After a long, nine hour flight from Philadelphia, fourteen students and two faculty members arrived in Rome, greeted by tour guide Nicholas Molinari who led them to Villa Lante, a historic property of the Society of the Sacred Heart where they will be staying for eight days.
As soon as they arrived at Villa Lante, they were welcomed by some of the nuns who shared some amazing areas of the building such as a large garden and a chapel dedicated to an RSCJ along with community rooms such as the breakfast area and the lobby/lounge. Each day, students were given free time to find their own lunch and explore the area with friends. This allowed them to practice the Fifth Goal: a personal growth in an atmosphere of wise freedom.
On day three, the Stuart group met with Valentina Treglia, one of their tour guides for the trip, who led them through several ancient ruins such as the Colosseum, the Roman forum and the Imperial Forum, bringing Rome’s history to life.
One of the biggest highlights of this trip was being just feet away from the Pope. On the morning of day four, the group woke up early and traveled to Vatican City, where they waited for a few hours before the Pope began his rounds in the Popemobile. As he rode past the Stuart group, he pointed out a sweatshirt worn by middle school theology teacher Mrs. Lesinski. She was wearing a Villanova sweatshirt, the Pope’s alma mater and the university her eldest daughter currently attends.
Another highlight shared by a student was going to see Pompeii on day five. This student shared that “seeing pompeii in real life after studying about it for so long was so surreal”. The group traveled just over 3 hours to Pompeii, stopping midway at a rest stop with an incredible view. Once they arrived, Italo Buono, their tour guide, led them through the ancient city, providing historical information while keeping the students engaged throughout the visit. The students saw Mount Vesuvius, the height of the debris, uncovered stores and even how to differentiate the different types of shops in Pompeii.
On day six, the group spent the day visiting different churches along with the catacombs. Some of the churches visited were the San Giovanni in Laterano, Santa Maria Maggiore, San Paolo fuori le Mura, church of Santa Pudenziana along with the famous Sistine Chapel St Peter Basilica. At the catacombs, many of the students decided to view one of the preserved bodies. One noted that “it was very interesting to see how despite the age of the person, the body was still preserved well enough to where I can see the shape of the person”.
On the last full day, the group went to Tivoli to see the beautiful estate along with walking around the small town independently. The final night ended with lots of packing and a late night walking around the shops near Villa Lante.
Overall, this trip was fun, educational and an unforgettable experience that allowed students to grow, learn, and create lasting memories together.
