Ancient Rome

Hi to all. I have gone a few days without internet access, so I am trying to "catch up" with what's been going on here.

On Thursday, we finished up our initial time in Rome. We started the day by picking up our guide Gloria (same guide from the Vatican Museums) and traveling to the Colosseum. First, outside of the Colosseum, we looked at Constantine's Arch. Then, she took us through the Colosseum, and I was struck by how amazing it is that people could build such a structure so long before the tools of modern technology were around to assist them. We learned a bit about the "entertainments" that took place in the Colosseum - namely fights with animals and gladiators. Some of the features of the Colosseum - pieces of the floor above the subterranean area and some of the marble seats for spectators - have been recreated to look as they once did. We also saw the cross where the pope begins the Good Friday observance of "via crucis" (the way of the cross) in Rome. The Colosseum is one of the things I have wanted to see all of my life, and it did not disappoint!

After leaving the Colosseum, we walked up a nearby hill to look down on the ruins of the ancient Roman Forum. We then walked to our first church of the day, the Church of St. Peter in Chains. Here, we saw one of Michaelangelo's great sculptures, Moses. We also spent a bit of quiet time in the church. I found out this morning that my Uncle Ed (dad's older brother) passed away on the previous morning in New York as a result of his struggle with cancer. I took the opportunity to kneel in one of this church's chapels along with Susan Stokes (the wife of St. Paul's rector), and offered a prayer of thanks for his life and of support for all of our grieving family back at home. As I thought of the photo that dad showed me of his recent visit with my uncle, and how much his disease and treatments made him look older and unlike himself, and how he was now at rest with the Lord feeling no more pain, I shed a few tears in that church.

After we left St. Peter in Chains, we traveled to St. Paul Outside of the Walls. This is a stunning church. It is HUGE! There is a big colonnade in the front, a beautiful statue of St. Paul within the courtyard, and stunning gold artwork in the front facade - and that's just the outside! Inside, it was enormous! There is a painting of every pope in the history of the Catholic Church - including the current Pope Benedict XVI. Most impressive is that St. Paul - THE St. Paul - is buried on the site of this church. After leaving here, we traveled to St. Paul's Within the Walls, which is an Anglican-Episcopal Church. Here we had a private service for our group, with Father Chip Stokes celebrating. After the service, we were all sent in our own directions.

I ended up going with the Stokes family's group. It was great! We walked all over the place: first to the Trevi Fountain, then to the Pantheon (burial site of the famous artist Raphael), then to the "Wedding Cake" (Italian equivalent to our Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers), and finally to the Chiesa del Gesu (Church of Jesus). This last stop was most impressive. This church is the first true example I can recall seeing of Baroque architecture. Oh my goodness, was it a sight to behold! There were beautiful paintings, and elaborate golden decorations everywhere you looked. The word "ornamentation" came back to me from my music history classes. Well, that word seemed like an understatement as I struggled to take in all of the beautiful - if a bit overdone - decorations around me. I wouldn't trade that visit to Chiesa del Gesu for anything. It was amazing!

We had dinner on our own in smaller groups that night, then went back to the hotel to pack up for our early departure at 6:45 am to Naples. I hope to write about the next day or two tomorrow if I have internet access again!

Buona notte (Good Night)!

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