June 20, 2024
My family and I had the good fortune of going to Rome a little less than two years ago. We meandered around the Colosseum, gawked at the Sistine Chapel, and walked ancient roads on Palatine Hill and the Forum. But it was the end of a two week trip and scorching hot. Several of the items on my Rome list we didn’t get to. So this time around I wanted to go to the places I didn’t get a chance to and revisit the ones of spiritual significance. I won’t mention ALL of them (there are 14), but here are the highlights.
1. Tre Fontane Abbey (Three Fountains Abbey)
A long walkway leads to a church that is said to be the place where Paul was beheaded. A column marks the place.
Because Paul was Roman, he had the luxury of dying by a beheading rather than a crucifix or a hundred other ways Romans killed their enemies. Tradition says that when Paul was beheaded, his head bounced three times. In those three places springs of water came up from the ground. The church has three monuments to honor that tradition. This is one of them.
And of course they are built over a spring that runs through the church. You can barely see it through the grate.
Also on the grounds there are the remains of an underground church that could have been where the early Christians worshipped.
By the way, these Trappist Monks make great wine, beer, and chocolate. What more could you want?
2. St. Peter’s Basilica (it seemed like it glowed in the early evening)
OK, here is a little known secret to skip the lines. The Pope wanted pilgrims and those who come for worship to have easier access to the Basilica. So there is a separate entrance for pilgrims that has almost no line. It must have saved me at least 30 minutes. Look at this line!
Now, yes, I had been to the Basilica on my last visit, but we didn’t have time to go up in the dome. Oh my goodness. On the first level you get an up close view of the cupola (or dome).
Then when you go inside, you actually get to see the Basilica from above. Absolutely breathtaking.
As you’ve noticed, I’ve become obsessed with mosaics and had to take a close up picture of St. Peter’s keys. Look at the detail!
The dome from just underneath was spectacular.
I just couldn’t stop taking pictures.
THEN, the climb begins up narrow stairs.
See how one side is curved. It’s because we are going up the rounded dome.
But the view was totally worth it. Just wow!
Note to self: Don’t go to the Vatican the year before Jubilee. Everything is under construction or restoration. Even the famous Pieta.
Of course, I had to go visit the tomb of St. Peter himself.
I just loved the Holy Spirit centerpiece.
Finally, I attended mass at St. Peter’s. (Sh, don’t tell anyone I’m not Catholic!). It was very moving. Here is the the last little bit of the postlude.
3. I visited a lot of churches. My favorites include:
St. Peter in Chains – said to be the chains that held Peter when he was under arrest in Jerusalem
Just as significant is Michelangelo’s masterpiece, Moses, intended for Pope Julius II’s tomb. How anyone can make marble look like fabric and flowing hair I will never understand.
The beard is said to be the most exquisite and detailed in all of history. Judge for yourself.
The Church of Santa Pudenziana is built over her father’s house, Pudens mentioned in 2 Timothy 4:21. His house became a place of worship and the mosaics (by now you aren’t surprise, right?) are the oldest ones used in worship that still exist dating from the 4th century. They were pretty impressive.
But wait! There’s more! The Basilica of Santa Prassede also has a ton of mosaics that sparkle as if they were created yesterday. They are said to be unparalleled for their time. Here are a few.
4. OK, enough with the mosaics. I have to say I think my absolute favorite place in Rome is the Mamertine Prison. It’s the place that is said to have held both Peter and Paul (at different times) as they awaited their executions.
It’s a dungeon. A prison. With a hole from above where friends and believers would lower food. A plaque to commemorate the place. And a little water from a hole in the ground said to be how Paul baptized people. It’s peaceful yet eerie. I was able to find moments when no one was here and I read Philippians which is said to have been written here. How anyone can write about joy in a place like this awaiting execution is a marvel. To get an idea of the prison I took a video of it.
5. But they weren’t in prison the entire time they were awaiting trial. Paul was under house arrest and is said to have stayed in this place (and apparently Luke according to the signage). It’s underneath the Basilica of Santa Maria in Via Lata.
In this house is where the early Christians worshipped.
You can even see the stone benches where they sat. I was amazed at standing in such an ancient place of worship where Paul may have lived.
And even though Paul was in chains, he wrote 2 Timothy 2:8-9: But the Word of God is not chained. It was engraved on this marble column, but it’s pretty hard to read.
6. A quick mention of the Church of Sopra Minerva which houses another one of Michelangelo’s masterpieces, The Redeemer. It’s a statue of Jesus with a cross. Of course, the modesty police had to create a bronze “cloth” to cover Jesus up. I mean, we are in a church for goodness sake!
7. Finally, I’ve got to tell you about the Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola. The ceiling is just amazing. This humongous fresco is often referred to as illusionistic. It gives the illusion of the ceiling opening up and you are transported to heaven. In fact, people’s necks started hurting so much that they put a mirror in the church so folks could see and take pictures of the ceiling without getting a neck ache the next day. Just look at this yourself.
But my favorite, favorite thing of all is this amazing dome. Isn’t it beautiful?
Well, actually, it’s not a dome at all. Just a painting! They couldn’t afford putting a dome on so they did the next best thing. They faked it. One of the greatest artistic cons in history. Did it fool you? It fooled me and I was literally standing underneath it! Here is it again. Pretty crazy, huh?
Another day on this trip is concluded but before we leave, here is a little prayer from St. Ignatius himself. The next and final stop of this pilgrimage is Barcelona. And it did not disappoint.
The PCUSA Pilgrim Pastor 
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