Ryan is a Rock Star!

Wow! Chris and I will definitely take the prize for most weight gained in a week. We have lost all of our angular facial features and we both have little dough boy faces and bodies now.

It does not help that all of our food has been free except 2 meals. We are staying at the monestary hotel for the Church of the Holy Cross, or Sante Croce as it is called here. It is one of the official 7 churches in Rome. We eat all of our meals with the monks, generally in silencio, while a monk reads off latin text for our enjoyment. Something about the combination of FREE and latin texts causes us to all eat way more than we need to. Thus, the dough people. We are praying to be upgraded to first class because we fear Coach will not hold our expanded bottoms.

The first day, Thursday, we flew in at 8 a.m. and waited at the airport with trusting hearts that someone would pick us up. Two hours later, that trust was fraying. No one was answering their phones and there was no greeting party with open arms. Chris and I were bickering. We were hungry. We could not understand anything and EVERYONE was smoking. It was not much of a start to our so-called second honeymoon.

Winston and Ryan finally came to get us. Winston had a car arranged from the Vatican to come get us but for 10:30 and not 8 when we landed. It is nice to know that we were not completely forgotten.

We immediately got settled into our monk-like rooms, complete with concrete posts that double as beds, and took a short nap before dinner. Then, it was time to shower and get ready for Ryans ordination. What an affair that was!!

It seemed like all of Rome was out to celebrate Ryans big day. The Vatican sent the Secretary of the Vatican (so like Donald Rummie was for our president) over to do Ryans service and he brought his 8 secret service guys. The secret service guys scowled. A lot. The Vatican also sent over an entire contingent of red dressed priests. Ryan tells us that (1) the Cardinal has never done another ordination and (2) that normally there is only one Priest at each ordination. He expresses bafflement at why they are treating him so well and with such honor but it is very clear to his family that Ryan is destined for high places for the Church. After all, within 2 days of the ceremony, Ryans photos are available in the Vatican Gift Shop as a photo essay. It is not every monk that gets that!

The service was long with much standing and praying and Ryan spent half of it, fully flat out on his face on the floor. My snake skin, open toed, 3 inch heels had some trouble supporting me in comfort but they helped to set off the austere black suit. Ryan said he did not recognize me in such a covered-up outfit. I was not sure if that was a complement or not.

The big surprise came when the Renoud children were pulled from the crowd to be part of the ceremony. Chris delivered the Chalice up to the Cardinal on the steps and I carried the Holy Water. We made a little processional all the way from the back of the church to the front, walking slowly and with dignity, my little red toes winking all the way. Then, we had to deliver the holy artifacts to the Cardinal, who grasped our hands meaningfully. Apparently, we were supposed to kiss his hand but not being Catholic, we had no idea that we were supposed to be kissing random hands on stage. We made it back to our seats with nary a slip, which was quite a feat in my 3 inch heels on the giant cobblestones.

After the mass was over, there were hours and hours of celebrations where we met everyone who was anyone in Rome. The Princess of Italy was there. The Ferrarri family was there. There head of the Oil company for Italy was there. Everyone wanted to be there to celebrate with Ryan. Or, the cynical nature in me does wonder if everyone was there to curry favor with the next muckity muck for the Church. Either way, I told Ryan we would need to rename the Church Everyone Loves Ryan because he is very very beloved here. I can see why he loves it.

More on our travels to the Vatican, seeing the Holy Cross and almost dying on the way to Positano later ...