Just a Brief Visit to the Pope's

Of course, being in Rome, we had to stop by the Vatican. Friday was a holiday, and the Vatican is never open on Sundays, so we went on Saturday when everyone and his brother were trying to get into the Vatican as well. We lined up at the museum's gate at 7 am so we could be the first ones in when the doors opened at 8. Following close behind "Edna" we quickly glided past everything and went straight into the Sistine Chapel. This would be the last hour of silence in the Chapel before the rest of the crowd flooded their way in.

The famed Sistine

As Edna explained every detail we could possibly need to know, I quietly took in what was absolutely not what I had pictured in my mind, but was minute-by-minute stunning my senses with its depth, detail, and emotion. I think I expected the Sistine to be bigger, gaudier, and more instantly impressive. It is not that at all. In fact, compared to some of the other structures, it seems rather humble until I began to realize the sweat, pain, and bitterness represented. Michelangelo, who was not even a painter, spent four years straining his body at an awkward angle to complete the renowned ceiling fresco for the Pope. It took such a toll on his body that he even protests the project in the fresco, painting his own face as Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, and accusing the commission as being the death of him. Nevertheless, it is and incredibly profound work of art that reflects Michaelangelo's faith and theology.

The famous image is really just a tiny thumbnail of Michelangelo's expansive masterpiece depicting the creation of man

As a random side note, while we were in the Sistine Chapel, one of the guards suddenly struck up a conversation with me. At first I thought I was in trouble for my camera, but he just wanted to know where I was from. I told him the United States, and he asked which state specifically. I told him New Jersey. His thick Italian accented response? "Oh, I'm from New York." Interesting as that was, another coffee barista I met during a quick caffeine fix also told me he was a New Yorker. Who would have ever imagined New York was having trouble retaining their Italian immigrants, huh?

Leaving the Sistine chapel, we moved on throughout the museum and saw a plethora of other sculptures, tapestries, paintings, mosaics, and frescos. However, by this time, the crowd had worked its way into the museum and we were navigating through a population density comparable to a Japanese subway. At certain points, like in the Pope's office, it got so bad that I had to worm my way over to the only open window just so I could breathe. As uncomfortable as it got at times, it was just fascinating to me how so many people from so many countries and faiths could converge in the holy 0.16 sq. mi. of one faith--it's not even a faith in very good popular standing right now. I wondered what a Hindu or Buddhist might be thinking as he toured the Vatican. I suppose it didn't have to be very different from my Protestant opinion. But honestly, the Vatican saddened me. Here was a system, so carefully constructed and maintained with good intentions for the greater moral good (Yes, I know this point can be debated. Just work with me, here.) And yet, no matter how hard they tried, the world still remains beyond their full influence.

Not a single ceiling was unadorned

A beautiful stained glass piece

This is a close-up of a fresco border in a hallway. I just found the image very intriguing and random...

A floor mosaic

I couldn't believe that I got to see the real "School of Athens" piece. It's always been a favorite of mine, and I had no idea I'd find it in the Pope's office...lucky son-of-a-gun. =P Also, notice all the people packed in there. It's a miserable feeling when you realize you don't even have enough room to breathe. =/

The Thinker--possibly THE MOST confusing piece of art ever! This one was supposedly by Rodín, as it should be, but it was way smaller than the one in Philadelphia. So, Lexi and I did some quick research, and turns out the man made a lot of these. But which is the original? Is it in France? In the Vatican? In Philly? And was it originally huge or tiny? Personally, I think it's a bit scary when pieces of art start self-regenerating in different sizes all around the world...

Possibly my favorite painting of the Colosseum--also in the Pope's apartment.

Definitely my favorite stained-glass piece.

And what's a visit to the Vatican without stopping by St. Peter's Basilica?

Another Michelangelo piece, the Pietà

All the "paintings" in St. Peter's were not actually paintings but detailed mosaics. Can you distinguish the tiles in this close-up?

Peter himself is supposedly under this ornate canopy

Yes, the real body of John Paul II.

The huge Vatican plaza that you always see on TV

Only men as hardcore as the Swiss Guards can wear uniforms like these and have no doubts about their masculinity.

After a long day at the Vatican we enjoyed another delicious meal and each other's company. (The couple behind us was from Ireland and they were celebrating their anniversary in Rome. Janee is great at making friends with strangers. haha.)

He is one of those street musicians who graces you with his talent, and then walks up to you to collect his dues. I have a love/hate relationship with these guys.

Must I specify? Mine is the tiny but powerful one. =P

Roma Romamaa!

First of all, I apologize for the lateness of this post. Procrastination comes easily these days, unfortunately.

Second, I have bad news: I accidentally overwrote my pictures from Rome with a blank folder. HOWEVER, Lexi--the incredible person that she is--was able to recover some of those pictures from my camera card. So while the pictures in this post are not complete, I'm incredibly grateful for what I do have.

So of course, what's Italy without Roma, right? More so than anything else, two things stand out to me about Rome: pizza and Roman ruins.

Yes, I ate it all. And I was not the only person--or female for that matter--to do so, because apparently, when you order pizza at a sit-down restaurant in Italy, you, singular, get the whole thing. However, after a couple of these, I am proud to say I discovered the science to finishing one of these. Start with the middle, and then fill whatever space remains with the crust. Just a tip for when you go. =)

Several people remarked that Rome resembled New York in its busyness, except with Roman ruins instead of skyscrapers. With the news stands on every street corner, the street artists painting caricatures, and the buses squeezing through the narrow streets, I can definitely see the resemblance. But when I think of New York, I see grey hues. When I think of Rome, I see yellow hues. And somehow in my mind, that's enough to differentiate the two.

Overlooking the city

Of course, like I mentioned, there were also the Roman ruins that we visited in bulk. We saw the site of Julius Caesar's assassination (which doubles as a cat motel, apparently, Rome being the city of cats) We visited the Pantheon. We walked the Roman Forum, Colosseum, Circus Maximus, and the list continues. It was truly incredible to see so much ancient history, to feel it beneath your feet. But I won't lie, it soon became overwhelming. I'm not a Roman history scholar, so even though we had a tour guide, I often had a hard time comprehending what it was I was looking at. Even if I knew, what was the significance? There was just so much. Forget drinking from a fire hydrant; it was like trying to drink from the Niagra.

Of course, you recognize it: the Colosseum, where Ridley Scott re-wrote Roman history. Ha.

From the inside

The sub-terranean levels where they kept the gladiators and beasts. Well, the gladiators were beasts, but you know what I mean. ;)

The Colosseum was the first model of stadium and ticketed seating. Supposedly, they could fill and empty 70,000 seats in less than 30 minutes.

When being a female REALLY sets you apart

An arch that celebrated the Roman pillaging of Jewish temples. If you look closely you can see the figures carrying off a menorah.

The Roman Forum

Some sort of hall where a presidential press conference was being held

Architectural remains

Original frescos from a domus that I only recall as being really, really ancient. (Sorry, we had been walking for a very long time, and I was hungry. haha.)

This is our tour guide. She was extremely thorough in her explanations, which would have been great, except that her accent was very thick and her voice resembled that of Edna Mode from The Incredibles. And since I couldn't ever remember her real name, I dubbed her "Edna."

View through a tiny peephole from the Mausoleum of Hadrian, a fort-like structure.

During the day, we toured the ruins, and in the evenings we explored the bustling city. Without question, it was the most exciting city we visited. Perhaps it was because the weather was warmer than anywhere else we went. Or, perhaps it was simply because it was Rome. Either way, the plazas were always full, people were always out, and the city never stopped moving. Some preferred the smaller scale of Florence, but I enjoyed the excitement of Rome.

That's St. Peter's Basilica behind Josh's head.

Italian police

Janee and I set out one night in search of the Trevi fountain. After some random detours, we eventually found the fountain, and it was awesome--as were the Nutella/strawberry crepes we had for dinner. =)

We saw a hill on the way home, and being as the night was still young, we decided to explore. Little did we expect to find the National Plaza at the top of the hill. The building on the left there is basically the "Italian White House."

CLASSIC JANEE: She really wanted a picture with some Italian cops. So when we walked past a parking garage with five Italians in uniform, I convinced her to ask them for a picture. They readily agreed and the one on the right even let her wear his helmet. She says that when he put the helmet on her head, she thought to herself, "Ummm...maybe you should keep that on. Your hair's kinda messy." Hahaha--only Janee. Later we figured out they were probably firefighters, not police, but no one's complaining. ;)

This picture celebrates the finding of a TRASH CAN! Haha. No joke, we walked around ALL night holding our crepe wrappers, passing it off to each other periodically, because we absolutely could not find a public trash can.

Spray paint artists are also all over Rome. Some of them are actually very talented.

The following video is nothing short of classic. I still cannot figure out how this man thought he could dance. But there he was with his stereo and coffer, awkwardly moving away. He drew a decent crowd for his lack of dancing skills, but among the mockers was a true fan: Josh, the "estupido Americano," as he called himself.

Part of the Roman excitement included the many protests scattered throughout the city. Apparently, Rome has a protest season when all the groups come out and promote their cause to whoever will or will not listen. We saw environmental groups, political groups, religious groups, civil rights groups, ...everything you can imagine. The nuns we were staying with warned us to stay away from any of the protest areas in case they got violent, but the most disturbance we witnessed was the obstruction of traffic and that was the police's doing.

Riot police

While in Rome, we also had the chance to attend an English-speaking Methodist church. It was a very diverse congregation as demonstrated in a one-line song we sang 20 or more times in just about every language one can think of. The pastor was from the UK, the intern was Korean, and attendees included Africans, Dutchmen, Philippinos, and, of course, forty-some odd Americans.

I must say that I was very pleasantly surprised with the service, especially the sermon. The British pastor spoke on the place of suffering in our faith. So often we forget that the cross is a symbol of suffering. God has not called us to a life of comfort and ease from the trials of this life. He has called us to endure in His name. Even more than the words of the pastor, though, was what he communicated about his life through his message. Although he was dressed in the traditional robe of Methodist preachers, and he stood high above us in his pulpit, he really struck me as a man who lives what he preaches, reaching out to others wherever they are to bring the truth and love of Christ into their lives.

Sitting on the Spanish Steps with Janee and Bonnie. Behind us is the Catholic Church, where I believe I heard the absolute most gorgeous a cappella singing in my life. It did nothing short of chill me to my bones and make heaven tremble with its beauty.

A few members of our group also went to an Italian soccer match. I wanted to go, but then opted to explore the city more, since I didn't feel like I had enough time to do that yet. They say it was an incredible experience, and believe me I received a tongue-lashing when I got home for not going. But there's always next time, right?

I missed the soccer game, but I did get to see the marathoners on Sunday morning. (I can't imagine running with that get-up was very comfortable.) P.S. That's the Mausoleum of Hadrian in the background.

Please note, not just the souped-up moped, but the mismatching and bright sneakers as well.

=)

Monks and Minas Tirith

I don't know what I expected when I heard we were going to Assisi--as in St. Francis of Assisi. I think in my mind's eye I saw dry, barren hills with a light sprinkling of caves for men such as Francis to meditate in. What I didn't expect was an ancient walled city, sitting atop the stunning mountains of Umbria. If you've watched The Lord of the Rings, think of Minas Tirith, the city of Gondor. That's Assisi, plus a heaping dose of Catholicism.

(Courtesy of Devon)

A deteriorating ceiling fresco

One of the few remaining Roman pieces still standing in Assisi, the Temple of Minerva was originally a Roman pagan temple. Now, it is the Catholic Church of Minerva.

My guess is that he was restoring the engravings on the doorposts.

Josh being Josh

The first night, I stepped out onto the balcony behind my hotel room and watched the lights flicker on the mountains in the nightscape. I felt peaceful and safe--two feelings I haven't felt in a long time in the busyness of life. I felt like I could stay there forever, conversing with the God who made those mountains.

Assisi is a world in itself. It's a world where you can wander the streets and stop to chat with your neighbors about the simple things in life. It's a world where you can climb to the top of the city to gaze at the stars. It's a world where you can perch on your rooftop and think, or not think, and not be bothered for either. A dose of Assisi would do most of us a world of good.

Students sketching a church in the sun

"Self-serve" is basically cafeteria-style dining, but much nicer.

I'm almost certain I spent the bulk of my budget on coffee and gelato. No, gelato is not just the Italian word for "ice cream," nor is it Italian ice. It's like ice cream, but denser, softer, and just better. Truly.

The first thing most people think of when they hear of Assisi is "St. Francis of Assisi," and rightfully so, because this is where Franciscan order arose. Most people who come to Assisi are, in fact, pilgrims coming to honor the life and work of Francis.

The Basilica of St. Francis, where the body of Francis is buried and the intricate frescos on the walls tell his story.

At the Basilica of St. Francis, we had the most incredible tour guide who was himself a Franciscan of the Third Order. (First Order Franciscans are the friars. The Second Order consists of the Poor Sisters of St. Clare. Third Order Franciscans are regular laypeople who are allowed to marry if they so wish, but are followers of the teachings, life, and example of Francis.) Although I am not Catholic, I am not ashamed to venerate Francis. The man devoted his life to a whole-hearted pursuit of living like Christ, so much so that he was given the Stigmata--open wounds in his hands, feet, and side resembling those of Christ that stayed with him for the rest of his life. Hearing our tour guide so passionately share about St. Francis' life challenged me to the core to doggedly pursue living in a Christlike manner.

St. Francis

Franciscan monks and nuns "fraternizing," as Devon put it. haha.

The view from outside the Basilica

The team

Not sure who he was, but this monk(?) or beggar (?) stopped to talk to Bev and Steph.

While we were in Assisi, we also had the chance to hike to a fort on the top of a mountain, where we could look down and see the city and everything beyond.

Lexi--a pro photographer...and model, apparently ;)

Ed, looking out over the fort walls at the endless horizon of mountains

Elisabeth, our beautiful, courageous Italian leader, who was ALWAYS cheerful, even amidst canceled flights, late nights, and constant changes to the itinerary.

I think what hit me the most while I was in Assisi was my need to simplify my life and re-prioritize. Here I was, in one of the most beautiful places on earth I have ever been, surrounded by the legacy of a man who devoted himself to the service of God and others. Yet, as much as I wanted to take a few hours to think, pray, and soak in the beauty all around me, I was too busy with other deadlines and responsibilities to even do that. What happened to peace? What happened to rest? What happened to quiet? I had lost it, and I needed it back. Since Assisi, the beauty that I found in that town has remained imprinted in my mind as a reminder everyday to set the busyness of life aside and keep my priorities in line.