The Final Day

Our final day started favorably for us students: wake-up was at 7:45 and breakfast at 9:00. Despite how forgiving these deadlines were, many of us still managed to be late to breakfast. Nevertheless, we gathered outside the hotel in preparation for our walk to Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore. Following a scenic walk through the old city, we arrived at the basilica. Before entering, we had to pass through security. After a 15-minute wait, we entered the basilica.

In honor of Pope Francis, who is buried within Santa Maria Maggiore, we planned to perform an a cappella concert. We were ushered into a chapel just to the left of the entrance to begin our performance. The chapel was emblazoned with marble and gold. The architecture was stunning, and the acoustics were wonderful. We performed a concise program of 3 songs: “Crucem Tuam”, “Ave Verum Corpus”, and “A New Commandment”. Our voices attracted a noticeable crowd of listeners. Beyond this, though, we were commended by the clergy for our singing.

After our concert, we went on a tour of the basilica. Guided by Giuseppe and Diana, our tour guides, we learned about the church and its many intricacies. Most memorably, Pope Francis, in accordance with his humble nature and focus on the virtues of poverty and justice, was buried in Santa Maria Maggiore. He had no extravagant tomb, yet many came to his tomb to pray, noticing his resting place not for its extravagance but instead for their love of the holy man buried there.

After a short walk back to the hotel, we departed for Gladiator school. We arrived at the historic Via Appia Antica and were greeted by the Group Storico Romano, a historic reenactment group renowned throughout Europe. After an intricate presentation on the history of Gladiators, training began. We were instructed in basic fighting techniques used by Gladiators, designed specifically not to seriously injure the opponent but to entertain the crowd. After completing our training, we moved to the arena. Students faced off in duels, testing their skill and athleticism while entertaining the crowd and, more importantly, the Empress, Dr. Rozenberg.

To end the day and our journey, we had our farewell dinner at Spaccio Pasta, a local restaurant. To the delight of many students, dessert was ice cream. The food was good, but the main event of the dinner was our toasts. To conclude the trip, the seniors reflected on their choir experience, thanking Dr. Rozenberg for the role she played in their wonderful experiences. Of course, though, we would have been foolish not to celebrate Dr. Rozenberg’s birthday, so we did. We ended our trip in a wonderful fashion, fitting for how incredible Rome was.

Aaron Ewing ’26

Firenze

On Wednesday, we spent the day in Florence, known as Firenze to locals. Waking up at the bright hour of 6:30, we grabbed a quick breakfast at the hotel before walking over to the train station in Rome. After a brief wait, the high speed train took off. We passed through the Italian countryside, seeing the occasional town or herd of wild horses out the train’s windows. Some students took advantage of the cafe car to supplement their breakfasts with Nutella crackers while others took naps.

After arriving in Florence, we were shown around the city by a tour guide. We journeyed to the Ponta Santa Trinita — named for the nearby church, where we later sang — and learned about how the Germans had destroyed the bridge during their retreat in World War Two. The townspeople were so attached to it, though, that they rebuilt it, stone by stone, exactly as it was. We then looked at the more famous bridge, Ponte Vecchio, the stone span crowded with jewelry shops and people alike.

From there, we moved onto the Piazza della Signoria, featuring a myriad of well known sculptures. We saw the famous bronze statue of Perseus with the head of Medusa, a replica of the marble statue of David, and one depicting Hercules — the mythological founder of Florence — and his tenth labor.

We concluded our tour of the city in the Piazza del Duomo, the square right in front of the massive cathedral, known for its neo-gothic facade, imposing bell tower, and of course, the largest masonry dome ever constructed, designed by Filippo Brunelleschi. At this point, it was time for lunch, so we all split off into groups. Most ate some variation of either pizza or pasta before grabbing a scoop or two of gelato and, given the abundance of leather stores, a few students picked up new belts or wallets.

In the afternoon we visited the Da Vinci museum, full of interesting machines and designs. It had the Archimedes screw, first invention of the tank, and even the catapult. Later, we had the opportunity to sing a variety of songs at the Church of Santa Trinita, a historic site famously known for its 17 chapels. It was originally an 11th century Romanesque monastery but was rebuilt as in the Gothic style in the 13th century. After singing “Do Re Mi”, we performed “Laudate, Laudate Dominum”, “Crucem Tuam”, “Ave Verum Corpus”, “A New Commandment”, and “O Sweet and Blessed Country”. We even had the opportunity to use their church organ. We ended our day with dinner at the hotel and the news that our wake up time tomorrow is at 8:00 a.m.

Adam Quraishi ’26 & Charlie Hamblet ’26

Vatican City

Our morning started out with something very different from our performance at The Vatican…Soccer! We boarded the bus at 8:45 a.m. on our way to the Stadio Olimpico, arriving before 9:30. From there, we were able to tour the entire facility, including the hall of jerseys and the locker rooms for the Italian National Football and Rugby teams, as well as the AS Roma locker rooms. We then headed out to the pitch and soaked in the glory of the stadium, where 1960 Summer Olympics took place. Finally, we went to the stands and sat in the Olympic seats, as well as viewed the Pope’s special viewing capsule.

After the tour, we headed to the city center for shopping and lunch. Full of delicious Italian food and goods, we dropped our bags on the bus and headed for the tour of the Vatican, getting a better view of our concert venue than yesterday.

In the afternoon we visited the “Musei Vaticani’’ or in English the “Vatican Museum!’’ The beauty there is unmatched and we experienced it with the help of a guided tour. The art was breathtaking and the colors were vivid and beautiful. The countless statues, paintings, mosaics, and tapestries all pull the onlooker out of themselves with their stunning beauty and manages to point them to God. St. Peter’s Basilica was, for me and many of the other students, one of the most beautiful locations we have ever been in. To be completely immersed in the beauty of the art and architecture gave me so much joy and excitement.

The basilica is massive. Despite it being the largest Christian Church in the world, there is also no wasted space and every inch feels just as beautiful as the last. I think something else that really surprised me was the unifying spirit that came over our choir after visiting the Vatican and its Museums. I felt like we reached a deeper level of brotherhood after visiting the Vatican, not necessarily in words, though there were many about “how beautiful that was’’ and “how amazing that looked’’,  but we became more deeply connected to each other; the art somehow solidified our understanding of ourselves and what we mean to each other as human beings and as Christian’s.

I loved our visit to the Vatican and it was personally my favorite part of the trip and I am so grateful to have seen the rewards of the countless hours of work of so many Catholics over the centuries.

Jacob De Pina ’26 and Drew MacDonald ’26

Instituto Massimo and St. Peter Basilica

We started off the morning with an early wake-up call at 6:45. I slept through it and did not get up until 7:20, but I was still on time for breakfast. When I got up, I immediately went downstairs and ate four croissants and drank two espressos. I was now ready for the day!

Next, we took the bus to the Istituto Massimo. At the Istituto Massimo we mourned the absence of Adam, due to illness, and the loss of his “Coffee” solo. Then we sang to students in the upper school of the Instituto Massimo. Then, we engaged in a friendly exchange with some of the upper school students. During this exchange, I talked about sports mostly, soccer (football), basketball, and tennis. As guests of the school, we were allowed to have free snacks from a food window in the cafeteria, which similar to the BC High food truck. I got a Coke Zero. Then after the exchange, we boarded the tour bus and went back to the Cross Hotel for lunch.

Christopher Murphy ’26

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This afternoon, we started by getting lunch. Chris showed us some spots down the street from our hotel, and some of us went to a nearby café for some sandwiches. I got a panini with salami and mozzarella, and some guys grabbed croissants and other pastries. 

We finished up lunch pretty quick and were able to get back to the hotel before 2:45. We all arrived at the bus at 3:20 and began practicing on the bus. We of course started with “Do Re Mi” and then moved on to “O Sweet and Blessed Country”.

The bus ride went by pretty quickly, and we finally arrived at Vatican City. The buildings were an incredible sight, pillars and statues surrounding us. We walked to the security line and made it through no problem.

We made it into the Basilica, and it was without a doubt the most beautiful building that I have had the privilege of singing in. We had some time to walk around and take photos, but then we were rounded up and sat down as we waited to be called over.

We sang with two men who worked there. We sang “Laudate, Laudate Dominum”, “Ye Sons & Daughters”, “Adoro Te Devote”, and “O Sweet and Blessed Country”. 

Doctor Rozenberg graciously gave us two minutes to take pictures of the Basilica after we finished singing.

Tyler Boie ’26

Rome: The Eternal City

Day two of Italy – let’s get into it! The day started with a 6:45 gentle wake-up call from hotel staff, received slowly by some deservedly drowsy teenagers. After fighting to get up and get ready, we headed down for some delicious breakfast provided by hotel staff. We chose from a variety of options, ranging from rich chocolate and Nutella croissants to the fluffiest eggs we’ve ever seen. At about 8:15 a.m., our adventures for the day began. Reminder: Italy is six hours ahead of Boston.

Today, there was no need for a bus; we used our own biological mode of transportation. We walked over to the ancient and wondrous Colosseum, where we met with our wonderful tour guides, Valentina and Giuseppe. They told us about the rich history of the Colosseum and the engineering feats achieved in its construction. Upon ending the tour of the Colosseum, we headed outside to take a quick look at Constantine’s Arch. After that, our tour guides took us for a walk around the surrounding area, where we saw a multitude of ancient structures like the Temple of Saturn and a statue of Julius Caesar. While on our walk, we were surprised by a beautiful historic parade marking the 2,779th birthday of Rome. The parade consisted of individuals in period costumes depicting centurions, gladiators, and many other Roman figures.

After this dive back into history, the group was divided up, and we given about an hour and some change of free time to get some lunch and do a little shopping. the group reconvened and headed to another area, where we enjoyed some more free time to buy souvenirs for loved ones back home. After this, we started our admittedly long but beautiful walk back to the hotel. After sharing many laughs along the way and logging about 20,000 steps for the day, we arrived back at the hotel safely around 5:20 p.m. and had a short rehearsal in preparation for tomorrow. After rehearsal, we shared a wonderfully delicious dinner at the hotel and ended the day happy, healthy, and ready to sing.

What a day.

Elijah Lamousnery ’26 & Luca Buccini ’26

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Here’s a picture from pizza making on Day 1…

From Logan Airport to the Streets of Rome

Day one of Italy! Starting at BC High, wrangling Freshman bags together, we readied ourselves for the cross-continental flight. We checked our bags at Logan, quickly moved to our terminal, and, without delay, explored the airport. Despite being given a 3:30 return time, most did not come back until 4:00, when the flight was just about ready to board.

The flight was seven hours long, non-stop. Some tried to sleep, with mostly failed attempts, while some accepted their fate of a sleepless night. We landed at 6:00 a.m. (Italy time), Saturday. We quickly passed through border checks and security, which was a welcome surprise considering the extremely long waits in recent years, in other countries. We quickly moved to the events of the day.

First, we took a walking tour of Rome, to get an “appetizer” of the City. We saw massive chapels, including St. Ignatius’ chapel, and buildings thousands-of-years old, like the Parthenon. Although we were tired from the long flight and lots of walking, we persevered and learned new things along the way.

After some much needed “settling in time” at the hotel, we were off to make our own pizzas! We began with a sticky dough, covered it with flour, and followed specific instructions to make the correct shape. After some trials, everyone was able to make their own incredible pizza. And much to Dr. Rozenberg’s dismay, everyone ate gelato!

It was a great day.

Jay Remley ’26 & Matt Ivimey ’26

Pre-Trip Message from Dr. Rozenberg

Dear Students and Families,

I am filled with both gratitude and anticipation. Our choir tour is never just about the music, though the music will be beautiful. It is also about community, discovery, prayer, and the quiet moments when we encounter God all around us and feel His presence within us.

In just over two weeks, we will walk the streets of Rome, where history, faith, and art are woven into every corner. You will add your voices to a much larger story in spaces that have held centuries of prayer. Each rehearsal, each performance, and each shared experience will shape not just how you sound, but who you become as a group.

This blog is designed to capture the spirit of this group — the laughter on long travel days, the focus before a performance, the awe of entering sacred spaces, and the friendships that deepen along the way. These are the experiences that stay with us long after our journey ends.

To our families and friends joining us abroad and those following along from home: thank you for entrusting us with your sons. Your support makes this adventure possible, and we carry it with us in every step and every song.

To our students: bring your full selves — your voices, your curiosity, your reverence, and your joy. Rome awaits, and we have something extraordinary to offer and to embrace.

Roma, arriviamo! 🇮🇹 🎶

~Dr. M. Rozenberg

DAY 6, April 24
Reflection by Drew MacDonald ’25

Boa noite from Lisboa!

I am currently writing this in traffic on the 25 of April bridge at 9:45 PM, as we are still driving back from beautiful Fátima. Today we had a busy but amazing last day in Portugal! We woke up this morning at 7 AM for our final breakfast, and, after a stop at the store for bus snacks, we embarked on our busiest day yet. We left at 9 for a bit of a journey — almost two hours to Fátima — 80 miles north of Lisbon.

Fátima is a quaint, quiet town in the center of Portugal, with only about 13,000 residents. It is famous, however, its religious significance in the Catholic church, being home to an appearance of the Virgin Mary in 1917, in the middle of WWI. Three local shepherd children: Jacinta, Francisco, Luciana witnessed the Virgin Mary on a hilltop outside of the center, upon which there is now an immense series of basilicas and chapels.

We arrived to the best weather we’ve had yet for lunch in the village. There were a plethora of restaurant choices (serving mostly cod, of course), and we all finished lunch within the hour, an impressive feat Portuguese restaurants! After lunch we enjoyed a quick walk back to the church for rehearsal.

After our rehearsal (in an extremely hot room), we performed at a mass in Fátima’s outdoor chapel in the center of the site. The celebration was beautiful, rearranging music from our previous liturgy to perfect the mass at Fátima. We had a great conversation with one of the priests who was Jesuit at Boston College, and who spoke of us about becoming priests ourselves. 

We immediately returned to the rehearsal room, where we were introduced to two different youth choirs, one from Dijon, France, and another local Portuguese choir. They introduced us to a breathtaking new song, one which we were able to perform together during one of Fátima’s famous rosary prayer ceremonies. Finally, we concluded our amazing performance with an Ave Maria. 

We then departed the site (we may have gotten a bit lost on the way out), going straight to the bus ride home. By 7:30, we were on the road (after a chaotic clothes change on the bus), and after a bit of traffic in Lisbon, here we are. This has been our busiest day yet, but we couldn’t have asked for a better conclusion the trip.

Muito obrigado to everyone that made this possible!

DAY 5, April 23
Reflection by Will Remley ’25

¡Olá once again from Portugal!

As I am writing this the BC High Chior is currently stuck in traffic on the way back from another exciting day in Portugal. I was hoping to write this after dinner, but because of the traffic, I am being told that I have to do it now. So without further adieu, here is my recounting of the sixth day of the BC High Chior Portugal Trip. 

The day began bright and early, starting with a wake-up call at 6:30 (which students were not super fond of). We all put on our white shirts and blazers before rushing to the lobby for a quick breakfast. 

We were on a tight schedule this morning as we didn’t want to be late for any of our activties in the town of Évora. So we all threw down some coffee and pastries, prepared our binders for the concert, and got comfortable on the bus for a nice 90 minute ride. 

After a ride filled mostly with making up on our minimal sleep, we arrived in Évora. Here we were quickly unloaded off the bus and introduced to several wonderful students from the Salesianos Religous Primary and Secondary Schools. They then gave us a tour of the school where we got to see there classrooms, there very nice courtyard, and their game room (something BC High should consider adding to its campus).

After seeing the Portuguese students at work and having given many fist bumps to the little kids, we headed to the auditorium. Here we rehearsed our music and prepared for the concert. We then sang our hearts out infront of the whole school, especially Ben who had a beautiful solo in the song “Coffee”.

Once we finished the concert, we answered some audience questions about life in America and who was the best soocer player (correct answer: Messi). We then made our way to the cafeteria for lunch with the other studnets before heading outside to play some games. After some games of volleyball we said our goodbyes and headed off to tour Évora.

On our tour of Évora we saw many beautiful and amazing sites, including ancient Roman ruins and medieval walls. We were able to learn about the history of the town and some of its industries like cork wood production. 

One of my favorite things on the tour was the chapel of bones. This was a haunting chapel made of the bones of 5,000 people. The whole place was built as a reminder of mortality and the finite nature of life. 

After coming to terms with our own mortality, we had some free time to go and explore Évora before we hopped on the bus and headed back to the hotel in Lisbon, which is where we got stuck in traffic for a long time. 

After what felt like ages in the bus, we finally made it back to the hotel. Once here, we ran to the restaurant to have some delicious hamburgers and pizza. At the end of the meal, all seniors offered Dr. Rozenberg a traditional farewell to mark our time in choir coming to an end. We also upheld another tradition; we sang Happy Birthday to Dr. Rozenberg and presented her with a birthday gift, a cork bag to hold her music papers.

Today was another wonderful day for the BC High Choir and we can’t wait for tomorrow! 

DAY 4, April 22
Reflection by Reade O’Hara ’25

On the fourth day of our Portugal adventure, we had a riveting schedule of events. From our 9:00 A.M lesson in Portuguese, to our guided tour of the Fragata D. Fernando II E Gloria and the Estadio Da Luz, many members of the choir consider today to be their favorite day so far on our journey. 

Starting the day with a 7:00 a.m. wake-up, we made our way to the main lobby to have breakfast together. Shortly after, we had a brief rehearsal together, perfecting the choir’s unanimous favorite “Coffee” song. 

Immediately following our rehearsal, we made our way downstairs to have a Portuguese lesson by Professor Angelo. Although our teacher promised us that we would be fluent in the language by the end of our hour-long lesson, I can assure you that the majority of us are still not even close to that goal. 

We had a few minutes to gather our things before we left for our tour of the infamous Fragata D. Fernando II E Gloria and the Submarino Barracuda. On our tour of the Fragata, we learned about the roles of each of the workers on the sixty by twelve meter ship. Our impressive tour guide informed us that the ship sometimes held up to 600 people and 1000 different animals. 

After our informative tour of the two ships, we had some free time around the area to have a bite to eat and buy some souvenirs. It turned out to be a beautiful day, and a lot of us got some sun (some, unfortunately, got more than others). 

We met up as a group and embarked on a short bus ride to the world-famous Estadio Da Luz, home of the Sport Lisboa e Benifica soccer team. We started our adventure at the stadium by going through their museum; their showcases of their trophy collection was nothing short of spectacular. The museum showed the history of the club since its creation in 1904. 

Following our tour of the museum, we followed our tour guide, João, around the stadium. Together, we first saw a replica of the entire stadium showing us a glimpse into what we would be experiencing shortly after. We then walked around the upper deck of the stadium, seeing the field from a fan’s point of view, and we stopped for a moment to take pictures of the stadium. Later, we visited the stadium’s locker room and even got to walk on the outskirts of the field, seeing what it would be like to actually be a player on Benifica Football Club. Promptly after our tour concluded, our wonderful instructor, Pablo, told us that we would have ten minutes to buy souvenirs in the shop, so we all hurried to look around and possibly purchase some merchandise. 

After our tour of the stadium, we enjoyed a wonderful dinner together at a local restaurant where they served rice, chicken, french fries, and a plethora of desserts. Following the conclusion of our meal, we boarded back on the bus and went back to our hotel to have a brief, yet informative meeting together, led by Doctor Rozenberg. 

Today was an informative, adventurous, and jam-packed day with fun activities, and our experience thus far in Portugal has certainly not disappointed.