A Soggy Station - S. Eusebio

Yesterday was another long haul to the Station Church for our Roman Lenten Pilgrimage, Saint Eusebius, (b.260 AD - d.340 AD) the famous first Christian historian and bishop.  He wrote our Ecclesiastical History.

It was drizzling rain when I left, steadily raining at about halfway when I finished the Rosary, and a torrential downpour for the last half - kilometer.  I was soaked, my cassock was soaked and filthy at the hem, my purple stole (wet inside my backpack) had bled its colour onto my new alb and amice, and every step I took had that detestable squishing sound of shoes that have been awash in three inches of water.  The drainage system in Rome leaves a lot to be desired, that's for sure.

Taken from the porch of S. Eusebio... having just arrived in the rain.

So we sat like so many drowned rats in an feeble attempt to appreciate our surroundings and to celebrate the sacred mysteries of our redemption.  Thank God the presider at the Mass, who also gave the homily, was reverent and devout and full of faith... oh! and the schola of singers from the seminary lifted our spirits wonderfully!  They sang Sicut Cervus, my absolute favourite from Palestrina.  Please, click on the link (later) to enjoy this beautiful motet (Note: if you click the link it will take you away from this page and you will have to click the Back arrow to return, and sometimes there is an advertisement that you can click through after 5 secs).  The words are: As the deer pants for the waterbrooks, so pants my soul for Thee, O God. which is the first line of Psalm 42.  Unfortunately it is only 2 min 22 sec long... .  When they sang that during Communion, I forgot my little aquaeous misery and was transported to a drier, happier place.

The Altar Cross is draped in purple and covered for Lent

The Altar, with the earthly remains of St. Eusebius underneath.

An attempt to give you a different angle...

Fr. James and I sat and offered Morning Prayer together as the Church gradually cleared out.

I took this pic as we were leaving in the daylight and after the rain had stopped.  But I still had to walk home for 55 minutes of squish, squish, squish... but I was humming Sicut Cervus and memorizing the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar.

Upon arrival 'home', I took a hot shower, put on a wash and hoped for the best.  All is well, all the stains came out of the alb and with a little bleach the amice will lose it purple tinge.  The sun is out and my shoes are drying, perched dangerously outside on my window ledge.

Saturday should turn out to be a lovely day... but for me, a quiet day, mostly indoors.