Collecting the Testimonium
- Mr Melezet
- Oct 21, 2020
- 1 min read
The Vatican
Pilgrims who complete at least 100 km of the Via can get a certificate or Testimonium. These are available from an office amongst the tourists in St. Peter's Square or from the rectory deep inside the Vatican. Which would you choose?
Today's date: 19.10.20
Weather: sunny
Access is via the Petriano entrance to the left of the Basilica. We had to explain ourselves to the Swiss Guards who then sent us via a security scanner to the Vatican police station. Here we exchanged our passports for security passes and 'crossed the border' into the Vatican.
We were directed to the vestry, were security and covid-temperature checked again and then went upstairs to yet another desk where priests were robing prior to a service. Here another policeman ferreted in a drawer, pulled out two blank Testimoniums to fill in ourselves and put the last stamp in our pilgrim passports.
We took our time leaving the Vatican. We visited the small Teutonic cemetery and the Piazza Santa Maria. It is an odd place, full of electric cars, but with a petrol station.
We exchanged our badges for our passports and crossed back into Italy and the open-air museum that is Rome.
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