearts!

And certainly in the hearts of all the wonderful people we met today.

We go down to the hall for the final greetings.

Reluctantly we say goodbye with a "see you soon, very soon" Alessandro Gisotti and the entire editorial staff of Vatican Media, who by opening their doors wide for us have also opened wide the doors to the heart of the Vatican.

E nel cuore del Vaticano e del Santo Padre noi ci sentiamo a casa.

Lunch with the Capelli sisters

We are having lunch with the Capelli sisters, Benedetta and Tiziana. The air is crisp, but their warmth warms our shell, and sharing lunch becomes a moment of communion. We confide in each other, we laugh, we joke, at times we are saddened by some memories that resurface, but good humor brightens up our table.

And when the heart is sincere and big, it always finds an opportunity to give and donate.

Benedetta and Tiziana Capelli, with their big and sincere hearts, bring gifts for Francesca.

L’amore non è di sangue o del sangue: è nell’aria, vibra come corde tese, da cuore a cuore.
E nel silenzio del proprio cuore impari ad ascoltare l’amore.

"See you soon!” poche sillabe ci dividono, ma non si separano.

Siamo uniti, sempre, sotto lo stesso cuore di Eugenio.

Rome

Una luce speciale illumina Roma: ne siamo abbagliati, estasiati, sazi.

Satisfied with grace, satiated with grace.

Conosciuto via Twitter, Padre Mark Piaia è un sacerdote gesuita, che con slancio, passione e sguardo amorevole ha saputo cogliere il mio invito a testimoniare la nostra presentazione del libro di Eugenio il 22 agosto 2021

Ci scambiamo qualche messaggio e ci diamo appuntamento presso la sua chiesa del Gesù in Piazza Argentina.

We cover several kilometers on foot: Francesca is very tired, we are too to tell the truth, but the pleasure is so much that the fatigue is put aside, and the cool evening breeze still caresses our skin making it more vigorous in front of the long journey.

St. Ignatius of Loyola

At around 17 we are in Via degli Astalli 16, in the splendid Church of Jesus, la Chiesa di Sant’Ignazio di Loyola

Wonderful!

Finally we know each other in person, and the hug is mandatory!

Padre Marco ci aiuta a scoprire Sant’Ignazio e la sua Chiesa, i suoi mille tesori artistici il suo cuore pulsante nel cuore e nella vita di Gesù. Ne rimaniamo ammaliati, affascinati, trasportati.

With affection, with infinite affection we say goodbye and let the smartphone chip indelibly engrave our affection.

Riprendiamo il nostro cammino romano, e su consiglio dello stesso Padre Marco raggiungiamo la Church of San Marcello al Corso where the miraculous Crucifix is ​​kept.

The Trevi Fountain

Illuminated by the glow of the moon, we reach The Trevi Fountain

Sazi di amore, pieni di grazie, satolli di affetto e carezze, torniamo in autobus al nostro amato camper Pio, dove pochi attimi dopo aver aperto la porta, crolliamo dal sonno.

Dormiamo insieme, noi 4, in compagnia della nostra cagnolina beagle Lussy, abbracciati dall’amore di Dio, dall’affetto dei nostri amici romani e dalle carezze del Santo Padre.

Good night Rome. ♥

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