Hi All,
i just want to summarize my unofficial 'Pilgrimage' experience. I remember Nigel suggested for it but I couldn't find Nigel's post somehow.
it was VERY QUIET including my visit to the Vatican Museum. i thought initially because we arrived pretty early around 8am but it was all the way quiet until we finished around lunch time and continued to Vatican Museum afterwards. the pilgrim route which is from Castel San Angelo to St. Peter's ground via VIA de la Conciliazione is not 'that' exclusive to pilgrims as there're metal fences for the pilgrims but there's in and out access midway so others could enter the path too. But when we wanted to enter St Peter's ground then the permit was checked. Soldiers were everywhere but i did not see anyone got randomly checked. i was very satisfied with the security as aside from the strictness , they still implied the politeness and understanding to the visitors (this applied to other attractions such as the Colosseum too).
The Holy Door themselves, since they are opened to the side and in St Peter's case there's another set of glass doors in front, we barely felt passing a 'Holy' Door. me and my mum have to got back and looked for the Door since we're afraid of taking the wrong door :D The Holy Stairs in St John Lateran was an interesting one as I just knew on the spot, pilgrims have to kneel step by step of the stairs. Waiting for my mum at the base of the stairs, looking at pilgrims young and old, good and bad knees, all knelt down reaching the painting of Jesus in the Cross at the end of the stair, feeling their emotion and determination praying until the end of the steps despite of the pain and difficulty endured taking the steps was one heart wrenching experience i'll never forget.
overall it's a wonderful experience and had a miracle Papal Mass too which i'd share on my other post
