[Gocamino] Today's article in the NYT

[Howard Mendes]

The thought occurred to me that the Vatican might sell some of its objets d'art and baubles to pay a living wage to the dedicated folks who work in the Pilgrim Office that Rosina described in her prior message. She bemoaned their subsistence level working conditions and in her next message she described the ostentatious luxury of the Vatican. Maybe part of the 42 Euros can be set aside to pay for Pilgrim Services in Santiago.  Am I missing something?
Howard



-----Original Message-----
From: blaroli <blaroli at aol.com>
To: Gocamino <Gocamino at oakapple.net>; saintjames <saintjames at yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sun, Apr 28, 2013 12:31 pm
Subject: [Gocamino] Today's article in the NYT



In Christian popular tradition there are three  recognized primary  pilgrimages:  
To Rome, to Jerusalem and to Santiago. The number of pilgrims that visit the 
Vatican in Rome every year is absolutely overwhelming and expected to increase 
because of the popularity of the  first Latin American Pope..
There is an article in today's New York Times about getting to see the Pope when 
in Rome.  We all know that print newspapers are having a very hard time and have 
cut their budgets, and personnel, drastically.   The number of errors and 
omissions in so many published articles   bespeak of a lack of fact and 
information review, as, once again,  sadly exhibited in today's article.
The half-page report gives information  as to how to reach institutions that can 
help those who wish to do so attend a papal audience. Failing that, the article 
says, the person interested  can join a tour that insures entry to an audience 
(for 42 Euros). In a throw-away line the article says that one wishing to spend 
the time to do so can obtain a ticket to a Papal audience on his/her own.
The article, in my view, is misleading and incomplete. It should include the 
fact that those that join an "audience tour" will be taken first to a souvenir 
shop or two and will be among the last to arrive having to seat, or stand, at 
the fringes.
Actually, the easiest and fastest way to obtain a ticket to a papal audience is 
to do so oneself, and it is entirely free.
The papal audiences are on Wednesdays. you can get a ticket by simply going to 
Saint Peters a few days before. As you approach the Basilica go under the 
colonnade on the right facing the church,  (where the post office is), continue 
under the colonnade to its end, where a wall terminates it; just before the end 
there is a large door on the right above a few steps flanked by two Swiss 
guards. just go to one of them and tell them (they speak several languages) that 
you want tickets to the Pope's audience and they will direct you inside where 
down the corridor is another Swiss guard  sitting at a desk. He will ask your 
name and the number of tickets that you want (I think that you can get up to 
four) and that's it.  If you are very lucky you will be  directed to an office 
upstairs where a priest performs the service, and will climb a gorgeous marble 
stairway and get to see works of art and priceless antique furnishings that are 
not seen elsewhere.
The audiences start at ten a.m.  You need to get there much earlier to be at the 
head of the line so that you will be among the first persons to enter and can 
choose a seat right by the passage way that the Pope walks through after the 
audience, or at the barrier of the Popemobile's way.
In the winter the audiences are held at a very beautiful and ample theatre on 
one side of the Basilica; in late Spring the audience is in the open in front of 
the Basilica.  In the summertime the Pope goes to Castelgandolfo and the much 
simpler audience is held in the courtyard of "the castle".
You needn't be a Catholic, or a Christian, to obtain tickets, and the spaces are 
on a "first come first served" basis, except for the first few rows that are 
reserved for special visiting groups.
At the end of the audience the Pope does a "walk-about" if the audience is in 
the theatre,  or "ride-about" if outside. He may stop and shake your hand or 
give you a personal smile if you are right up by the barrier. He is followed by 
official photographers who take thousand of  pictures. The next day you can go 
to the photography shop inside the Vatican; just tell the blue-clad Swiss guards 
at the entrance  that you are going to see the photographs and they will direct 
you to the shop inside.  If you see yourself in one of the pictures, or there is 
one that you particularly want, you can get a copy for about a quarter. If there 
is a special one that you would like enlarged and you'll be leaving the Eternal 
City shortly you can leave an order for it and they will  mail it to you in due 
time.  The charge for this is negligible.
A couple of times I have gotten tickets this way for people living in Rome who 
did not know how simple it is to get them.  Well, people have been saying for 
centuries that if you want to know where is what in Rome you should ask a 
tourist.
Because of recent world history,  to get into the Saint Peter's Basilica today, 
of the area leading to a Papal audience, one must go through metal detectors 
which takes time.  But if in the morning of the  audience you get there about 
nine a.m. you'll be among the first to go in and will be able to choose  a prime 
space.
Groups from all over the world may sing, or play, or make themselves known 
somehow during the audience.  It is terribly moving and exciting to see the 
world come together in such a manner, and it brings tears of enjoyment and 
sentiment to almost anyone there. 
I hope that some of you will be able to use the information above.
Now, I do know that pilgrims to Rome are colloquially known as "romeros" and 
pilgrims to Jerusalem "palmeros"; is there a similar rubric for pilgrims to 
Santiago? Does anyone know?
Regards,
Rosina
 

blaroli at aol.com

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