Churches, Churches, and More Churches

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Hello. This is Janine's turn to journal....We started our Sunday with another delicious breakfast. We updated our travel blog on the B&B computer in the small hallway outside our room before heading out to get on the Metro. We rode all the way down to a stop south of the Colosseum to find San Giovanni in Laterano Basilica for 11:00 mass - on the Festival of Pentecost. Amazing beauty all around! Huge statues of the 12 apostles line the church sanctuary. We walked in as 10:00 mass was ending so we looked around a bit, craning our necks to admire the beautifully ornate ceiling and other paintings high above. As 11:00 mass began, we took our seats and did our best to follow the order of the service in Italian. Many parts of the liturgy were very familiar and Chris did especially well joining the congregation. It was very calming for me to sit, listen and take in the beauty of this Basilica, which was once the seat of the papacy. It was built in 314 by Constantine and the Pope comes to celebrate certain holidays here today. After mass and some pictures, we left to get back on the Metro for 2 stops. We walked through a plaza and found a small restaurant with tables on the street. We shared a margherita (cheese) pizza and smiled to each other. "We're eating pizza in Rome!" Unbelievable! We walked a bit further to find the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, built in 358. Another beautiful church with amazing artwork everywhere you turn. Bernini is buried here in a very simple tomb, and many popes are buried here, too. From here we walked to St. Peter in Chains, or San Pietro in Vincoli. As we entered, everyone rushed to the front right of the altar to see Michelangelo's "Moses", a sculpture he did when he was just 24 years old. Just below the altar are the chains used to bind St. Peter while was imprisoned in Palestine. This church was built in the 5th century, but looked a lot older than the others we visited, perhaps beacause is hasn't been restored as the others? - this is our guess. We then found ourselves walking past the Roman Forum, the Imperial Fort ruins and the Capitol toward the Pantheon. This great building was constructed in 27 B.C.! It is considered to be one the architectural wonders of the world because of its dome. We then walked to Piazza Novano, where we enjoyed a 4-scoop gelato at Tre Scalini. We then walked to Piazza Campo de Fiori, where we found this weekday market very much alive on a Sunday. We sat in the shade at a restaurant not open yet for the evening and had a very meaningful conversation. We then stumbled upon another amazing church, San Andrea della Valle - St. Andrew's! We stayed for part of the mass and enjoyed the beauty of the space. Now - time for dinner at Trattoria il Palarro. We sat outside and ate a delicious but simple meal - wine, sparkling water, antipasto, salad, pasta, pork, custard cake and juice as the final course. Delicious! Molto bene! We took the scenic walk home and saw some of Rome's night life. An awesome and tiring day!

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