Day 9 - Rome...Roma...Rom

When we first pulled into Rome, I thought it looked just like another large city. It was crowded, there was graffiti...but then we pulled up close to the Vatican. The Vatican is in Vatican City, its own state, within Rome. Surrounding it is a wall, a huge brick wall. The Vatican is the headquarters of the Catholic Church and it is rich in history. The Vatican Museum, the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica...it's all there and awe-inspiring. The Sistine Chapel is where popes are selected. Over the altar in the chapel is Michelangelo's painting The Last Judgement. It's famous for it's ceiling...This is a photo of the Sistine Chapel and one of the ceiling frescoes called The Creation of Adam.

St. Peter's Basilica is where St. Peter's tomb is and so it's the world's principal Catholic Shrine. To me, it was unbelievable. I just stood in the entrance to it in awe. Michelangelo's Pieta is also there. (Michelangelo was 24 years old when he completed this Pieta.) I hope the delegates knew what all they were seeing. I know some of them are Catholic and had some background to what they were seeing.
St. Peter's Square is surrounded by 284 columns which symbolize the arms of the church embracing. It was designed by Bernini. The obelisk in the center is solid granite and was originally erected in Egypt over 2,000 years ago! Connie has one foot in Vatican City...and one foot in Rome. Shaylin, Lea, and Emily in St. Peter's Square. I don't know about everyone else, but I was in awe by the end of Day 9.