Rome is known as
CAPUT MUNDI-Capital of the world
LA CITTA ETERA--The Eternal City
LIMEN APOSTOLORUM--Threshold of the Apostles
LA CITTA DEI SETTE COLLIl--City of 7 Hills

+ + +

Days 12, 13 of 14. Nov 16, 17.

+
400 images

We left Lanciano located on the east coast of Italy in the afternoon, and traveled across its central region of Italy to Rome, more than 240M located on the west coast. After more than 4 hours of driving we arrived at the outskirt of the city at twilight, another 20 min of driving distance to the inner Rome. We checked into our hotel for the night.
It was too late to take the bus into Rome for the night tour, as the tour guide explained that a permit was required for the bus operating within Rome. The night visit for the city was reserved for the following night, whereas the day tour was scheduled as planned.

About 8PM at night in the outskirt of Rome, most of the businesses already shut down for the night. Dinner in Italian style was served with �spaghetti, without meatballs ,and no meatballs across EU, as the locals served with French fries, as the Portuguese called it �chips�; here was the original recipe very much Italian; the meal was served with wine, very much with the rest of Europe. The night had settled in the suburb of Rome where we stayed, as we were setting down after a long day of driving.


SEE..."Rome Museum and Courtyard" gallery___

The next day started out early as we headed first to the Rome museum. We met the local tour guide, an American speaking in perfect English. Each group of museum touring attendants was issued a 2-way radio with an ear bug as the tour guide would speak to the group with discreet narration in low voice, as each group of tour guided their members through the museum. We flowed through the crowds together as a group, watching each others for not getting astray; as many groups watching and listening to the exhibits through their earphones. We went through the Statue Room, Map room, Tapestry room, to the outside courtyard and back into the Sistine Chapel where all recording media were restricted, so was the catacomb for the Popes where the beloved Pope John Paul II was rested in his new catacomb among other Popes through the centuries of church rich history.

The Sisteen Chapel has been the historical voting room of any new Pope election through the conclave process, occurred a few times in a century, besides celebrating Masses by the Pope. The room was full of people standing shoulder to shoulder, gazing at Michelangelo paintings and other masterpieces, 1400s, around the walls and vaulted ceiling of the room; the big room was kept to the minimum noises by the spectators, as being watched by the uniformed Vatican security standing high above the crowds.

The catacomb was also protected by security as thongs of people walked in one-way flow through the burial sites of the past Popes, the latest was the Pope John Paul II, which was simple laid in a semi vault against the catacomb wall.


SEE..."St Peter Square and Surrounding" gallery___
SEE..."St Peter Basilica" gallery__

As we came out of the museum, the group exited out of the catacomb and went towards the front heading to St Peter Square, Pizza de Pietro, in the front of the same building block. We turned left into the front of St Peter Basilica, Portico. There were 5 huge doors, Door of Death, of Good and Evil, of Filarete, of Sacraments, and the Holy Door to the far right. The Sacraments (means Graces) could give the only access during the church ordinary liturgical season. Inside the basilica were full of people, at all times, the biggest church in the world had attracted millions of people during a year coming every hour of the day. The PIETY, or the Sorrow, by Michelangelo, stationed past of the entrance drew the biggest crowds all the times. Its chapel was secured by the thick glass doors, since the incident in the 1980s. The black bronze of St Peter in the Nave area, main corridor, was the frequent, popular adoration, with his toes worn out over the years by the touching of many. Many long and rich historical artifacts could not be elaborated here, the referenced websites were listed below describing the details.

When leaving the square, there was an area not too far behind the colonnades where the best prices of Rome relics could be purchased, in the �St Peter Square and Surroundings� gallery, referenced P1030845.jpg. This store was so busy from the clergy to lay people visiting and securing a piece of Rome's before leaving the Eternal City. This neighborhood with small, mom-and-pop food stores and others had also reasonable prices for lunch and merchandise, considering Italian pizza with thin crust and drink for less than 10.0 Euro.

After lunch we gathered again to drive through the city streets via our bus and visited some more major churches of Rome. While in Rome, it was highly recommended to see other 3 major related churches of great history since the first day of Christinanity:

SAN GIOVANNI--Basilica of Saint John Lateran
SANTA MARIA MAGGIORE--Basilica Saint Mary Major
ST PAULO FOURI le MURA--Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls


_________________See ROME per REFERENCES__________________


St Peter Basillica in general
http://www.saintpetersbasilica.org/

St Peter Basillica Floor Plan
http://www.saintpetersbasilica.org/floorplan.htm


St Peter Basillica Virtual tour Inside
http://www.virtualsweden.se/projects/peters/


St Peter Basillica Virtual tour Outside
http://www.arounder.eu/spa/spa.html


Map of Rome
http://www.saintpetersbasilica.org/vaticancity-map.htm

Rome's Guide
http://www.rome-guide.it/english/monuments/

Contact: stpetersbasilica@gmail.com
+ + +