Christendom in Rome: Fall 2006

A little bit of Florence (it rained)

2006-10-03T22:18:00.000-07:00

This better not need a caption.

2006-09-30T13:59:00.000-07:00

Assisi

2006-09-30T13:55:00.000-07:00

That's Paul's head, and Laura's, and then Joseph's glasses and shoulder--in the background is 'our' castle- La Rocca Maggiore in Assisi. The rest of the city is to the left of the castle, obscured by the tree. I took this coming back from St. Francis' hermitage, where he went to have quiet for prayer.

Why Dan makes a lousy Gypsie...

2006-09-14T22:24:00.000-07:00

Ostia Antica

2006-09-10T06:18:00.000-07:00

Ostia is a port town about 15 miles south of Rome, which flourished during between 50 and 500 AD. The scavi, or ruins, extend over a huge area, over a mile long and as wide. Two thirds of it have been executed, with many buildings being found almost entirely intact. The best part were the massive, intricate mosaic floors which are still visible. That, of course, along with 20 marble toilet seats, a fish pond, an antique mausoleum, headless statues by the dozen, the grand ampitheatre in which Joseph killed himself for love of Claire, and a four-story temple to Jupiter along the main street. We spent an entire day walking all over the place, getting sunburned and dehydrated, and everyone agreed that it'll take another dozen visits to see it all. St. Monica died in Ostia Antica while waiting for sea passage to Africa, and her death is commemorated on a plaque there. A long passage in the Confessions describes her last days, and it was really cool to be reading those pages while standing in the place where they actually happened.

Basilica di Santa Pressede

2006-09-10T06:10:00.000-07:00

Italian vocabulary word of the day: chiuso. "Closed."

Ss. Pressede and Prudentia were women saints living during the height of persecutions of Christians. They snuck out at night and took the bodies of martyrs to bury them. The top picture is of Joseph walking back up into the church after leaving the little catacomb in the basement of S. Pressede. The other picture is from the nave. The column where Christ was scourged is kept in a side chapel.

The Pantheon

2006-09-10T06:04:00.000-07:00

There are better pictures in existence of this temple-turned-church, but I liked mine. The man with the notebook is Mr. Akers, our guide and guardian. Everyone is getting a really nice tan from all this touring.

St Peter's Basilica

2006-09-06T13:24:00.000-07:00

This is the view from the upstairs terrace of our classroom building. No kidding. For real. I took this picture. With my camera.

Chiesa di Gesu (Jesuit church)

2006-09-06T13:19:00.000-07:00

(St. Ignatius of Loyola is buried under the altar in the top picture, and St. Francis Xavier's arm is in a reliquary in a side chapel. The Jesuit International College is attached to this church.)

The Roman Forum

2006-09-03T14:17:00.000-07:00