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Published: December 31st 2006
Each layer of history is built upon another.
No part of history is purely independent. Economic trends effect political decisions which in turn contribute to religious traditions. The cycle continues and reverses. No city ever goes unchanged. Even Pompei, a city frozen in time, has been affected by archaeologists and tourists.
Throughout history, these kinds of changes have greatly affected cities and continue to do so. When an earthquake destroyed part of the Colosseum in Rome, they carried the rubble away to build churches and basilicas instead of rebuilding the original. On the floor of Salisbury Cathedral, headstones have been re-used as concrete slabs. Many more examples of the continual cycle of change are present here.
Each change can have a cataclysmic effect.
We visited Pompei and Herculaneum, which were two of the buried and and consequently preserved towns from the Mount Vesuvius eruption in 79 AD. What happened on that fateful day that destroyed the lives of so many? Were the citizens not aware of their impending doom? The wind changed direction that day, and blew southward instead of into the sea, which sent dust, ash and deadly gases into the towns. Had the wind blown
in its normal direction, the cities would have survived and the ash would have dissipated into the sea. Our tour guide, Pepe, loved to describe that the Pompeians, "brains superheated and exploded out through their heads". A violent death from asphyxiation wiped out an entire culture in one day. All because of the wind of change.
We must consider the effect of our decisions.
We viewed the largest church in the world, St. Peters Basilica in Vatican City. It was a monstrous cathedral with incredibly ornate statues, columns, and ceiling, designed by Bernini and Michaelangelo. The altar was seven stories high! There is probably enough gold in the basilica to feed the hungry of the world for years to come. Millions of people come to Vatican City and visit the Basilica, partly to see the incredible building, and partly to see the origins of Catholicism. Maybe they could consider donating part of the admission to a cause for the people. It is important to consider where we put our efforts and energy, and the specific outcome this will have on the rest of the world.
Now more than ever I realize that we each leave a
footprint on the world and it is up to you what kind of impression you leave.
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Ashley
non-member comment
I particularly liked the christmas tree!