Learn What To See On A 2-Day Tour Of Christian Rome
Date, 08.10.2009
by Cristiano Rubbi
Learn What To See On A 2-Day Tour Of Christian Rome
Colosseum -
The best known symbol of Rome, the Colosseum is usually associated with
gladiatorial contests, fights with wild animals and other similar
events. You must remember, though, that many Christians were put to
death in its arena during extremely cruel spectacles. In memory of its
martyrs, Christianity, particularly since the 17th century, has come to
regard the Colosseum as sacred ground and has raised its crosses in
various places inside this structure. To stress the importance
attributed to this site, every Good Friday the Pope leads a Way of the
Cross procession in the Colosseum.
St. Peter's Basilica
- Started in 1506, this Basilica was only completed in 1626 - an
enormous span of time, even for those days, and there is a saying in
Italy, when something is taking far too long - this is taking as long
as building St. Peters. The structure is impressive, weather you are
looking at it from the outside or from its interior. It is safe to say
that practically all major Italian architects and artists worked to its
construction and its size and magnificence are such that visitors are
literally amazed at the sight of the biggest church in the world.
Monastery of Santa Maria in Grottaferrata
- Also known as Greek Abbey of St. Nilus. Founded in 1004 A.D. by St.
Nilus, a monk coming from Calabria together with a few brethren, this
monastery is run by Basilian monks, who are Catholics of the
Byzantine-Greek rite. Their Order was established by the Catholic
Church to gather the Byzantine-Greek rite monasteries in Italy 50 years
before the Great Schism between Catholics and Orthodox. It is therefore
unique since it has been constantly in communion with the Catholic
Church, while retaining its original rites and traditions. The church
and monastery are the result of various alterations, but the whole
complex offers an incredibly fascinating sight. Incidentally, the
library has an invaluable collection of over 50,000 books, including
some rare old parchments.
Basilica of St. John Lateran
- It is the 'Mother of all Basilicas'. In other words, this is the most
important church for Catholics throughout the world. In actual fact
this church is Rome's Cathedral. Obviously, this is a very old church,
although it has been rebuilt and renovated several times. Its
awe-inspiring, but extremely elegant appearance is an indication of the
ability and refined taste of the many Italian architects and artists
who worked to the construction of this building through the ages. Given
its status, it has played a very important role in the history of
Christianity.
Basilica of St. Mary Major
- All of Rome's Basilicas are extremely old in the sense that either
they were built over existing churches or they are rebuilt versions of
previous churches. St. Mary Major is no exception since its history
goes back to the 5th century A.D.. It is considered by many to be the
most beautiful church in Rome - apart possibly from St. Peter's. The
term Major is due to the fact that, being a 'papal Basilica', it has a
special significance for the Catholic Church and is also the biggest
church in Rome to be dedicated to Mary, Mother of God.
Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls -
The imposing structure of the Basilica welcomes visitors who are
usually struck by the particular shape of the building as much as by
its interior decorations and particularly the medallions containing
images of the various Popes. The Basilica was initially built by
Emperor Constantine in the 4th century A.D. on the burial site of St.
Paul the Apostle. Like most of the other ancient churches of Rome, this
Basilica was rebuilt and renovated several times through the centuries.
A fire that seriously damaged it in the 19th century, made it necessary
to reconstruct a large part of the church. In June 2009, at the end of
the year marking 2000 years from St. Paul's birth, the Pope announced
that it is now virtually certain that the remains in St. Paul's
Sarcophagus actually belong to the Apostle.
Basilica of St. Peter in Chains
- This Basilica should not be confused with the more famous St. Peter's
Basilica located in the Vatican. The Basilica of St. Peter in Chains
was built in the 5th century A.D. to house the chains that bound St.
Peter when he was imprisoned in Jerusalem. The chains at present are
kept in a reliquary under the main altar. However, most visitors are
drawn to this church by the statue of Moses, which Michelangelo
completed in 1545, as a funeral monument in honour of Pope Julius II.
This church used to be the church of the della Rovere family and Pope
Julius II belonged to this family.
Basilica of Santi Cosma e Damiano
- Emperor Maxentius dedicated the Temple of Romulus to his son Valerius
Romulus, who died prematurely in 309 A.D. In 527 A.D.. Pope Felix IV
joined part of the Temple with the Library of Peace and created a
basilica dedicated to two Christian martyrs, Cosmas and Damian. The
complex is located in the Forum of Vespasian, also known as the Forum
of Peace. Due to subsequent restoration works, the church has been
altered in various parts. However, it is particularly impressive
because of its ancient structure and its 6th century Byzantine-style
mosaics and later decorations.
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