January 17, 2013. (Romereports.com) Believe it or not, this is the first time this couple has seen rain. They're from one of the driest parts of the world, in the Atacama Desert in Chile, so Rome's cold weather is something very new for them. They came here as part of a
26 day pilgrimage trip through Europe. It was organized by their diocese and so the first stop, was naturally a papal audience with Benedict XVI.
HUGO ORELLANA AND YOLANDA OLIVARES “It's just like you see it on TV. It's great to see the Pope, be close to him and receive his blessings. It really fills us with joy. It makes us proud of being Christian, and it also strengthens our faith.”
The couple met at work. After years of just being friends, they fell in love. The newlywed couple got married six months ago, so a big reason for the trip, was to give thanks to God for having met each other. In addition to that, this trip is also part of their honeymoon.
HUGO ORELLANA AND YOLANDA OLIVARES
“We decided that it was very important to us, to come here and be closer to God. It was a way to strengthen our faith. Marriage is a special blessing that one has in life. I think it has brought us much more.”
But this Italian trip still has a few more surprises in store, especially for her, says her husband. The couple plans to visit the Italian town of Assisi, where her favorite saint was born.
HUGO ORELLANA AND YOLANDA OLIVARES
“I feel a great devotion to St. Francis for his humility, his dedication and his love both animals and nature. Nature is the most important part of creation. That's where we can visually see the power of God."
Their trip will also include a visit to Egypt, Jordan and Bethlehem, where Jesus was born. This newlywed couple says aside from calling it their honeymoon, they're also calling their 'a journey of faith.'
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