Advent Ramblings

The sun's out this morning but the air is still a little chilly.

As we moved into the 2nd Week of Advent, the surroundings of the Collegio begins to take a semblance of the Christmas festivity. They have put up a grand tree by the corridor entrance and several Santas could be seen hanging, one on the corridor lamp and another by the entrance to the refectory. Inside the refectory, they have decorated the place with some golden streamers and a medium size tree is placed in the middle with some half-finished decor which, I presume, would be more complete as we get closer to Christmas.

The crib will be put out later, I think next week, and that should balance the commercialised decor already prevalent around the Collegio. It is still a little strange, though, why we would go to an extent of using more secular decor rather than more Christian ones first, in a pontifical college as as this. Even one or more of the Christmas Christian symbol from any one of the mission country used would be a much better substitute than the overused secular ones (Santa, snowman, snowflakes, etc).

Anyway, I have no plans to travel anywhere outside of Italy this Christmas, except to a place up north for a few days with some priest friends sometime in the days after the 25th December. (more on this later) It is always a good and normal practice for me to just enjoy the holidays, in Italy, by just staying close to one's abode and experience the quiet and solitude it can offer despite this being in a place of utter craziness...

Have a good Advent and catch you along the way towards Christmas!