By Father Peter Choy Wai-man
This year, Pentecost coincided with a nine-day religious and artistic journey to Rome along with two judges and two winners from an earlier diocesan emblem design competition. From the very first day, I could strongly feel the descent of the Holy Spirit.
According to the Acts of the Apostles, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples in the form of tongues of fire, they were filled and began to speak in different tongues. At that time, Jews from all over the world heard them speaking in the languages of their native lands. This image symbolises that although nations are distinct, they are united by the same Spirit, forming the Church’s unity in plurality.
Upon landing, we headed directly to St. Peter’s Basilica for a visit, as it was still early. Whether due to the Jubilee Year or the effect of the new pope, we found that St. Peter’s Square was already bustling with crowds, starting from the Via della Conciliazione. The main groups were Jubilee pilgrims, followed by pre-booked tour groups, and finally individual visitors. The three queues slowly converged at the main entrance of the basilica and entered in an orderly manner, reminiscent of the scene at the entrance of the Cross-Harbour Tunnel in Hung Hom in the past.
Upon entering, I had hoped to relax and take my time exploring, but to my surprise, the entire basilica was subject to strict crowd control measures, forcing visitors to follow a designated path. This was an experience I had never encountered before.
To be honest, between the queuing, security checks, to the crowd control measures, I kept asking myself whether it was worth it—what was the meaning of such a pilgrimage? However, seeing so many pilgrims from around the world enduring the scorching sun and patiently waiting for their moment to pass through the Holy Door, I realised this was the Church as one in diversity. Despite room for improvement in the arrangements, the chaos and lack of clear instructions did not deter anyone from their resolve to visit the basilica.
Furthermore, as recorded in the Gospel of John, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit as the Advocate to help the disciples remember his words and lead them to all truth.
This religious art tour primarily focused on several well-known churches, but since some participants were not Catholic, the emphasis shifted to Rome’s artistic, architectural, and even musical cultural heritage. Having lived in this place for four years, I thought I was quite familiar with every sight here. However, through the guide’s detailed explanations and discussions with the judges, I gained a deeper understanding of the relationship between religion, Western civilisation, art and architecture— a reward I had never expected.
I initially believed the purpose of this journey was to give, yet I ended up being the one who received. I am grateful for this trip to Rome, which allowed me to once again experience the descent of the Holy Spirit.
