A number of members of the Grand Priory of Great Britain took part in a pilgrimage to Rome recently, as part of a larger group from the parish of the Chaplain General for Great Britain. Fifty one of us altogether. One of the highlights was Mass in St Peter's Basilica, very early in the morning, as you can see from the photograph above. Fr Simon celebrated Mass for the pilgrims at the altar of St Margaret Mary, the great devotee of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Our Grand Prior, H E Chev. Anthony Dickinson read the Epistle.
Singing the Salve Regina at the end of Mass.
Among those on the pilgrimage, four of our new Esquires, who are all students at Chavagnes International College, where Order Chaplain Fr Mark Lawler has the care of souls.
Our other venue for Mass was right next to our hotel in the gem of a church, San Salvatore. It is part of the Pallotine Fathers House and the body of St Vincent Pallotti is enshrined under the high altar in a "basilica" arrangement. We were made very welcome there and celebrated Mass each morning with ease.
There were four Chaplains from the Grand Priory of Great Britain,
assisted at Mass by some of our new Esquires as servers.
Some of the Grand Priory members in the church.
Grand Prior, HE Anthony Dickinson
Thanks to HE Chev Matthew Jackson, who took most of the photographs.
Chaplains Tapparo and Charlton
(Diocese of Birmingham and Middlesbrough, respectively).
A Roman Dome
No introduction need to this well-known face!
A far cry from the weather in Scotland!
Grand Prior and Hospitaller in conversation.
Father's straw Saturno was quite a talking point but proved a very efficient way of the group recognizing where they were heading among the Roman crowds.
Due to Father's training in Rome, we were never lost!
Chaplains and our Esquire from Switzerland.
Father's hat proved popular elsewhere.
For any Order chaplains reading this. Mr Gamarelli makes a fine green piped cassock.
A welcome rest.
An even more welcome rest.
In the courtyard of our hotel, the Ponte Sisto.
Very centrally located in the heart of Rome.
Two of our Esquires on the Ponte Sant Angelo' Angelo.
Deciding on a pizza or visiting another church... hmmm?
The Esquires assisting one of the pilgrims in his wheelchair.
Chev Danny Lawler and Dame Margaret Lawler
Only in the Order of St Lazarus do the Esquires drink champagne!
Received into the Order this year, Mt Jeff Jackson, pictured here with his wife.
Companions of the Order, Brian and Margarita, who hail from Yorkshire.
