For those who don’t know me personally, I went to High School in Rome, Italy and have adored that country ever since. In this post, I’m sharing a passage about Eternal Roma from my upcoming book:

And then they discovered Rome. The girls were allowed to bus into the city, so each weekend they fled to the effervescent heart of Italy. Their favorite beginning point was the Spanish Steps, where artists sold their wares and drew caricatures for the tourists under the luminous Italian sky. From there they wandered around town, sipping delicious cappuccino and slurping down gelato.

Over the years, as they explored the streets and historical sites, Noel came to dearly love the radiant beauty of Rome, which bubbled with fresh delight every morning. The whole city was captivated by a breezy, lilting rhythm, laced with her past glory and laden with a musical joy. This melody flowed through the people, who were warm and friendly as they unabashedly indulged themselves in the blessings of life.

It was as if God, after humbling the great Roman Empire, had come back in tenderness and dressed her humility with an even deeper richness. Virtually every inhabitant was a Roman Catholic and, whether practicing or not, held a deep respect for the church. As Noel gazed at the Pietà, the breathtaking Michelangelo sculpture of Mary holding her slain son Jesus, or the splendid Sistine chapel mural of God touching the finger of Adam, she was swept into the pulse of Roman worship and believed.

I love Italy!

More posts on Rome:

Vatican Gardens at the Pope’s Resignation

Rome and Beyond