If you ever find yourself in Rome on a January 6 visit Piazza Navona around noon and see the happy kids and families.
Then mount the Capitoline Hill for Holy Mass at the Ara Coeli and the magnificent procession with the miraculous statue of the Baby Jesus.
Pictured here is the cardinal as he blesses the city at the end of the procession, in the presence of the mayor of Rome.
Greetings, I read in a guide book that the figure of the Bambino was stolen from S.M. in Aracoeli some years ago. Do you know if it was ever recovered or is this a new statue? Thank you for your wonderful work.
ReplyDeleteYou mean Epiphany was actually celebrated on EPIPHANY?!! I would have loved to be in Rome at the FSSP parish for the Feast. I went to a local Novus Ordo parish with my '62 Missal to pray privately the traditional Mass - how surprised I was that they weren't "doing Epiphany" on the actual day of Epiphany. ....... Ah well, next year I'll know better.
ReplyDeleteOur scary Baby Jesus Mummy is spookier than your scary Baby Jesus Mummy...
ReplyDeleteMichael: The current bambino Gesu' is a copy; the original was stolen in 1994, and has yet to be recovered.
ReplyDeleteMy understanding is that the Bambino has been stolen a number of times, and subsequently recovered, usually after something terrible has happened to the thieves.