I take a train from Campagna de Roma to a stop inside Rome’s perimeter road. I begin to walk. Walking on city streets with crowds of people is a strange sensation. As I walk up Monte Mario Alt, past the Vatican Observatory, I have to abandon the trail because a dozen bicyclists are powering their way down the trail. Argh! There is such irony regarding the Vatican’s astronomical history. In early 1600’s Galileo condemned for supporting Copernicus’ view that earth and planets revolve around the sun; now the Vatican has an observatory within a couple of miles of Vatican.

Passing by a metro station, I see four priests talking together. Rather brazenly, I walk up to them holding the Via Francigena passport. “Would you bless me for completing the Via Francigena?” I don’t even bother to look at other people. I care less if anybody thinks this request is strange! Anyway, this is Rome! The priests are gracious. As I notice an age difference, the priest that I had initially addressed because he is the first to notice me, turns to the oldest priest, “Will you offer a blessing?” The older African priest blesses me. “God shower his blessings upon this pilgrim.” A North American pilgrim blessed by an African priest. Nice!

Like others, I face a gauntlet to enter St Peters. Fortunately, I wave my credential to a guard and he motions me through the turnstile. Yeah! I continue to a long, narrow room to the right of the main entry steps. A young guard motions me over. After showing my certificate, he hands me a Testimonium. “Would you fill it out please?” I ask. He hesitates, “Let me get someone with much better handwriting.” Within a minute, the reluctant young guard finds a willing person. Presto! My Testimonium is completed. As I say to friends, I hope that this gets me, at least, a cup of coffee with St. Peter.

For the next hour, I wander around St. Peter’s. Eventually, after walking all these steps to Rome, I do the expected, I climb St. Peter’s Dome. Quite the view!

Having my picture taken of me holding my Testimonium with altar in the background by a stranger.

I have reached my destination. Yes, the journey is important. Yes, my experiences along the Via Francigena are unforgettable. Yet, like thousands of medieval pilgrims who longed for Rome, and then reached Rome, I, like them, sought to reach Rome. I’ve now reached Rome.