Sorry for being a bit late, but due to a bout of the flu, I only now manage to put something together.
We did go again to the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Jacksonville, Florida.
Last year in October we were there also: {St. Maria Goretti came from Italy to 54 US Cities - We got to see her too!}
So we looked at their schedule for Christmas and were in for a surprise...
A Solemn Midnight Mass with Members of the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra...
So we did look up the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront and booked us 2 nights there at a great price deal.
Not having family in the U.S.A. and for both of us never having participated in the commercial gift giving, there was nothing that held us back.
Our cat-sitter was available and off we went!
The cover of the bulletin did not reveal the big surprise...
But here it was: Mozart's Mass in C, K 167 which got composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart at the age of 17.
To both of us, this was the most heavenly Mass we ever attended!
What a perfect Christmas this was for us; in its true meaning!
We did call Dad in The Netherlands, around 2:00 AM our time, he'd just gotten out of bed and sounded very happy and in high spirits, anticipating a special sung Mass by the Horster Mannenkoor in which he actively participated for half a century.
Next we went to bed too with a feeling of satisfaction.
The weather was also perfect, around 25°C.
Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and without the flu!
Last year in October we were there also: {St. Maria Goretti came from Italy to 54 US Cities - We got to see her too!}
So we looked at their schedule for Christmas and were in for a surprise...
So we did look up the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront and booked us 2 nights there at a great price deal.
Not having family in the U.S.A. and for both of us never having participated in the commercial gift giving, there was nothing that held us back.
Our cat-sitter was available and off we went!
To both of us, this was the most heavenly Mass we ever attended!
We did call Dad in The Netherlands, around 2:00 AM our time, he'd just gotten out of bed and sounded very happy and in high spirits, anticipating a special sung Mass by the Horster Mannenkoor in which he actively participated for half a century.
Next we went to bed too with a feeling of satisfaction.
The weather was also perfect, around 25°C.
Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and without the flu!
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What a wonderful way to spend Christmas, my Dear Mariette! It must be difficult to be so far away from your dear ones, but you have found the true meaning of Christmas while honoring them. It is always nice to be in a warm place when you are not feeling well, too. I hope you are feeling better now and know that I am thinking of you, my sweet friend. Sending you hugs and wishing you many blessings in the coming New Year. xx Karen
ReplyDeleteLiebe Mariette,
ReplyDeletedas ist beeindruckend.
Alles Liebe
Elisabeth
Hello Mariette, Sorry you had the flu, but the Mozart Mass made a wonderful consolation prize. Mozart is my favorite composer--when when my LP's were lined up by composer, Mozart had the most running length. It must have been both glorious and appropriate to listen to Mozart while attending an actual service.
ReplyDelete--Jim
Dearest Jim,
DeleteYes, at least our Christmas was a lovely time spent with the Mozart composed Mass!
Meanwhile I'm almost back to normal but we both wondered, having had the flu shot, it did not protect us.
We too love Mozart and have quite a lot of his music on Cds and on some older Tapes. Considering his very young age, it is proof that he was a genius!
We have been lucky for going to Florida in sunny weather as it started raining right after coming home and we've had quite a load of it. Pieter's bucket did fill up completely with rain water... So lucky that his projects got completed years ago; no worries!
Kindest regards from a lovely, sunny Georgia,
Mariette
Dear Marietta
ReplyDeleteWhat a celebration of the Nativity one of the greatest feast days in the Church calendar!
A Mozart Mass accompanied by the orchestra and choir - I can't imagine anything more rousing - so good for the soul.
I've always wanted to participate in Midnight Mass at St Peters Basilica in Rome - I know you have to 'book' in advance through your parish now.
On one trip, we travelled by train from where my daughter lives in France to Rome for New Year. Of course we visited St Peters and marvelled at the magnificent Nativity crib and life size figures in St Peters square. That is a memory I hold very dear in my heart.
I wonder if I'll ever go again?!
A very special post thank you dear Marietta.
God bless you
Love
Shane xxx