Wednesday, August 12; Up for breakfast at 7:00 AM. Follow the car with sister in it to Castel Gandolfo where the pope held the audience. Such a mob, Timmy was sick before we left and Pat and Kevin got sick while waiting. Pope arrived at 10:00 AM and it was a thrill of thrills. He is carried in high so can be seen by all. On way out Jamie got to shake the hand of Pope Paul VI!! He is so much nicer looking than the pictures show.

We met Nestor Porto and Bill Benedict (a student doctor). I had talked to Nestor in Catholic supply store Tuesday. He was next to us at audience and then saw him later at ice cream stand. We took them back to town and Nestor offered to be our guide. He had been here 4 or 5 times. His uncle was ambassador from Cuba for 12 or 15 years and he had known Pope Pius well. He loves him still. He had met Pope Paul in 1952 when he was the Msgr.

 After lunch we met them at St. Peters. Pat was sick and stayed home. Just Sue, Jamie and Theresa went with us. We went to Street where are the heads of St. Peter and Paul. Also, columns for a main altar are pillars from Cleopatra’s boat. Beautiful church. We also went to shrine where they have steps from Pontius Pilate’s house with Christ’s blood on. You cannot go up these walking — only on your knees!! We saw at another place relics of cross — thorns from crown — St. Thomas’s finger!!

That night Pat was still sick but the rest of us went to the fabulous production of “Aida” in the open-air theater amid the ruins of the Caracalla Baths. It was wonderful.