Vatican Secrets and Tuscan Villas: Following the Parsleys to Italy

When Bob Parsley wandered into Mercato and Company, the authentic Italian market that recently opened in West U, he couldn't have known it would shape his and wife Louise's next Italian adventure.

Bob struck up a conversation with Tatiana Perna, Mercato chef and co-owner, who recommended her parents’ restaurant in Rome – and told them about her villa in Tuscany.

That unexpected encounter helped plan the Houston couple's trip to Rome, Florence, and the Chianti region of Tuscany. But there was another purpose to their journey – a deeply personal connection to one of the Vatican's most extraordinary archaeological discoveries. They were joined on the journey by Bob’s sister, Jana McHenry, and his niece, Georgia.

Bob with Strake Jesuit President Jeff Johnson, in the Vatican beneath a statue of St. Ignatius – founder of Society of Jesus (the Jesuits).

A Legacy Beneath St. Peter's

Bob's maternal grandfather, George W. Strake Sr., played a pivotal but long-secret role in one of Catholicism's most significant archaeological projects – funding the excavation that discovered St. Peter's tomb beneath the Vatican.

“My grandfather was a very devout Catholic,” Bob explained. Strake was a close personal friend of Pope Paul VI, who was formerly Cardinal Giovanni Battista Montini, when he served as a senior official in the Vatican’s Secretariat of State. The Cardinal would stay with Mr. and Mrs. Strake in his visits to the United States. 

In the late 1930s, a startling discovery was made at St. Peter’s Basilica: Workers broke through a floor and uncovered hidden ruins beneath the basilica.

 What happened next was extraordinary. Vatican representatives approached Bob's grandfather with a highly unusual request. The Church needed someone to fund the excavation – confidentially, and without revealing the purpose.

“If it was me, I’d say, okay, what’s the reason for your request? He asked that question, and the response was, we can't tell you. You have to just take it on faith.”

That excavation would eventually uncover the archaeological site known as the Vatican Necropolis, or the Scavi. Ultimately, it led to what are believed to be the bones of St. Peter himself, a discovery later confirmed by Pope John XXIII.

“I always say that he had deep faith to be willing to underwrite whatever the cost of this excavation was with absolutely no idea of what he was supporting,” Bob said with pride. The story of that 75-year search is chronicled in the book The Fisherman's Tomb by John O’Neill. 

A view of the Chianti countryside from Podere 1384;

The Vatican Scavi Tour

Among the highlights of Bob and Louise’s recent trip to Rome was a return to the Scavi, which they had visited several times over the years. This time, one purpose of their visit was to meet Monsignor Tom Powers, the newly appointed rector of the Pontifical North American College. This Vatican-affiliated institution, which Louise describes as “basically the Harvard of Catholic seminaries,” hosts young priests for a three-year commitment.

For years, Bob had maintained a warm friendship with the College’s leadership, often reaching out to help friends secure access to the exclusive Scavi tour – a small but meaningful way of sharing the Vatican’s hidden treasures, and honoring his grandfather’s legacy.

“We had a friendship with the previous rector,” Louise explains. “And that's who Bob would always contact when people would say, ‘Hey, can you give me tickets to the Scavi?’” 

When the College appointed a new leader, the Parsleys felt it was important to build a new relationship, seeing the College as a living link to the faith, history, and discovery that their family helped preserve.

They arranged a dinner with Monsignor Powers during their stay in Rome, meeting him at Da Vittorio Il Ciociaro – the small family-run restaurant of Tatiana’s parents. They also spent time in Rome with a group from Strake Jesuit, led by Father Jeff Johnson, who was in the city with students for their spring break. The Parsley family has a deep-rooted connection to Strake Jesuit and enjoyed meeting with Father Jeff Johnson and some current students.

Although they had toured the Scavi before, Bob and Louise made time to visit again on this trip – a ritual that never loses its impact.     

“It's hard not to feel extraordinarily spiritual when you’re walking through the Vatican and you go down to see St. Peter’s bones,” Bob reflects.

The labyrinthine network of ancient tombs lies between 5 to 12 meters beneath St. Peter's Basilica. This subterranean world, unearthed during excavations in the 1940s, reveals a tapestry of Roman burial practices and early Christian history. 

The tour culminates at the presumed tomb of St. Peter, marked by the “Trophy of Gaius,” a second-century monument erected in his honor. This site, considered one of the most sacred in Christendom, is believed to house the remains of the apostle himself. The profound spiritual atmosphere here is palpable, offering a moment of reflection and connection to the early roots of the Catholic Church. 

What surprises the Parsleys is how few people know about this remarkable site. “What we're always amazed about is how few people are aware that it exists,” Bob said. “They actually do nothing to market it. It’s one of the best-kept secrets in the Vatican.”

Prior to the Parsley’s trip, Tatiana Perna, chef and co-owner of Mercato in West U, recommended her parents’ restaurant in Rome to the couple – and told them about her villa in Tuscany. Here, Tatiana's father of Da Vittorio Il Ciociaro serves pasta in a scooped-out giant cheese wheel.

The Jubilee Year

Their visit coincided with a special time in Rome. "This year, 2025, is what they call a Jubilee Year in Italy," Louise explained. The Jubilee Year, or Holy Year, is a deeply significant event in the Catholic Church, traditionally marked every 25 years by pilgrimage, repentance, and the ceremonial opening of the “Holy Doors” of Rome’s major basilicas. Pilgrims passing through these doors are granted a plenary indulgence – the full remission of temporal punishment for sins.

The doors are remarkable structures. “At St. Peter’s, the Holy Doors are made of bronze and decorated with inscriptions and Christian symbols,” said Louise. “They are massive, over 20 feet tall. The legend is that anyone who walks through the Holy Doors is guaranteed to go to Heaven.”

The Parsleys visited the four basilicas with these special doors: St. Peter’s, St. Mary Major, St. John Lateran, and St. Paul Outside the Walls. Their journey unfolded in the early months of the Jubilee, while Rome was still alive with the spirit of hope and renewal that Pope Francis had envisioned. Only later, in April, would the city be plunged into mourning with the beloved pontiff’s death, casting a bittersweet shadow over the Holy Year.

Chef David Targetti at Podere 1384 became a good friend during the family's stay. Pictured (from left) the chef himself; Bob’s sister, Jana Parsley McHenry, Bob Parsley, Louise Parsley, a sous chef, and niece Georgia McHenry.

From Rome to Tuscany

After Rome, the couple headed to Florence and then to the Chianti region of Tuscany. There they stayed at Podere 1384, the villa hotel owned by Tatiana in Castellina, one of the small towns dotting the Chianti countryside.

The landscape captivated them. “It's very hilly,” Bob describes. “Rolling hills and then it has those tall Italian cypress trees; they look like soldiers. There are olive trees throughout there, and obviously, vineyards covering the hillsides.”

Tatiana had meticulously renovated the villa, blending modern and antique touches. The couple also enjoyed the beautiful back patio and pool. “The patio just overlooked these rolling hills with other villas kind of dotting the horizon,” recalled Louise. “It was magical."

Culinary Adventures

Bob and Louise said their culinary experiences were highlights of the trip. On arrival in Tuscany, they immediately went to lunch at a unique restaurant in Panzano run by a butcher named Dario Cecchini.

“He serves two seatings every day of the year except Christmas. And it’s 125 people per seating. So he serves 250 people every day. It’s eight courses of beef,” Bob recalled. “It's kind of like a Brazilian steakhouse... and they had beans and a jug of Chianti. And it was packed.” In Rome, their dinner was at Da Vittorio Il Ciociaro, owned by Tatiana’s parents. “They prepared something I’ve never seen before,” said Bob. “They scooped out the center of a giant wheel of Parmesan cheese about three feet in diameter and prepared my pasta inside it.”     

At Podere 1384, the couple took a four-hour cooking class with the villa’s chef. “We started out by walking out, not into the garden where the herbs were being grown, but just out into the hillside. And he literally would lean down and cut up, what I could have sworn was a weed,” Louise recounts. “He picked flowers that were edible... We just kind of foraged for about 15 minutes, and that was all the greens for the salad.” 

They made gnocchi, homemade pasta for ravioli, and a traditional “pauper soup” made from tomatoes and day-old bread. “He was cooking the tomatoes down with garlic and olive oil, and we kept adding bread and adding bread,” Louise said.

What made their experience special was the people they met along the way. In addition to Tatiana’s parents, they spent time with Andrea, the manager of Podere 1384.

“He would just sit down with us at the table, and by the time we had been there a couple of nights, we really felt like we had formed a lasting friendship,” Bob said.

Recalling the legendary Italian hospitality, Louise added, “They are so warm, and inviting, and they just make you feel very welcome. Very animated.” 

Reflections on Italy

Looking back on their journey, the Parsleys treasure both the spiritual moments at the Scavi and the peaceful beauty of the Tuscan countryside.

“I think we could go to Italy multiple times a year and never see the same thing. And if we did, we’d enjoy it just as much as we did the time before,” Bob reflects. “There are certain places in your life... Italy is one for us that we love going to.” 

Louise agrees: “Experiencing the Podere 1384 was so special. It’s definitely someplace that we would like to return.” 

Back home in Houston, when the Parsleys are craving a taste of Italy, they pay a visit to Mercato & Co on University Blvd.

Touring the Vatican Scavi 

For those drawn to history and faith, the Vatican Scavi tour offers a glimpse into an ancient world – a hidden city beneath the city. Layer upon layer of Roman and early Christian history lies preserved beneath the metropolis, waiting to be uncovered.

As Bob marvels, “It is hard to imagine, but 90 percent of Rome is underground.”

Tours of the Vatican Scavi must be booked well in advance. To request tickets, email the Scavi office at [email protected]. In your email, provide:

• The exact number of participants;

• The name of each participant;

• Your preferred language;

• All possible dates you are available – spell out the month: 01 January 2021;

• An email address for the main contact.

If your request is granted, you’ll need to pay by credit card ($13 Euros) within 10 days. The Scavi office will send a link to pay online. The Jubilee Year 2025 will bring larger crowds to Rome, so early planning is essential.

Tips from Our Travelers

By Louise and Bob Parsley

Worth the splurge: Private Rome tour guide with driver 

Don’t miss: Scavi, St. Peter’s Basilica, Sistine Chapel

Currency exchange: Very easy to obtain Euros before departing and at ATMs when there 

Packing: Always advisable to check the weather before leaving, it rained 75 percent of the time we were there.

Don’t forget: Comfortable walking shoes

What to avoid: Be cautious of street vendors aggressively trying to sell items; avoid making eye contact or engaging.

Local favorite: Sistine Chapel, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Colosseum

Safety tip: Leave passport in hotel safe. Use a crossbody purse.

Unexpected hit: Before departing, we arranged for roundtrip passage between Rome and Florence, but failed to look into train tickets from inner Rome to the airport. Fortunately, the Rome train station is easily navigated, and we were able to purchase them there.