CV NEWS FEED // Six students from St. John’s University in New York undertook a week-long pilgrimage to Rome in January, and reported that the experience helped them grow closer to God and each other.
According to St. John’s, the pilgrimage included a visit to Vatican City, St. Peter’s Basilica, the Catacombs, the Holy Stairs, and an audience with Pope Francis.
“Praying there [in Rome], I felt all the different gifts of the Church,” Nicholas Salerno, a history major, said. “I found myself reflecting that Christ suffered so much and that He is with us in whatever suffering we encounter.”
Fellow student Philip Marbid said that the visit to the Holy Stairs was a “rewarding” experience that brought him a lot of growth. The popular pilgrimage destination is a set of 28 stairs, believed to be the ones Jesus walked on during his trial before Pontius Pilate. They were brought to Rome by St. Helen in the fourth century, and pilgrims venerate them by climbing the steps on their knees.
“I grew so much spiritually,” Marbid said. “Physically, the climb on your knees was as bad as I expected, but it was rewarding. Christ suffered for us; climbing the stairs helped me realize the magnitude of that.”
Student Vincent Marino said that the pilgrimage made him grow closer to the other students on the trip.
“Getting to experience Rome with my fellow Catholic Scholars didn’t just mean seeing the sites and enjoying the sounds with them,” he said. “It also meant sharing meals and bonding together. Growing this community was special, and visiting Rome brought memories that will last a lifetime.”
All six students who went on the pilgrimage are part of St. John’s Catholic Scholars multidisciplinary program, which prepares students for leadership in different areas of the Church and community.
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