The Vatican

In visiting the Vatican there is so much to see that one visit is not enough. Not only is there the Basilica of St. Peter, but there are museums and gardens also. The museums have more art and history than one can even begin to remember. Since I've started this blog so often I have wished I realized then how lucky I was, and actually understood what an opportunity I had. So often now when I look at some of my pictures I wonder what the history behind it was, or why this was so important. I also find it amazing that when I see pictures of the Vatican or the museums I can say, "I've been there. I saw that." We visited Rome twice while we were in Sicily, and the second time was no less awesome than the first. One of the visits we made we went into St. Peter's in the evening. There was a ceremony or devotion of some sort being held, and a group of, I assume, cardinals were there. They were singing, and it was so awe inspiring. While I am not an overly religious person, in St. Peter's you feel really close to God. Below are some of our pictures, and under each I will give a short description. I am going to write more in another posting because this would be such a long posting with everything I have to say. I hope you will enjoy all the information I post.

This is one of the many tombs under the Vatican. There are many former popes buried here, and in some cases rather than a marble tomb suc as this one you actually see the body of the person enclosed in a glass sided coffin. Some of the people buried here are saints.

This is one of the Swiss Guards. The Swiss Guards are the official guards of the Pope.

This is the tomb of St. Peter. Again, it is amazing to see the artifacts and relics in the Vatican. I could write for weeks and post pictures for months and I could never show all that is in the Vatican.

Another of the Swiss Guards. The guards do not speak to people and do not react to anything you do. They are there to guard.

This is a picture of the dome of St. Peter's from the Vatican Gardens.

And another picture of the Dome of St. Peter's from the Vatican Gardens.

This os one of the windows of the Pope's quarters in the Vatican.

Another picture of the Vatican Gardens. I dod not even begin to show the beauty of these gardens.

Another view of the window's of the Pope's quarters in St. Peter's.

A very bad picture of Michelangelo's Pieta. On May 21, 1972 Laszlo Toth damaged the Pieta with a hammer. He was never charged witha criminal offense, but on January 29, 1973 a Rome court declared him socially dangerous and he was ordered confined to a mental hospital for at least two years. Toth was a Hungarian-born Austrailian geologist, and on February 9, 1975 he was released from the hospital and deported from Italy as an undesirable alien. He was sent back to Australia, where he was not detained by the authorities. As he attacked the Pieta with a hammer, he yelled, "I am Jesus Christ--risen from the dead!" as he broke one of the arms off the Pieta.. The statue was able to be reapired and you can't tell at this point that it was ever damaged. The statue now sits behind a bullet proof plate of glass.

This is the entrance to the Vatican Museums. The entrance is very plain and unassuming, but what you find inside is totally amazing.

This is one of the many, many statues in the Vatican Museums. The artwork and relics in the museums are overwhelming.

Another picture of the Dome of St. Peter's from another area of the Vatican Gardens.

One of the many statues of the grand lions in the Vatican. Some of the grottoes of the popes have these lions guarding them.

This is a picture of the dome from another angle showing some of the detail of the building.

More of the detail of the Dome of St. Peter's. The entire building is unbelievable.

This is a pictue of St. Peter's Square and the Oblisk taken from the top of St. Peter's Basilica.

This is a picture of the bronze sitting statue of St. Peter. Over the many centuries this statue has existed, pilgrams to Rome and the Vatican have touched and kissed the right foot of the statue. In fact, so many people have touched the foot that it is worn completely smooth. Can you imagine how many people have touched it, and who these people may have been? It is totally mond boggling to me to think of it.

The entrance to the Vatican Museums. Again, what you see in these museums is more than you can imagain seeing in any other museum in the world.

This is the front of St. Peter's Basilica, and that is Mike's mothe, Phyllis Noel, standing there. This picture sort of gives you some idea of the size of the Vatican.

Yet another picture of the Dome of St. Peter's.

A Picture of the Oblisk looking from Via della Conciliazione towards St. Peter's.

These are the Holy Doors at one of the entrances to St. Peter's. Theses doors are only opened during Holy Years, or the year of Jubilee. We were lucky enough to be in Rome once when the doors were closed and once when they were opened, and actually were able to walk through them.

Another picture of St. Peter's square from the top of the Vatican.

A picture of the front of St. Peter's Basilica as you walk down Via della Conciliazone.

The statues on the top of St. Peter's Basilica. You can get to the roof of the Vatican where these statues are. They are enormous.

Another picture showing the front of St. Peter's and the statues, which are actually about midway up the building.

Another view of the Holy Doors. As you walk up to the Vatican you go through these "gates" to the portico, then through the doors into the Vatican.

This picture was one Mike took several years before we were married when he had gone to Rome. It shows one of the "wings" on the front of the Vatican. At the time Mike took this picture, as you can see, cars were allowed in St. Peter's Square. This is no longer true--cars are not allowed in St. Peter's Square.