Looking over my shoulder, I can see the peak behind me. Before me lies the community lunching in the shade. I sit down exhausted and grab for the nearest grub. I just finished 6 miles, 3000ft up and back down in only 3 hours so anything tastes great, especially if it’s liquid.
After grabbing a few snacks, a brother hands me a plate with a hamburger. I look up to say thanks and realize it is one of the brothers who just hiked the mountain with me. Even after all this exhaustion, I chose to sit and relax but he chose to serve. He goes even further getting ketchup and mustard for me and a visitor who hiked with us.
This was our Marian Pilgrimage. Earlier in the day we had visited our Lady of Good Council in Genazzano: a 16” by 18” fresco on porcelain that is the thickness of an eggshell. It appeared miraculously 5 centuries ago while the monks were praying evening prayer. At that time the Turks were invading Albania; two Albanian Catholics saw an image depart their Cathedral towards Italy so came looking for it and identified this image as the same one.
When we got back home for dinner, I had to cook so I got to dinner late. Interestingly, the same brother searched the whole dining room to make sure that I got everything I needed for dinner. Thank you brother.
