At the Santa Pudenziana Church with Sr. Olivia, RVM (Mother Superior of the RVM Sisters in Rome) and Franciscan Fr. Gerry
(then the ONLY English-language Father confessor at the Vatican) acting as our tour guide on his 'day off'.

This antique church is considered to be THE OLDEST CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN THE WORLD, and the Filipino-founded
RVM Sisters under Sr. Olivia were assigned by Pope Benedict 16th to help run and administer it.

The church was built over the house of the Roman senator Pudens, whose daughters were the saints Praxedes and Pudentiana. The family was known to have
provided hospitality to St. Peter during his apostolate in Rome. The ancient titulus, perhaps dating from the 2nd century, was replaced in the late 4th
century by a church which, although extensively rebuilt during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, is still partially visible in the present building.

It features the 13th century Romanesque campanile, façade with its lovely portico featuring 2 antique fluted columns and an 11th century
frieze representing the Lamb of God; interior with the aspe containing mosaics from the 4th century, and the Caetani Chapel
(on the left side of the nave) begun by Francesco da Volterra in 1598 and completed by Maderno in 1614.