Our first trip to Rome was in 1996. Though and I had a wonderful time, we did not experience the spiritual side that this city has to offer. I did know some of the Christian history of Rome, but not enough to visit and appreciate the holy sites. I remember visiting the Colosseum, Circus Maximus, and several other secular sites, but when we walked into St. Peter’s Basilica, I was overtaken by its massive beauty. Never had I seen anything so ornately magnificent. I wanted to learn more about the history of the grand Saint Peter’s Basilica as well as other holy sites.
When we returned in 1998, we had a spiritual connection because I had recently joined a Catholic lay ministry. Our leader was part of the exorcist team in Rome; this group was required to make an annual trip to the Vatican for meetings. Joanne, our group leader, had contacted a nun who had connections with the Vatican. She requested that our marriage be blessed by the Pope. We were not granted that request, but Mike and I were still excited about this venture. I had recently returned to the Catholic Church after a long, productive hiatus with the Protestant movement.
Joanne had suggested the hotel that the team had always used. The Grand Plaza Hotel is one of the most beautiful old hotels located on the Via del Corso. Its location is just a stone’s throw away from the Spanish Steps. This hotel is in the heart of Rome’s upscale shopping district, similar to our Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. This area has all the Roman amenities at your feet. There are wonderful restaurants that the locals frequent, and after dinner we would walk to the Trevi Fountain and have the best gelato.
The Vatican
From the hotel, we needed to take a taxi to the Vatican, and we were given an address: Borgo Santo Spirito, 4. We walked around for several hours, trying to find the building, and, after an argument over the situation, we decided to have lunch and then try again. We found Borgo Santo Spirito, but could not find the number 4. Just when we were about to give up, a friendly priest must have noticed our frustration. Without effort, he knew exactly where to lead us. We thanked him, and walked into a building we had passed several times.
When we arrived, we were handed an envelope with an official letter and two tickets. The letter was written in Italian, and the only part I could interpret was “my name with an escort.” I remembered that Joanne had mentioned that the Swiss Guards were very approachable, so we showed them the letter. A Swiss Guard motioned for us to go farther to the left side of St. Peter’s Basilica. We walked into another secured area, but at this point they asked for our passports. We explained that we left them in the hotel’s security box. Thank God we had our driver’s licenses, we so were allowed passage to visit the Vatican Gardens.
Vatican Gardens
Neither of us knew exactly where we were being led, but suddenly we were alone and walking through the Vatican Gardens! I cried in disbelief. For hours Mike and I made our way through the myriad of greens, topiaries, waterscapes, statues and arches. Occasionally a group of priests or bishops would walk through the gardens. This was our first full day, and we were in awe of the holiness there. Back in 1998 there were no Vatican Garden tours available for tourists, so we knew how special this was.
The Dream
The following night I had a vivid dream. In the dream an angel appeared, woke me up, and grabbed me by the hand. I turned and quickly grabbed Mike’s hand. In a great rush, almost as if we were flying, the angel took us to the front rows of seating where the Pope would sit for the Mass. John Paul II was the pope at that time.
With my voice filled with excitement, I woke up and told Mike that we needed to get to Vatican extra early! Mike asked, “What’s wrong with you? You need to slow down!” My excitement was over the top because I knew this was a prophetic dream. I shared the dream with Mike, and he reluctantly agreed to leave earlier. When we arrived, we handed our tickets to an usher, and the man kept moving us closer and closer until we were sitting in an area reserved for dignitaries. It was exactly what the angel did in the dream! Mike was in a state of disbelief, and I was living the dream.
Journal Your Dreams
Journaling your dreams can help you better understand when God is talking to you. (1 King 3:5-15; Dan 2:19:30; Mt 1:20; Mt 27:19) Not all dreams are prophetic, but when they are, it is because God wants you to receive a message. I knew this dream was from God because it was so real and the fact that it came to fruition validates the message.
14 For God does speak, once,
even twice, though you do not see it:
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night,
when deep sleep falls upon mortals
as they slumber in their beds.
16 It is then he opens their ears
and with a warning, terrifies them,
17 By turning mortals from acting
and keeping pride away from a man,
18 He holds his soul from the pit,
his life from passing to the grave.
The Bible gives us many illustrations where the Lord gave instructions through dreams and visions. If you do not journal, (Hab 2;2; Act 2:17) you could miss a message from God. Whenever family members and friends have dreams, they call me to help them interpret the message. My reply is always the same: Did you write it down? And did you pray about it? In most cases I can offer some assistance, but, more importantly, it is for the person who received the dream to ask God for the meaning.
