The Events of Saturday, March 19, 2011

                As Dad shopped for much-needed groceries, Mom woke us kids up and got us started for the day. After some showers and a quick breakfast (with bananas! – a special treat), we were headed out the door and began another day of exploring Rome.

                We headed down our street to the Ottaviano Metro stop, where we took the subway to the Termini train station. I am pleased with Rome’s subways. Although not as nice as the Metro in Washington, DC, this system is surprisingly clean, smooth, and efficient. At Termini, we tried to find a Tourist Information center—there was supposed to be a massive one right in the station. But after a few false leads, we found the elusive tourism desk. They were able to point Dad in the direction of the nearest internet café and the bus stop we would use later.

                First we visited the internet café. It turned out to be even more valuable than we thought. We read, sorted, deleted, and/or replied to some 40 unread emails. Quite a feat in half an hour. One of these emails was from the owner of our Naples apartment, our next stop. He was writing to let us know that “the kitchen is not yet arrived” and was wondering if we still wanted to stay there. Quickly we emailed him back that, since this was our only lodging in Naples, we’d still take the apartment. Now our sightseeing for the day really began. Today’s topic: Notable Points of Christian History in Rome. We walked back to the train station, found the bus terminal, and found bus #92 waiting. Just after we boarded, the driver took off toward the northeast corner of the city. We exited at Piazzi Crati and walked to a nearby convent for the Catacombs of Priscilla. Although the attraction was open today, it was closed for lunch until 2:30. So we enjoyed a nice lunch in the courtyard, listened to the Rick Steves Audio Guide for the Forum (which we missed yesterday), and generally wasted the time away before our tour.

                The ticket office finally opened. Since we were the only group in line who spoke English, our tour guide gave us a private tour. She led us down a flight of stairs and through a narrow, winding passageway. These were the catacombs—the famous hiding place and burial areas of the persecuted early Christians. Or were they?

                As our guide narrated and led us through the tunnels, we got the “true” story. The word catacomb really means slanted ground and was used as a term for cemeteries. In Rome, it was illegal to bury a person inside the city (for hygienic reasons). Since land near the city was expensive, it was easier and cheaper for most pagans to cremate. But most early Christians wanted to bury their dead, as they thought the return of Christ was imminent and wanted to be able to ascend to heaven in their earthly bodies, not in ashes.

                These catacombs were named for Priscilla, a wealthy early Christian. She allowed the early Christians to dig in the soft ­­tufa and use the area as a burial ground. The tufa rock, although soft and easy to dig through, hardened when exposed to air. This property made it indispensible for the construction of the burial grounds. The simplest tomb was a small niche in the soft wall. The body was wrapped in cloth and sprinkled with lime, which acted as a catalyst for decomposition.  The grave was then sealed with a layer of terracotta. Since space was precious, these graves were stacked from floor to ceiling (about seven feet) and laid end to end. Since Romans were shorter and smaller, often several bodies were placed in each niche. It seemed like a lot of bodies.

                Then our guide explained that this was not solely for early Christians. At first, before 300 AD, it was reserved for the martyrs and other early Christians; many were poor, so the burial was free. But when Christianity was legalized and supported, the catacombs were opened up to all of Rome. At that point, there was an entrance fee. The more money, the better and more elaborate the grave. There were the simpler graves sealed in terracotta, the same sort sealed in marble and engraved, an arch cut out for a small family, or a huge room full of arches for an extended family.

                So why are the catacombs here today? First off, this is only one catacomb. It has two levels, a larger one on the other side of the city has four levels. There are 65 known catacombs within Rome’s city limits. As our guide explained, that is why there are only two Metro lines running in the city. They are trying to build a third, but they keep running into ancient ruins. Second, the Pope in the 1600s decreed that the catacombs be preserved because of the saints and martyrs buried inside. Later, the bodies were removed to the secluded, non-toured parts of the catacombs and the passageways were opened for visits.

                So did the early Christians hide out from persecution here? According to our guide, probably not. The Caesars authorized the construction of the catacombs and you needed the Caesars permission to enter them, so they would know that the Christians were there. And besides, in a city of a million people, why go underground to hide? It would have been easier just to blend in with the other hordes of people.

                Heading back to the bus stop, we watched for the same bus (#92) to return us to Termini. But just pulling in was bus #310, which was also headed to Termini. So we hopped on, validated our tickets, and were on our way. Back at Termini, we walked over to the stop for bus #64, which took us to St. Peter’s Square. Well, it was supposed to take us to St. Peter’s Square. It actually stopped at the St. Peter’s Train Station. The Square was a ways away, so it made for a nice walk.

                Today the weather was better and the line was shorter. It was a good idea to wait until today, or so it seemed. We flew through the security check and the dress code check (no shorts or tank tops allowed) only to be stopped at the line for the stairs to the top of the dome. We had been looking forward to this trip to the top of Rome, but the line was closed for the day. Bummer. Instead, we listened to the Rick Steves’ Audio Guide of the Basilica. We spent some time on the front steps identifying landmarks in the square, gaped at the huge atrium, and then stepped into the nave. It was awesome.

                We were immediately ushered to the side, as the 5:00 Mass was about to begin. Accompanied by a men’s choir, several robed elders led the congregation around the basilica. It was probably their daily exercise—about a ¼ mile walk. Sadly, Pope Benedict XVI was not in the procession. Once the parade finished, the Mass began up in the front of the church. Although it meant that we couldn’t explore the front area, the service in progress gave the entire tour a feeling of solemnity.

                The Basilica is ginormous, the largest church in the world. However, the architects designed the decorations and artwork to make it feel a lot smaller than it really is, giving the church a less regal and more intimate feeling. Our audio tour took us up the center of the nave, pointed us to some St. Peter memorial sites, and then finally to Michelangelo’s famous Pietà. This statue of the eternally youthful Mary holding the body of Jesus is a fabulous sculpture, even if it is covered by two inches of bulletproof glass because of an incident in 1970 when a madman attacked it with a hammer.

                Exiting the church, we explored some more of the Square, took more pictures, and then headed back to the apartment. On the way, Dad wanted to pick up some desserts at a bakery on our street. So we headed down the steep, narrow staircase into the crowded shop. This bakery could have been better organized. There were no labels telling you what the food was or how much it cost. After some language struggles and several “No, not that one, that one”, we each emerged with our special dinner dessert.

                Back in the apartment, we enjoyed dinner and then partook of the aforementioned desserts. Some weren’t quite what we expected, but the chocolates, creams, and flaky pastries were quite exquisite. The desserts were like the cream on the cornettos Caitlin and I enjoyed—topping a fun-filled, perfectly prepared day. Delicious.