Day 13: The VaticanA Pilgrimage of Sorts: Growing up Catholic, a trip to the Vatican felt a bit like a spiritual pilgrimage. While we'd all seen pictures, visiting in person was much different. Once inside, we were overwhelmed by the tremendous amount of art that adorned nearly every inch of the buildings . . . sculptures, tapestries, bathtubs, paintings and more.
A Special Day: We found out that it was the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul the day after our visit, so tour hours were a bit restricted, and the place was packed. There were also a lot of people visiting for the special occasion since the Pope would be celebrating mass the next day. There was even a special adornment of St. Peter's statue in the Basillica. Our guide had never seen the statue displayed like that before. Speaking of our guide, she did a great job explaining the significance of each major piece of art. We especially enjoyed hearing about the art that influenced Michaelangelo's work in the Sistine Chapel. The Sistine Chapel: Despite the crowds, we were able to see the Sistine Chapel, and it was extremely impressive. It was both beautiful and awe-inspiring to think of the challenge of painting such a large area in the fresco style where one mistake meant starting over. The Last Judgement wall was even more interesting to us than the ceiling. The commentary hidden in the images was intriguing. Toward the end of our time in the chapel (which was packed wall to wall like a rock concert), we got a short glimpse into the Pope's private area when some priests opened the back doors. They were making arrangements for the next day's events. That was a unique experience! Saint Peter's Square and Basillaca: Wow! The Pieta by Michaelangelo was fantastic. It immediately elicited emotion, and we were amazed to think he was so young when he carved it. Of all the artists we have seen, Michaelangelo continues to impact us the most. Saint Peter's Square was set up for tomorrow's event, and it was surreal to walk through this area that we had seen so often in magazines and on TV. |
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