I also want to say that you are invited to look at Beaucoup phots that I have uploaded to Picasa. Those of you whoa re on facebook will recognize that I am uploading to two different places (Picasa and Facebook). The Picasa site is http://picasaweb.google.com/FrBart/Rome2009.
Sunday was a lovely day. Filip and I went to St. Peter's Basilica for the 10:30 Mass. This Mass is normally in Italian and the Basilica's schoula cantorum provides the music. It is also pretty easy to concelebrate that Mass. I was surprised to learn upon my arrival that the Mass would be in French. The French hierarchy was celebrating the fact that their seminary in Rome, which had been unde the direction of the Holy Spirit Fathers for 150 years was being turned over to the French Episcopate for their administration. So many, many, many, many French clerics, bishops, seminarians, etc. were there to take part in this Mass. I was delighted in that I can concelebrate (and understand the homily) much better in French than Italian. So bonus!
After Mass, Filip had to go to the Polish embassy to vote in the European Parliment elections. I stuck around St. Peter's and prayed for a while and then made my way to a very overpriced lunch on the Via Conciliazione. I went back to the Angelicum and enjoyed a nice nap. It threatened rain all day. And while that meant it was muggy, it also meant that there was a cloud cover that kept the hot sun at bay.
Filip and I met in the afternoon and made our way over to the Basilica of Santa Croce in Gerusalem - The site of the Basilica built at the insistence of Constantine's mom, St. Helen to house the
relic of the true cross of Jesus that she brought from Jerusalem. Besides the cross, the chaple of the relics contains one of the nails and the "titulus" that bore the inscription "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" in three languages (according to John's Gospel)and was hung on the cross at the order of Pontius Pilate.After a time of prayer at that Basilica, we made our way back to the Anglicum, stopping once again at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. In the evening we met my classmate, Alejandro, and Fr. Luke Buckles and enjoyed a nice dinner with them at Abbruzzi, my favorite restaurant in Rome.
On Monday Filip and I continued our attempt to see every Church in Rome :). We went first to the Church of San Pietro in Vincoli (St. Peter in Chains). I am mildly interested that there is a church in Rome that claims to have the chains that could not hold St.
Peter in Jail. In fact, the chains on display beneath the high altar of that Church are almost certainly from the 1st Century. But the most impressive thing in that little church that overlooks the Via Cavour is not the vincoli, but rather the tomb of Julius II that occupies the wall to the right of the high altar. Pope Julius' bones are not there and this tomb (executed by Michelangelo)is only a portion of the planned original that was intended to be in St. Peter's. (If you are a fan of Irving Wallace, you may remember the book or film called the Agony and the Ecstacy, which told of the relationshiip between Julius and Michelangelo with regards to the Sistine Chapel). The tomb is lavish, but the central figure is that of Moses. Michelangelo's Moses is well-known. One of the best things about visiting churches in Rome is you get to see great art without paying museum prices. The whole town is a museum.It was great art that determined the next destination on Church-tour 2009. We were headed to Santa Maria della Vittoria rto see Bernini's "St. Theresa in Ecstasy" As we made our way in the a direction, we stumbled upon a church near Santa Maria Maggiore called Santa Pudenziana. And we dropped in. Here was the surprise of the day. The church looked rather inconsequential (as far as Roman churches go. It was clear that it is quite old, perhaps 4th or 5th Century. Classical Basilica - a nice mosaic in the apse. As Filip and I were discussing the vaulted ceiling (both of us have become experts in Basilicas - we immediately knew that this ceiling was a later addition or renovation), a young man asked us if we spoke English and if we were interested in seeing the Marian Oratory behind the Apse. He was a tour guide and was waiting for a group. Another man had asked to see the oratory and he happened to be an English speaker, so we lucked into a tour.
As we walked outside, the young man explained that this 4th Century (I knew it!) Church was built on the site of the home of a Christian Senator named Pudens. It would have been quite unusual, but the house had a private thermal bath. The guide showed us the typical brick pattern from a first century bath and the collection of fragments of amphora that had been used in the bath. Between the wall of the basilica and the remaining wall of the bath, there were buttresses, several of which were incorporated into a stairwell that lead to this small chapel behind and above the apse of the Basilica. It is called the "Marian Oratory" because of the
beautiful and beautifully preserved 4th Century fresco over the small altar in this chapel, which depicts madonna and child flanked by the two daughters of Pudens. To the right of that is a later (10th century) fresco depicting a crucifix -equally well preserved. To the left of the altar, there is a series of frescoes, some well-preserved, others badly damaged whihc show St. Paul ordaining TImothy and converting the famoly of this Rmoan Senator, Pudens. Our guide pointed out to us that this Pudens is mentioned by nmae among those who especially asked to be remembered to Timothy in Paul's second letter to his young protogé.WOW! We were standing in a church built over the house of a Roman Senator, who not only knew Paul, but had been converted to the faith by him and is mentioned int he Bible! WOW! This house had likely served as a house churhc in the 1st Century and Paul had probably been here! There may as well have been a neon sign that read "St. Paul slecpt here!" This incredible place was not part of our planned day. It was the Holy Spirit's surprise for us on Monday.
The guide then showed us a series of brick fragments, each of whihc bore the "trademark" of a builder. In Roman times, builder would palce these special "trademark" bricks throughout a wall to "sign" their work. Such markings are very important to archeologists because the often bore the name of the emperor who reigned whrn the building was built. They act like a "date time" stamp helping to date buildings accurately. The house and bath beneaht this church was definitely 1st Century.
But the surprises kept coming! The guide then opened a door off the Oratory and said "let's get a
closer look at the apsidal mosaic..." We stepped out into the organ loft of the basilica and were at eye level witht he apsidal mosaic. I gotta tell you - closer is better! We could see every piece of glass in the mosaic. The beautifu image of Jesus and the Apostles at the Parousia- the bejeweled cross, the buildings representing the new and eternal Jerusalem. Jesus dressed as an emperor adn the apostles as senators - so Roman, so beautiful. Our guide told us that his was the oldest (4th century) apsidal mosaic in all of Rome. Wow! He walked us through detail be detail explainging the significance of every symbol and pointing out the difference between original mosaic work and restoration. I rejoiced in the fact that we belong to a Church that believes so profoundly in documenting everything and representing religious truths with beautiful art. I am so grateful to be Catholic and to share in the richness of this 2000 year old preaching of the Word in word, sign, music, art and beauty. All fo the greater glory of God. And I am grateful for that young tour guide who invited us to tag along. I never even got his name, but on Monday, he was the angel of God showing me the beauty of our faith!Santa Susannah (the American National Church) and Santa Maria della Vittoria were a little anti-climatic after the experience of Santa Pedenziana. It is always great to see St. Theresa in Ecstasy (even if I hate the confined sapce it occupies - to me it seems to take one of the most dynamic pieces of Renaissance art and turn it into a very static peice. She gets a lot of visitor's these days thanks to Dan Brown. (By the way - if you go to see my picasa sight, there are three pictures int hat album directly taken from Angels and Demons, St. Theresa is one, can you pick out the other two?" )
From there we made our way back to the Piazza Navona so Filip scould see inside Saint Agnes. Once again, we were foiled, it is closed on Monday.
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