Little pieces of home: Trinitarians & Friends

George and I are looking forward to coming back to the States and have started talking about the things we miss about home. Of course at the top of the list is family and friends. Anytime I hear from family or our friends, it makes home a little closer. Meeting up with Jessie, Cailtin's sister, at the Vatican was a highlight of this past week and brought home to me here in Rome. The same is also true for a few churches here in Rome. The Vatican is a place I seem to gravitate towards when homesick but this past week and haft I have happened across three churches all connected to the Order of the Most Holy Trinity. Entering a Trinitarian church, filled with images of the order's history and seeing Trinitarian priests walking around made me think of the good old days at DeMatha. It was awesome to be in these churches that are so connected to an order that has a special place in my heart.

The first Trinitarian church I visited was San Tommaso in Formis. Last week, Giorgio and I joined Judy and some of her college friends on a walk to the Lateran. We made a few touristy stops on the way. One being the Bocca della Verita... (our hands were not bitten :P)

We walked past the Circus Maximus and up the Caelian hill. As we were walking along, I noticed the seal of the Trinitarian order. Surprised but super excited, I walked into the courtyard and into the church. This church was actually the church that Pope Innocent III gave to St. John DeMatha to make it the Order's headquarters. St. John DeMatha and other Trinitarians lived in the monastery attached to the church and made part of it into a hospital.

13th century mosaic of Trinitarian seal

The church is built into the Claudian Aqueduct

Statue of St. John DeMatha in courtyard

Pope Innocent III approving the founding of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity

Christ freeing the captives

Exterior of the church. Georgie loved running up and down the walkway!

Accidentally finding and being able to visit this church made me giddy for the rest of the day! How cool is it to be in a church that is part of the foundations of the order that I worked for and to see images of events that I had taught about in my classes! It brought me back to DeMatha and back home!

When I was out with George and Giorgio this past Saturday, we visited a few churches. One of the churches George really wanted to show me was San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane because it was designed by Borromini. Well surprise, it is also a Trinitarian church.

The Trinitarian cross, which was everywhere in the church.

Statue of St. John DeMatha on the church exterior.

Statue of St. Felix Valois on the exterior.

Part of the dome are four medallions depicting events in the Order's founders. This medallion depicts the meeting of St. John DeMatha and St. Felix of Valois. (I took photos of the others but they are not clear.)

A painting depicting Christ exchanging hearts with St. Michael of the Saints.

This is an altar dedicated to St. John Baptist of the Conception.

An image of St. Charles Borromeo (who the church is dedicated to), St. John DeMatha and St. Felix of Valois

The cloister's courtyard. This is one of Borromini's famous designs. George was very excited to be seeing it.

The third Trinitarian church I visited this past week, San Crisogono, is actually really near to our apartment and I have walked by it numerous times. As I was heading to the market on Monday morning and decided to stop into this church. A funeral mass was going on so little George and I stayed for mass. (I have been to so many funeral masses here in Rome. It seems like every time I go to daily mass, the mass is a funeral mass!)  Afterwards we walked around visiting and took tons of photos. While I was taking the photos I kept thinking of how great it would have been to have visited these Trinitarian churches and to have taken these photos before working at DeMatha. I was always looking for beautiful images depicting the events I was teaching. Now here I am in Rome and these images are around me in abundance.

San Crisogono

I have walked through here so many times and never noticed!

Christ is holding the Trinitarian scapular and Mary is holding a purse, symbolizing the ransoming of captives.

Our Lady of Good Remedy supplying St. John DeMatha with money to ransom captives. 

Trinitarian Saints in Glory along with Blessed Anna Maria Taigi, whose chapel this is in. 

Mary reciting Matins with St. Felix of Valois  and angels, something that happened on September 8th 1212

More Trinitarian saints in heaven

"Ecce Homo"- Jesus is wearing a Trinitarian scapular around his neck

Relic of St. John DeMatha

Chapel designed by Bernini

The founders of the Trinitarian order with the Trinity above them.

I have been visiting so many gorgeous churches here in Rome. They will be one of the things I miss most about Rome. With the end of our time here coming soon, I am trying to see as many of Rome's churches as I can!

If I do not post before Thanksgiving, then happy Thanksgiving to you all! We are not going to have a classic Thanksgiving (mmm turkey, stuffing and pie!). Instead we are using the little bit of vacation time that George has and heading down to Sorrento for a long weekend!!