It was during the community retreat focusing on St. Paul, when Abbot em. Edmund Power promised to give a special guided tour to us.
This became true on December 16, when the sisters of the Casa community came to St. Paul, where Abbot Edmund waited already.
Still outside he explained to how this place being a cemetery outside the walls was already during the Roman Empire at a major road going from the city to the sea. At this cemetery the body of St. Paul was buried after his martyrdom.
We could enter the monastery and could get a glimpse of the long and moving history of this important place for the life of Benedictines and the whole Church.
Through Abbot Edmunds lively and interesting explanations we learnt much about the interconnectedness of Benedictine life in St. Paul and the papcy.
He showed and explained the relics present there like the walking stick of St. Paul and some bones of the early popes.
One especially precious relic is the bone of the arm of St. Anna, mother of Mary.
One especially precious relic is the bone of the arm of St. Anna, mother of Mary.
We could see the “dogmatic sarcophagus” from the 4th century already depicting the trinity in an artistic way with profound symbolism.
We thank Abbot Edmund Power for this lively tour, which helped us to see with new eyes and appreciate St. Paul even more.
