POTD: The Holy Door

From 2024 12 22 Rome

Pilgrims throng the stairs to the Holy Door

Today's photo-of-the-day is at the open Holy Door at St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City on Christmas Day. According to Wikipedia, "A Holy Door is traditionally an entrance portal located within the Papal major basilicas in Rome. The doors are normally sealed by mortar and cement from the inside so that they cannot be opened. They are ceremonially opened during Jubilee years designated by the Pope, for throngs of pilgrims to enter the basilica through those doors to gain the plenary indulgences attached with the Jubilee year celebrations."

We witnessed Pope Francis open St. Peter's Holy Door on Christmas Eve, which marked the beginning of the Jubilee Year 2025. We returned on Christmas Day to walk through it ourselves, along with thousands of pilgrims.

Bonus photos are after the jump.

Nonnas (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Nonnas (2025): Vince Vaughn plays a man who wants to honor his mother by opening a restaurant with four grandmas serving their family recipes. Nothing subtle here, just a big helping of good-hearted nostalgia. B-

Netflix

Eric (TV 2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Eric (TV 2025): Benedict Cumberbatch plays Vincent, the creative genius behind a long-running TV puppet show in the 1980s in NYC. His son is kidnapped and his personal and professional lives start falling apart. Too many side issues are packed into six episodes, including urban decay, crime, AIDS, homophobia, alcoholism, and mental illness. B-

Netflix

POTD: Urbi et Orbi

From 2024 12 22 Rome

Today's photo-of-the-day is from St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City on Christmas Day. Our family is attending the Pope's Urbi et Orbi address. According to Wikipedia; "The Urbi et Orbi address and blessing is the most solemn form of blessing in the Catholic Church, and is reserved for the most solemn occasions. These occasions include Easter, Christmas, and the proclamation of a newly elected pope concluding a conclave...Urbi et Orbi blessings are usually given from the central loggia of Saint Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, at noon." So, even though we were just there on Christmas Eve, we returned on Christmas morning to hear Pope Francis's address and receive his blessing.

Bonus photos are after the jump.

POTD: Hot Chocolate by the River Tiber

From 2024 12 22 Rome

Today's photo-of-the-day is from a cafe by the River Tiber outside Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome. It's where we stopped on our walk back to our hotel from the Vatican to enjoy hot chocolate. Our family's Christmas Eve in Rome will forever be our favorite Christmas memory.

A bonus photo is after the jump.