First time this year

Went to the Vatican this morning, after mass with a small community near Porta Pia… I had an appointment at the archives of the Congregation for the Cause of Saints at 10.00. When I got to St Peter's Square at 9.10, I found that the line to get into St Peter's was moving very quickly, so I joined the line, and made it into St Peter's at 9.25. This was the first time I got inside St Peter's this year. The lines have been long and slow all year, and I would give up after a few moments.

Most of the people are lining up to see John Paul II's tomb, so once you get through the metal detectors, you can move quickly to the basilica, if you dodge the tourists…

And going through St Peter's today I realized that few of these people are pilgrims. They are bona fide tourists. I had to wonder if this is a good thing.

One of my purposes was to see the tomb of John XXIII. His urn is not in the basilica proper, just around the pillar from the statue of St Peter and the potrait of Pius IX. There was a small group of pilgrims there (and I say pilgrims, because they were not snapping photos but praying).

After seeing John XXIII, I wandered around for a few moments, reflecting on what I'd show my brother and nephew when they come to Rome. I will need to contemplate how to get them to see the Vatican and the Vatican museums without putting them through the torture of the long lines. Yes, I'm going to have to plan this whole thing very carefully!