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Today the Cardinal Archbishop of Armagh celebrated the Holy Sacrifice of Mass for the Irish pilgrims in a small temporary oratory at the new Irish Augustinian Monastery in the Via Boncompagni. Construction of The Church of St Patrick, which is to adjoin the monastery, had recently begun and some people were disappointed that it had not progressed further.
At the conclusion of Mass the Very Rev Prior Glynn told the pilgrims that, when the ceremony of unveiling the statue of St Patrick was concluded, they were invited to visit the Spanish Church of St Isidore which possessed many memories and sacred relics of Ireland.
Many of the party went to the Vatican Picture and Sculpture Galleries and spent the rest of the day there. The Holy Father had arranged that the entire place, including the Pope’s own gardens, were thrown open to the Irish pilgrims. Also the medal of the pilgrims was sufficient to allow them entrance.
 
The Sistine Chapel, Rome
After lunch the pilgrims made their way by carriage along the Ostian Way to the Basilica of St Paul outside the walls.
 
The church is plain but the interior is beautiful.
The Altar Canopy
The roof, of modern carved woodwork, is supported on eighty Corinthian columns of granite, the capital of which are white marble. The floor of the church is of the most exquisitely polished marbles, and reflected, like a mirror the bright colours of the gorgeous interior. One of the most remarkable features in the church is the long line of mosaic portraits of the Popes – from St Peter down to Leo XIII. Each portrait takes an artist over a year to produce. Each mosaic is done while the Pope is alive and, on his death, the date and length of his pontificate is added.
Under the high altar rests the decapitated body of St Paul and also that of his beloved disciple, St Timothy. Many other relics are contained in the adjoining sacristy.
The group enjoyed a pleasant evening before retiring.
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