Friday, May 9, 2014

Rome - St. Peter's Basilica and Lunch on Borgo Pio

April 18, 2014
Good Friday

We all woke up and got ready to get out the door and realized that we needed to get breakfast for the children. Since we were not getting any at the apartment! Ughh. We found a Spar but there was nothing really in it so we were just hoping we would find something on our way to St. Peter's. We found a little bakery place and the children all got croissants. As we got closer to St. Peters it was getting more and more crowded with people. Oh my! The line to get inside looks like it was going to be hours and St. Peter's was closing early that day because it was Good Friday. I did not plan this very well at all! We decided to just pay to take the tour of St. Peter's and then we could skip the line. I know it was crazy but when you have three children with you we had to keep moving and if we waited in the line...we might not have made it into St. Peter's before it closed for the day. Everyone was saying it was going to be even worse next week because they were estimating 4 million people coming into the city for the Canonization. So we did the tour of St. Peter's...my children like tours so in the end it all works out and we all learn new things! 
St. Peter's Basilica
St. Peter's Basilica is located in the Vatican City which technically is the world's smallest country. They issue their own stamps and you will see long lines at their little post office just so that you can mail a postcard home from the Vatican. The Basilica is no doubt the grandest church on earth...in my opinion! The basilica is the burial site of Saint Peter, the first Pope and Bishop of Rome. St. Peter's tomb is located directly below the alter. There has been a church on this site since the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great. Construction of the present basilica, which was replacing the Old St. Peter's (from 4th cent), began in 1506 and was finished in 1626. 
The Atrium is bigger then most churches. The huge white columns
on the portico date from the Old St. Peters Church.
This is the "Holy Door" that is only opened up on the Jubilee years. The doors are
sealed shut from the inside. It will not be opened again until 2025. 
These are the central doors in the Atrium. They are melted down from the original
doors of the Old St. Peter's ...plus a little extra "borrowed" from the Colosseum. 
Now we enter into the main church. Its HUGE and its AWESOME and it was crowded and there was lots of pushing to see things! Crazy! But I was so excited to be here with my family and see St. Peters together! It was also neat to be with our children for their first time seeing this church and they were asking lots and lots of questions..even little L. 
Looking at the Main Altar down the nave of the church. The church was designed 
by Michelangelo and the alter by Bernini. 
This circular stone marks the site of Charlemagne's coronation
in 800AD (in the first St. Peter's church on this site)
Michelangelo sculpted his Pietá when he was just 24 years old. 
This is a powerful masterpiece.
This is the tomb of now St. John Paul II. He was moved to this chapel of
San Sebastian in 2011, after he was beatified by Pope Benedict XVI. He lies
beneath a painting of St. Sebastian, his favorite saint. 
Little ceiling domes on the sides of the church
This is the tomb for St. Pope John XXIII. When his coffin was opened in 2001 it was well preserved as if he had died the day before. Previously he was buried in the Vatican crypt so they moved him into the church so that pilgrims could pray to him. He was also just declared a Saint two weeks ago. 
Saint Pope John XXIII
Everything was blocked so we could not even get to the main altar or the
St. Peter's statue to rub his foot!
Pope Francis's chair was out from the previous day Holy Thursday's mass
Lovin her Daddy!
This is looking at the back of the church
The crest of St. John Paul II on the marble flooring in St. Peters
4th century Baptismal Font 

Mosaic copy of Raphael's Transfiguration
We tried to walk around for a little while after our tour but we literally were getting pushed out of St. Peter's. They were closing it for the day for Good Friday services. Don't worry we came back the next day and I took more pictures! By this time we are all starving and it is about 1pm (if I remember correctly). We took a bunch of pictures outside St. Peters and then we went to find lunch. 

I love this picture of the children!
The 5 of us at St. Peter's
Water! Water! Time to refill the water bottles.
We had our picture taken here together on our 5th anniversary...here we
are back again almost 12 years later!
This is another street that I love which is just outside the Vatican City walls
We definitely don't have any eating issues with K in Italy! Can you tell by the picture?
I think L ordered white pasta with parmesan for 90% of her meals in Italy!
Borgo Pio
There are lots of outside cafes on this street, religious stores, and gelato!

2 comments:

  1. Great post! I felt like I was right back there. I had asked Joe which altar JPII was place under and he didn't remember. I didn't know St Sebastian was one of his fav saints. Also didn't know that John XXIII was incorrupt. What a great time for you all to be there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are too funny! We saw his body when we were in Rome last time - John XXIII. He was moved into St. Peters in 2001..we were all there in 2002.

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