Juday and Ryan in Europe: ‘Roma, mi amor’

The Agoncillos at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City

Actress Judy Ann Santos doesn’t consider herself cerrado Catolico, a fervent follower of the Church, but seeing Pope Francis at the Vatican was a magical moment, a “highlight” of her recent European tour with husband Ryan Agoncillo. Surely, it was a cherished item on her bucket list that she got to tick off before turning 40 on May 11.

The papal audience was one of two birthday gifts she had wished for this year. The other lifelong goal is to dine in the Tokyo resto of renowned sushi chef Jiro Ono. One is a culinary delight; the other, food for the soul.

According to Juday, it was a choice between Pope Francis and chef Jiro, but Italy won this time.

“It has always been my dream to see Pope Francis in Vatican City,” she told the Inquirer. “There is something in the way he talks, the way he thinks…that moves me. He is really the perfect person to lead the Catholic Church during these trying times.”

She described the Vatican trip as an “eye-opener.”

Although she is aware that the Vatican, as a tourist destination, can be one mammoth museum of artworks, she managed to find peace and prayer amid the hustle and bustle. “I either prayed in our hotel room or visited small churches near the Vatican.”

Personal devotion

As a personal devotion, she got to fulfill another wish, to cook for Filipino nuns who live and work in Vatican City.

With Ryan, she whipped up a Pinoy feast for nuns she had met through a Filipino friend, Father Mario. “He introduced me to Sister Joy, who has been yearning for home-cooked Pinoy dishes for so long. We didn’t plan it, but we wanted to treat the nuns to a special dinner.”

Juday went grocery-shopping in the Vatican and, with Ryan, cooked adobo, monggo and a simple fish dish for the sisters. To top it off, she also made cream cheese leche flan for them.

The repast was a departure from the nuns’ usually austere meals, but Juday wanted to pull out all the stops for them.

“It was so rewarding to see them smile, laugh and loosen up during dinner,” she recalled. “It was 9 p.m., way past their bedtime, but they still wanted to stay and chat with us.”

For Juday and Ryan, cooking for the nuns was an unforgettable detour in this latest European adventure, which coincided with their ninth wedding anniversary on April 28.

Personal guide

“Ryan was my personal teacher and tour guide throughout the trip,” she related. “Every time we visited a museum, he would explain the story behind each sculpture or painting to me. Oh, that’s the god of war. Oh, that’s the god of wine.”

When the Agoncillos travel on their own, minus their kids Yohan (13), Lucho (7) and Luna (2), they veer away from the usual route.

“Kalma lang…chill lang kaming mag-asawa,” she pointed out. “We take things easy.”

They also had the opportunity to take in a traditional cooking class in Florence.

“We learned how to prepare pizza, pasta and desserts like tiramisu and gelato,” she recounted.

(Back home in Manila, she now makes pizza crust from scratch, without yeast, for her kids.)

Judy Ann Santos (second from left) with her friends at the Vatican

While in Italy, they went truffle-hunting, as well, with furry guides Maga and Eda, and their master Guilio. “That was another item on my bucket list.”

2 weeks not enough

Two weeks were not enough to thoroughly enjoy the Roman holiday, but the memories would last Juday and Ryan a lifetime.

“If I traveled to Rome and Florence when I was 15, I wouldn’t have appreciated the trip as much,” Juday explained.

But now that she’s almost 40, she sees everything in a different light—through the prism of being a wife and mother.

“For this trip, I had the chance to pray, to express my gratitude for all the blessings I’ve been receiving. Now is the best time to give thanks for everything,” she said.