“Immersed, Inspired & Connected” | Postcards from Rome 2026

We arrived in Florence on Wednesday, May 27, around 2pm or so, at Casa Elisabetta. The house was about a 30-minute walk from the famous Ponte Vecchio. The bridge was filled with goldsmiths, jewelers, and leatherworkers, just like in days of old. On day one, we were given an afternoon tour of the heart of the city, and two major spots and their accompanying history – the Accademia Gallery, and an exterior tour of the Duomo. Both experiences were rich immersions of sacred artwork and architecture.

On day two we walked through the old Dominican convent of San Marco, seeing all of Fra Angelico’s frescos, the cloister walk, and some remaining artifacts of Savonarola. I was able to step aside briefly and examine some old chant books in the room that used to be their library, and as a lover of Gregorian Chant it always inspires my sense of unity with the history of the Church to see the same chants sung today which were sung centuries ago. We had some free time in the afternoon, and I was able to explore inside the Duomo, as well as Santa Maria Novella.

These two days alone were worth the flight overseas, and yet there is so much more to encounter on The Rome Experience – I am truly grateful for this opportunity to become more immersed, inspired, and connected with my Catholic Faith!

Theodore Holthe
Diocese of Charlotte