The Altar of the Miracle, Sant’Andrea della Fratte, Rome. At this altar, St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe celebrated his First Mass after ordination to the priesthood. The altar is called the “Altar of the Miracle” because here, Alphonse Ratisbonne, a secular Jew, witnessed a personal apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Ratisbonne converted to Catholicism 11 days later (January 20, 1842) and that same year entered the Society of Jesus. He was sent in 1855 as a Jesuit missionary to Palestine, where he established several convents. The statue to the left of the portico is Fr. Ratisbonne, to the right is St. Maximilian Mary (closeup photo coming next!).