“A Reminder of the Glory of God” | Postcards from Rome 2026

This past Saturday, I had the pleasure of participating in the “7 churches tour”. This small pilgrimage consisted of visiting and praying at 7 major basilicas: Saint Mary Major, Saint Lawrence Outside the Walls, Holy Cross, Saint John Lateran, Saint Sebastian Outside the Walls, Saint Paul Outside the Walls, and Saint Peter’s Basilica.

The first couple of churches were not too bad of a hike, but as the day went on and the distance grew longer, hiking to each church became harder. As I prayed in each church, I was reminded how this pilgrimage is similar to our lives here on Earth. The movement through our life becomes taxing and sometimes difficult, but must be a perseverance that we must endure and it is from that endurance that we search for Christ. The churches were the place of rest, not just physically but spiritually in prayer. The churches also were a reminder of the glory of God in their grandeur and the multitude of his glory in their various styles.

The entire day of hard walking and prayer reminded me of the importance of pilgrimage and retreat from the world. To me it was a day to reserve myself to the Lord; in a sense a Sabbath like every Sunday.

Franz Mercado
Diocese of Birmingham