Wednesday 21st November
Blue skies and sunny – a beautiful day – not a moment to waste !
The more we see of ancient Rome, the more I regret that I didn’t pay more attention in Latin classes when I was at school. I’d give my eye teeth now to be able to read all those Roman inscriptions !!
Nuns and priests everywhere today, it’s Wednesday and the Pope does his blessing of the masses in St Peter’s square today. A good day not to go anywhere near the Vatican, unless you have a desire to be crushed in the crowds. (Mass is only celebrated in Latin in the Vatican – an ancient tradition decreed to continue forever).
We re-visited Trevi fountain today, and found it sensa (without) soap bubbles. We sat there for a while looking at the sculptures and listening to the water fall, took a few photos (didn’t throw three coins), and set off to see the Pantheon.
The Pantheon.
Another fine Roman building ruined
with a Renaisance facade
Yet another monumental building, an original Roman temple almost 2000 years old, built over an earlier still pagan temple, and “added to” several times. It’s interior has also been enhanced and updated by a series of successive Popes and wealthy families over the centuries, detracting from the original temple, parts of which can still be seen if you peer carefully beyond all the current glitz. The temple has an oculus (open dome) and the floor is slightly convex to aid the drainage of rain water. As is the case for all ancient Roman buildings, it has also been plundered over the ages, the main culprit being Pope Urban VIII who “borrowed” some of the nicest and most impressive bits and had them shipped to the Vatican!!
This afternoon we booked a group tour for a “Christian tour of ancient Rome” which included driving along the ancient Appian Way, and a tour of the Santa Domitilla Catacomb. This is Rome’s oldest catacomb, some 17 kms in length, over 4 levels. The site contains a beautiful underground 4th century chapel dedicated to two Roman soldiers who were martyred (Nereus and Achilleus). The catacomb tunnels are an absolute rabbits’ warren of narrow tunnels carved into the rock, and go in every imaginable direction. In ancient times the corpses were wrapped in linen cloths and placed in rectangular niches carved into the tunnel walls (all the walls are lined with these niches, many very small to accommodate infants). The niches were then sealed with clay. If your family was rich, your niche would be decorated with small religious frescoes and sealed with a slab of marble. The tunnels are at a humidity of 95% with a constant temperature of 20 degrees, which all contributes to a terrible feeling of claustrophobia. People are not allowed down there without a guide; it’s all too easy to see how you could get hopelessly lost down, and we only visited two levels! Speaking for myself, and although it was most interesting, I was very pleased indeed to get out!!! There are many catacombs along the ancient Appian Way, in total it is estimated that they contain some 300 kms – yes, 300 kms – of tunnels.
On the way back to our hotel, we visited some significant churches, the most interesting of which was the 5th century Sancta Maria Maggiori which when it was built had the tallest bell tower in Rome. Things were looted from other places for this church (surprise, surprise. The Romans must have been the originators or “recycling”).
The Scala Santa and Sancta Sanctorum contain 28 significant marble steps. They are reputed to be the staircase of Pontius Pilate, which Christ walked up to be sentenced. The steps are so holy that pilgrims can only ascend on their knees (there are stairs at each side which people can walk up and down). A prayer is recited at each step, and the ascent may take up to an hour (you shouldn’t move faster than the people in front of you). At the top of the steps is a beautifully decorated chapel.
Enough Roman history for one day. We’re off to Pompeii tomorrow, and Pete will blog about this.
Love and hugs to Marissa, Ella and Luca from N & P xx oo
Ilze
dipidydoo 