Where in the world are Ethan and Siena? We are 
high on top of a monument, overlooking one of the most famous buildings and squares in the world. There have been huge masses assembled on this square. And, huge lines waiting to get in. This is also the smallest country in the world. This is the center of the Catholic Church, the Vatican and St. Peter’s Cathedral. In fact, we couldn’t climb up to the dome because Il Papa (The Pope) was going to be there. Personally, I find it unlikely that Pope Benedict the Whatever Number We Are Up To was going to climb the 400+ steps to get there, but, when the guard tells me in Italian that it is closed because of Il Papa, who am I to argue with him in Italian?
Rome IS Catholicism. Where else in the world would you have a department store that only sells vestments????
There was a shop across the street selling chalices. There was even a lovely travel kit, with a bowl for your wafers, a goblet for your wine, a little jar for some holy water, a shaker to distribute the water, etc. All in a carryon size briefcase, with extra room for robes, for your Cardinal on the move. 
Christianity was a faltering religion, with sparse numbers and Romans set to crucify any believers until Constantine won a major battle, essentially making himself Roman Emperor. This monument, the Arch of Constantine, commemorates this victory. Well, the night before the battle he had a vision of a cross in the sky and converted to Christianity. He made Christianity the religion of the realm, overnight transforming Christians from those likely to be crucified to the in crowd (and, you might be crucified if you weren’t a Christian). Needless to say, the religion really took off.
Our favorite piece of art in Vatican City is Michelangelo’s The
Pieta. The expression of loss on Mary’s face, the tenderness with which she holds him, made us want to cry. She looks so young. He looks so fragile. It is behind plate glass as some deranged moron took a hammer to the statue a few years ago.
We did see the Canadian Ambassador, while in St. Peter’s. We were amazed at the security and pomp and circumstance that accompanied this visit. Cardinals, secret service types, police, and the funnily dressed Vatican guys all but closed down the Cathedral for about 45 minutes. No offence to my Canadian friends on the blog, but we thought it was going to be a president or the pope or somebody we would recognize—or at least have heard of!
Before the Christians, there were the Romans. This is the famous Coliseum.
It is huge—seating over 50,000 people. “Festivities” here would last a week, with Jews, Christians, gladiators and wild animals fight it out, in various combinations, to the death. Actually, for you Latin lovers, our word Arena comes from the Latin word for sand, which the Romans used to soak up the blood and guts in the Coliseum.
Rome is great, but sprawling, and we hike for miles to see the various sights. But, it has much less of the big city feel than Napoli, with neighborhoods, fountains and piazzas providing places to congregate.
To our U.S. friends, don’t forget to vote tomorrow. Kim and I voted with absentee ballots we had sent to Athens. We learned from our new Australian friends that Down Under you are fined if you don’t vote. Maybe that would increase our voting percentage from the current deplorable level!
Wishing you a wonderful fall,
Salute
The Beatties
high on top of a monument, overlooking one of the most famous buildings and squares in the world. There have been huge masses assembled on this square. And, huge lines waiting to get in. This is also the smallest country in the world. This is the center of the Catholic Church, the Vatican and St. Peter’s Cathedral. In fact, we couldn’t climb up to the dome because Il Papa (The Pope) was going to be there. Personally, I find it unlikely that Pope Benedict the Whatever Number We Are Up To was going to climb the 400+ steps to get there, but, when the guard tells me in Italian that it is closed because of Il Papa, who am I to argue with him in Italian?Rome IS Catholicism. Where else in the world would you have a department store that only sells vestments????
There was a shop across the street selling chalices. There was even a lovely travel kit, with a bowl for your wafers, a goblet for your wine, a little jar for some holy water, a shaker to distribute the water, etc. All in a carryon size briefcase, with extra room for robes, for your Cardinal on the move. 
Christianity was a faltering religion, with sparse numbers and Romans set to crucify any believers until Constantine won a major battle, essentially making himself Roman Emperor. This monument, the Arch of Constantine, commemorates this victory. Well, the night before the battle he had a vision of a cross in the sky and converted to Christianity. He made Christianity the religion of the realm, overnight transforming Christians from those likely to be crucified to the in crowd (and, you might be crucified if you weren’t a Christian). Needless to say, the religion really took off.
Our favorite piece of art in Vatican City is Michelangelo’s The
Pieta. The expression of loss on Mary’s face, the tenderness with which she holds him, made us want to cry. She looks so young. He looks so fragile. It is behind plate glass as some deranged moron took a hammer to the statue a few years ago.We did see the Canadian Ambassador, while in St. Peter’s. We were amazed at the security and pomp and circumstance that accompanied this visit. Cardinals, secret service types, police, and the funnily dressed Vatican guys all but closed down the Cathedral for about 45 minutes. No offence to my Canadian friends on the blog, but we thought it was going to be a president or the pope or somebody we would recognize—or at least have heard of!
Before the Christians, there were the Romans. This is the famous Coliseum.
It is huge—seating over 50,000 people. “Festivities” here would last a week, with Jews, Christians, gladiators and wild animals fight it out, in various combinations, to the death. Actually, for you Latin lovers, our word Arena comes from the Latin word for sand, which the Romans used to soak up the blood and guts in the Coliseum.Rome is great, but sprawling, and we hike for miles to see the various sights. But, it has much less of the big city feel than Napoli, with neighborhoods, fountains and piazzas providing places to congregate.
To our U.S. friends, don’t forget to vote tomorrow. Kim and I voted with absentee ballots we had sent to Athens. We learned from our new Australian friends that Down Under you are fined if you don’t vote. Maybe that would increase our voting percentage from the current deplorable level!
Wishing you a wonderful fall,
Salute
The Beatties
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