OSTERN: Christus ist erstanden!!

I am back in Vienna. One amazing, beautiful adventure after another happening so quickly in the last two weeks (and also the limited availability of the internet) has lead me to keep you in great anticipation. But yes, after a normal, simple trip (full of screaming children haha) over the pond, I landed in Vienna to be welcomed one more time by Monika and Alina in the Wien Flughafen--but this time we knew what one another looked like, we hugged immediately and ecstatically, and we could immediately begin speaking in German. One thing that hadn't changed...I had a lot of luggage (I brought goodies back from America haha). Oh, and, it was not the middle of December, but rather the mid-end of April and Summer was already upon Vienna!! I immediately had to roll up my jeans, take off my jacket, put on the sunglasses and roll down the car windows. My breath was taken away....Vienna in the summer is so beautiful, green, and fresh! It is as if I arrived into a whole new world, but a world that was already a well worn-in love. 

Instead of going to Monika's apartment (as in December), we went straight to the Heart's Home where Alina and Fr. Jacques (who was in France then) and many of our friends had done so much renovation work when I was gone. Alina had spent the whole night (she slept one hour...crazy girl) cleaning and preparing everything for me to come home...im humbled. Monika had spent the whole day cooking and preparing a gourmet lunch...once again humbled. I am overwhelmed by their love. Here you can see the completely undeserved gifts they prepared for my arrival...

yes, the walls are now torn up from the electrical work in our once near perfect room, but so bright, clean, and of course...Alina had flowers and a couple Mozart Kugels waiting for me by my bed (my fav. Wiener schokolade)

unser zimmer

Ostern Eier auf dem Tisch
(Easter Eggs on the Table...Viennese table decorations for Easter)

our finished living room!! 

so happy. so peaceful!

Vorspeise (Appetizer)
Tomato, Avocado, Radish, and Cilantro Homemade Tacquito with Chips and Hot Citrus Salsa

Hauptspeise: The traditional Grundonnerstag (Holy Thursday) Austrian meal consists of eggs, spinach, and potatoes.
Monika, the speise-kunsterlin (food artist) that she is...made Spinach Balls on top of something I forget with sunflower seed kernels, Sweet Potato pancakes, and a poached egg tomato surprise. 

Nachspeise: Mohn-Sussekartofel Kugeln auf eine Mango-Joguhrt Swirl
Poppyseed (Monika's Fav) coated sweet potato clusters (my fav) with pureed mango (Alina's fav) and
joghurt. Yum. 

After the lunch, Monika returned to her home with Alina to do a few things, and I stayed to unpack. On our walk to Stephansdom that evening with the sun still relatively high in the sky, the breeze coming off the Donau as we walked over the bridge to the first district and the warm, welcoming feeling of the sun quenching your skin so thirsty from the dry cold of the winter...we stopped in with a little bunch of flowers to wish Krista a Happy Birthday (she is the mother of four for whom Alina used to babysit). We visited with her, met a friend of her's Sylvia (FROM FLORIDA!) who was over for the afternoon, and played with the kids, before continuing on our way to mass. 

The Holy Thursday mass was beautiful-celebrated by the Kardinal who, in celebrating the feast of the Lord's Supper, washed the feet of those serving on the alter (lectors, servers, eucharistic ministers, etc.) in a beautiful ceremony during the mass. At the closing of the mass, he blessed the congregation with the Eucharistic Monstrance which he then processed through the entire congregation of Stephansdom and left the MOnstrance at the Adoration alter for people to continue Adoration--"To stay awake with Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane" until 12 that night. After the mass we stayed for some adoration and then had a date to meet Hana and Matthias at a new little cafe by their apartment. It was so wonderful to see them both again and to catch up over what had happened in the month I was gone. I am so blessed to have such wonderful friends! I am completely overwhelmed!!!

Good Friday started out with an indulgence rather than a sacrifice--I slept till 10. But then after the usual morning routine, Alina and I walked to Staadtpark (a beautiful, HUGE park in the city center) to take a walk in the gorgeous weather, read an account of the passion, and pray the rosary. Finishing our prayers we headed over to the KHG (the student housing) because the students there that are part of C.L. (Communione und Liberazione....from Italy) had organized a Stations of the Cross through the city center. Each station (there were only 5 stations...the regular 14 were clumped together) was at a corresponding place in the city center and for each one, the amazingly talented choir of 8 students would lead singing (mainly in latin or italian), a meditaiton on teh station would be read, the gospel of the station would be read, and then Pepe (the priest that is in charge of the KHG who is also a C.L. priest from Spain) would give a short homily (always so strikingly beautiful and deep), and of course, more singing. It was interesting to do this (there were about 20 of us...and while walking between stations which sometimes would take 10/15 minutes or so, we would all stay in silence) through the city center, to be a little silent group, but to be lead by a cross and of course stand out, and to see or hear the reactions of the people. We were not praying the stations of the cross to get a reaction, we were praying the stations of the cross through the streets of the city center because it was through the streets of Jerusalem's city center that they had lead Jesus before leading him up Clavary Mount. But it was interesting to be surrounded by hundreds of people--out enjoying the beautiful weather, sights, ice cream, and coffee of Vienna-who all had completely different reactions. Some took pictures and videos (we definitely were stars on youtube or the family video that day), some looked confused and stared to try to figure out what was going on, some were disgusted, some were a little too excited and clapped, some said, "Oh yeahhh..its good friday....I forgot!" and some just simply joined us and asked us for a booklet to follow along. I think what made the difference after the initial question--what are these people that are walking in a group, behind a cross, in silence, doing?--was the music. it was beauty that attracted people. it was beauty that once those who were disgusted by a seeming "protest" or "too outward sign of religion" captured them and made them rethink what they had first thought. Something sorrowful, but attractive. The Kreuzweg ended at Stephansdom, and afterwards I got to see all our student friends from the KHG! It was such a joyous time to reunite with everyone and catch up. Most had already gone home for Easter, or were leaving that day...but it was a wonderful to see alot of our friends again. Then, Alina and I went into Stephansdom for the Good Friday Passion with the Kardinal.  Yes, it was a long three hours after having spent three hours doing the Stations of the Cross, but it was one of the most beautiful liturgies I have heard. Not to mention the striking picture of seeing the Kardinal , lead in by pair upon pair of Knights and Ladies of the Holy Sepulchre, come before the alter with the three other priests also celebrating the mass and lay completely prostrate on the floor before the alter for 5 minutes before beginning the mass. The Passion Gospel reading was read by two professional opera singers and the chorus was preformed by an operatic chorus....I felt like I was in the StaadtsOper rather than the mass....thats Vienna for you....always beauty!! There was no mass....but there was a Communion Service after the procession and veneration of the cross. And then after communion a host was placed in the Eucharistic Monstrance, covered by a veil, and processed around Stephansdom in absolute silence before the Kardinal once again brought it to the Adoration Alter where he laid it and lay prostrate before it, and before the scene of the tomb laid out the to side of the alter. There, adoration was held until midnight....always with four Knights/Ladies of the Holy Sepulchre "keeping watch by the grave" in rotation. We stayed for a couple hours and then went to bed! 

Karsamstag--Jeremy (a friend/student in teh KHG from Paris) had invited us to go hiking on Saturday after we finished the Stations of the cross the day before, so on Saturday we woke up early to be at the KHG by 10 to meet Jeremy and Bernadette for a hiking afternoon in the mountains surrounding the city (have I mentioned how much I love this city!) We took the Strassenbahn and BUs up to Kahlenberg and then hiked to Leopoldberg (both mountains are those which we visited with Monika and Fr. Jacques a month or two earlier) through lush woods, and beautiful green paths. It was a great way to get out of the city (a normal thing for the Viennese to do on a Saturday or Sunday..an "ausflug") and get fresh air, exercise, sun, and get to know our friends better! We went of the path on some adventures which always led to the most beautiful overlooks (one where we had a picnic) or interesting animal encounters. Oh, and of course, you cannot forget the bountiful Vineyards!!! For Germans---its their BEER, for Austrians---their WINE! Then we walked the entire way home from Leopoldberg...the whole trip ended up being a MINIMUM of 15 kilometers which is about 9 miles. (and yes, I googlemapped it). 

After hiking, Jeremy invited us for some coffee at the KHG, so the four of us had coffee together and with another friend of ours, Roberta, who had just arrived back at the KHG from working. 

this photo courtesy of Alina

Returning home around 4 we rested, cleaned, got ready, and were at Stephansdom at 8:30 to save seats for friends from the KHG who would also be coming to the Easter Vigil mass, celebrated of course by the Kardinal! Then the mass started in the Courtyard of the Kardinal's house "Erzbishof Palais" across from Stephansdom where there was a huge Easter fire which was blessed and then the Easter Candle was lit from. We all walked in procession behind the Easter candle into Stephansdom in complete darkness-the only light came from the one Easter candle. When the Kardinal reached the front of the church, the little candles that had been handed out to everyone were one by one lit in regress back from the Easter candle until the whole church was lit only be the light of the hundreds of candles held in the hands of everyone there! I wish it would have been appropriate to take pictures at these services over the three days....they were experiences you could only better understand by seeing, and only best understand by experiencing for yourself! They take your breath away. The mass proceeded in candlelight until the readings...or after the readings, I forget...and then one by one the huge chandeliers were turned on in the turn of the choir and organs melodic exclamations. Then of course there was a baptism, and all the traditional Easter Vigil things. 3.5 hours later (at 12:30) we were out of Stephansdom, met up with the 5 or so friends from the KHG and (seeing as we had bought that day two bottles of champagne as a thank you to the students for inviting us to celebrate Easter with them the upcoming day) we went to the Heart's Home to celebrate Easter with a glass of champagne and some chocolates we had received. By 2am we were on our way to bed, which was good considering we needed to be at the KHG at 10:30 to begin helping to prepare the Easter feast that the two Easter chefs (Pietro and Andrea) were preparing. 

Without even realizing it until it happened...we had our first Heart's Home Easter in Vienna: we were a group of Italian, German, American, French, and Romanian people (notice the absence of Austrians....), eating a predominantly Italian Easter feast (we have an idea what Austrian's traditionally eat on Easter...but no real experience) in a more than predominantly Italian way (Austrians are way more concerned with time haha), and it was one of the most wonderful Easters of my life! 

From 10:30-1pm we were cutting, grilling, sauteeing, decorating, slicing, pan frying, baking, and cleaning under the direction of Pietro and Andrea (wow! can Italian men cook! I was amazed!!). Oh and while Alina adn I were in teh kitchen most of the time, others were busy scaling rooftops and ledges, carrying tables, chairs, setting the feast--because believe it or not, we had this Easter feast in a venue the corresponded wonderfully with the superb quality of the food--on the rooftop, in the sun, with a light breeze and a wonderful view of the rooftops of the city center of Vienna. 

the chefs

brie

taschen

meat discussion...very serious...very important

onions

easter morning kitchen

its meat...but its pretty...

so I wont eat it....but Ill photograph it

toasted baguette

stovetop grilling the vegetables.
cannot wait to get these people to America to experience a real grill. 

my fav. part of the entire meal

brot.zwiebel.brie.honig

baked

just beginning....

if you think this is the rooftop deck, you are mistaken

jeremy

pears

getting closer to rooftop

boys 

gemüse

grilling

schokolade + himbeer

washing

alina

alina and veronica

salz

typical italian women in the kitchen---talking

We were 10: Pietro, Andrea, Veronica (another wonderful Italian), Roberta, Jeremy, Alina, me, a Romanian guy who lives in teh KHG who I had never met, an Italian friend of Pietro's who studies and lives in another part of Vienna, and a German guy who lives one the same floor as Jeremy. 

now thats a rooftop.

beginning the feast

sunshade courtesy of Andrea Cozzi's art

The Menu: Vorspeise-Toasted Baguette topped with sauteed onions and brie baked with a honey glaze, and Gouda or Ham and Gouda "Taschen" (purses) Vorspeise #2 (told you it was an Italian meal)-Gorganzola and Pear Risotto Hauptspeise-(some kind of meat and a sauce...but I didnt pay much attention) with grilled onions, tomatoes, zucchini, and peppers Nachspeise-Personal Tiramisu and Chocolate-covered Strawberries with Asti Spumante! 

The most interesting part....between every course, we would take a 15 minute break....to lay in the sun, sit back/relax, perhaps lay down on the ground for a bit (see photos of Andrea haha), walk over the rooftops to look at the view, play guitar, etc. All in all...we spent 2.5 hrs cooking/preparing, 4 hrs eating, 1.5 hrs cleaning. 

roberta + veronica

andrea..dead

jeremy...asleep

After everything was cleaned and washed, and organized, and life put back in order after the amazing day...i sat on the rooftop ledge outside the kitchen window watching the evening storm roll in and feeling its cool breeze, sometimes accompanied by Pietro when he would climb out the window to smoke a cigarette, and listening to the life still being lived in the kitchen--one italian playing guitar, Alina and Jeremy playing chess--but mostly just sitting there....taking it all in....trying to realize where I was, the amazing things I had experienced the entire weekend long--the friendships, the prayer both in remembrance of overwhelming darkness and suffering as well as pure light and joy, the traditions, the celebrations, the togetherness, the love, the thirst for more of it all and the desire to give it all to everyone else just so long as no one dies without having experienced the blessings that God so longs to give us, at least once in their lives. I think in that moment, I felt as if I could almost reach out and touch the gift of the Resurrection, of our salvation. No matter how wonderful and happy all these temporal, earthly moments were....none of it would make so much sense, would mean anything at all, if not illuminated by the light of that first Easter Sunday morning. The Passion and death of Christ wasn't something we were mourning in remembrance of. Easter wasn't just something we were celebrating in remembrance of. It was something that happened one time, for all eternity, so that everyday, no matter our multitude of bad and good experiences, we live always in the grace and hope that flows from the realization that death has been conquered, despair overruled, sin made powerless-by a God who loves us eternally and infinitely. --Easter Sunday it was as if I could feel the Joy of the Resurrection sink into my sun soaked skin, the Hope of the Resurrection brush my cheek gently with its breeze. Easter Sunday I got to really live the love of the Resurrection in a way I had never before! 

I wish you a joyous end to the Easter Octave and as always keep you in my prayers!!!