1W I N T E R 2 0 1 2

TRIP TO IRELAND AND ITALY

2Opening new suitcases for trip

3Arrive in a wet and rainy Ireland

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IRELAND

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Saint Patrick’s Cathedral Dublin, Ireland

6Stained glass in St. Patrick’s in Dublin

7Inside St. Patrick's in Dublin

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Needle in Dublin Town Center

9Guinness is the #1 visitor’s attraction in Dublin

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Dublin at Night

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Stone where the Treaty of Limerick was signed on the 3rd of October 1691 after the war between William III of Hanover of England and his father-in-law King James II..

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Castle in Limerick, Ireland

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Rural field in western Ireland

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The Cliffs of Moher

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Cliffs of Moher

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The Cliffs of Moher

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Arch at The Cliffs

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Rural countryside with stone fences of Ireland

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The Small Cliffs

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The Small Cliffs

21The Small Cliffs

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Ancient Abbey

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Ancient Abbey

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Sunrise on the plane

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Plane view of Alps

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Flying over the Alps

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Tuscany from the plane

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ROME, ITALY

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Rome Airport

30Vatican Square

31Spot where Pope John Paul II was shot in Vatican Square

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This obelisk came from Egypt during the time of the pyramids. Moses most likely saw this obelisk during his Exodus. St. Peter would have looked at it during his crucifixion in Vatican Square.

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St. Peter’s

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One of the four front doors to St. Peter’s

35Inside St. Peter’s

36St. Peter’s Dome (mosaic tiles make up the pictures)

37Main altar in St. Peter’s

38Mural of the Blessed Mother in St. Peter’s

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Unknown Pope

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Pope Leo XI in St. Peter’s

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Christ with Peter & Paul and unknown Pope in St. Peter’s

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The Pieta (1498–1499) is a masterpiece of Renaissance sculpture by Michelangelo, housed in St. Peter’s.

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The Pieta

Mural in St. Peter’s

44Mural in St. Peter’s

45Mural in St. Peter’s

46Pope’s Elevator into St. Peter’s

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Burial Tomb of Pope John Paul II in St. Peter’s

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Dome in St. Peter’s

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Dome in St. Peter’s (tiles)

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Each of the letters are 6 ½ feet, top to bottom. A six foot tall person could stand inside the letter “O”.

51Tile near upper dome in St. Peter’s

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Tiles close-up near upper dome in St. Peter’s

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Looking down to the main altar from the dome in St. Peter’s

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Vatican City

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Vatican Square from the out side of St. Peter’s Dome

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Garden from the top of St. Peter’s Dome

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Rear view of statues of the 12 Disciples and Jesus on St. Peter’s roof

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The Gossen family smiling on top of St. Peter’s with the Dome in the back ground.

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St. Peter’s

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St. Peter’s

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Columns of St. Peter’s

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The Gossens in St. Peter’s

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Baptismal Font in St. Peter’s

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Swiss Guard near St. Peter’s

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Andy keeping us on schedule.

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Basilica of Saint Paul

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St. Paul

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St. Paul

69Doors to St. Paul’s

70Inside St. Paul’s

71Inside St. Paul’s

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Tile mural on dome in St. Paul’s

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Tomb of St. Paul (see explanation in next slide)

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Chains of St. Paul held in prison

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Mural of every Pope in St. Paul’s

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Pope Benedict XVI

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THE COLOSSEUM AT CHRISTMAS

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Roman Colosseum

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Getting stiffed by 2 Romans to pay 5 euro for picture

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Heads from statues at the Colosseum.

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Roman Emperor

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Colosseum had a retractable roof

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Inside look of the Colosseum

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Gateway Arch near Colosseum

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Palace of the Emperor of Rome

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One of the remains of building in the Rome Forum

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Roman Forum where former government building stood

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The Emperor’s Palaces overlooking Circus Maximus. This is where the chariot races occurred.

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Key hole door

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Key hole picture of St. Peter’s

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OLDEST MUSEUM IN THE WORLDBuilding known as the Wedding Cake in Rome

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St. Peter in Chains Church

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Inside St. Peter in Chains church

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Chains of St. Peter as in Acts of the Apostles

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Close up of chains of St. Peter

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Basilica of Saint Mary Major

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Inside St. Mary Major

100Gold on the ceiling was given to the Pope as a gift. The gold used was some of the first gold from the Americas.

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Dome of St. Mary Major

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Santa Prassede

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Inside St. Prassede

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THE PILLAR OF THE FLAGELLATION OF JESUS CHRIST

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Christmas Eve in St. Peter’s Square waiting in line to go to Mass.

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OUR VIEW OF ST. PETER’S FOR CHRISTMAS EVE MASS

107Main Altar in St. Peter’s

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THE GOSPEL

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PREPARING THE HOLY ALTAR

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BEFORE THE EUCHARISTIC PRAYER

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The Eucharistic Prayer proclaimed by the Holy Father

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INCENSE

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THE WASHING OF THE HANDS

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The altar shows the papal throne in St. Peter’s

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This is not glass. It is light going through stone in St. Peter’s

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THE CROWD IN ST. PETER’S SQUARE ON CHRISTMAS DAY

117Our Holy Father’s Christmas Message

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The Pope’s Blessing

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Swiss Guard

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The Pantheon

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St. Gasper’s Tomb 1786 – 1837(Started the Precious Blood Order)

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The arm of St. Francis Xavier

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Trevi Fountain

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Andrea at the Trevi Fountain

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Alyssa at the Trevi Fountain

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DAY TRIP DOWN TO POMPEII

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Mount Vesuvius

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Coliseum at Pompeii

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Street in Pompeii

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House in Pompeii

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Bath House in Pompeii

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One lost soul in Pompeii

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A second lost soul from Pompeii

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BACK IN ROME

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Basilica of Saint John Lateran – Cathedral of Rome and of the World (front)

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Tomb of St. John the Baptist in St. John Lateran Basilica

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Second view to make sure you saw the Tomb of St. John the Baptist

139Altar in St. John Lateran

140St. John Lateran

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St. John Lateran (rear)

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The Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem (in Rome) This church holds relics of Christ, recovered by St. Helen, the mother of Roman Emperor Constantine.

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#1 is the Incorruptible Finger of St. Thomas that he placed in the wounds of Christ . #2 is a piece of the Scourging Pillar (to which Christ was tied as he was beaten). #3 are two thorns from the crown of Christ.

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Contains the wood of the Cross

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Sign posted above Christ crucified: “King of the Jews”

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Nail of the crucified Christ.

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Vatican Museum beside St. Peters

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Sarcophagus in Vatican Museum

149Painting in the Sistine Chapel

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ASSISI

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Assisi rural area

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Church of St. Francis of Assisi

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Tomb of St. Francis of Assisi

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FLORENCE, TUSCANY AND PISA

155Apartment in Tuscany

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Cathedral in Florence

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Bridge over river in Florence

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Gold and jewelry shops on bridge over the river in Florence

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Michelangelo's David

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Cathedral in Florence side view

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The gothic Basilica of Florence

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Tuscany Hills

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Church in San Gimingnano in Tuscany

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Cathedral in Pisa

165Cathedral looking down from Tower of Pisa

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Leaning Tower of Pisa

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Leaning Tower of Pisa

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Cathedral and Tower of Pisa

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Lake Como on Swiss boarder

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Mountain rail near Como

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MILAN, ITALY

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The Cathedral (Duomo) church of Milan, Italy started in the year 1386. Dedicated to Santa Maria Nascente (Saint Mary Nascent) This Cathedral in Milan is the third largest church in the world.

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Inside Saint Mary Nascenti in Milan

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St. Anthony’s Church in Padua

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VENICE, ITALY

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Venice and the Grand Canal

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Venice

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Venice

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Many mask shops in Venice

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Venice

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San Marco in Venice

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Plaza San Marco in Venice

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Rialto Bridge in Venice

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The Gossens on the Rialto Bridge

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Narrow streets of Venice. Venice is the only sustainable city in the world without vehicles.

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RAVENNA : MOSAIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD

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Church in Ravenna with many mosaics

190Mosaic Tiles

191Mosaic Tiles

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Mosaic Tiles of Jesus’s Baptism

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Beach on Adriatic Sea near Ravenna

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Beach on Adriatic Sea near Ravenna

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Shells on beach

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Near San Marino

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• The Country of San Marino is surrounded by Italy.• It is the second smallest country in the world

(behind the Vatican).

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View from San Marino

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One of three lookouts at San Marino

ANDY!

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Another Tower at San Marino

LEN!

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View from San Marino4200 feet above sea level

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Last tower at San Marino

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Mountain in Central Italy

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• Church of the first Eucharistic Miracle in Luciano, Italy

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Church of the first Eucharistic Miracle

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Monstrance with the flesh and blood of Christ known as the first Eucharistic Miracle, 500 A.D.

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Mountain in Central Italy

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Hotel in the mountains

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Rural country

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Church of the Holy Face in Manepello, Italy

213Inside Church of the Holy Face

214The face of Christ

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Mountains in central Italy

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City on hill side

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Sisters at the Tivoli Gardens Fountains

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The Tivoli Gardens

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The Tivoli Gardens

220The Tivoli Gardens

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The Tivoli Gardens

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The Tivoli Gardens

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The Tivoli Gardens

224The Tivoli Gardens

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BACK IN ROME AT THE NORTH AMERICAN COLLEGE

226North American College in Rome

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North American College in Rome

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The Field at NAC

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Our favorite restaurant. ( We went there twice)

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And of course there was the Pasta. Momma Mia !