Finalmente.

It's not goodbye, it's just see you later.

I repeated this phrase in my head at least once an hour as I went through the motions of our final day in Rome. I decided to take advantage of the free time and bought souvenirs for my family with Rebecca and Kathryn. In the process we revisited some of our favorite places. It seemed as if every street, every store and every building had a memory. That's when I realized that I had dedicated the last month of my life to learning everything I could about this nation, it's history, it's culture and the people that I shared the experience with.

We walked down Rienzo towards the Vatican. I thought of the Billa, the Christ Cops at Sunday Mass and morning coffee with Dr. Bednarz. We hopped on the metro to the Colosseum and I thought of Lady Gaga, our tour of Michelle's kingdom aka the Colosseum, our walk to the Colosseum at sunset and, of course, the gladiators that dubbed me Beyonce for the first time. Who could forget those things?

Our last stop was Repubblica, where we found the Hard Rock Cafe Roma so Rebecca could get t-shirts for her dad (I thought it was so cute that her and her father collect the shirts together). We were just around the corner from the bone church. Dr. Sebastian and I learned that day that apparently the word "EW!" screamed by a 4-year old is universal in all languages.

When I returned to the collegio Kylee and I had a packing party and picked out our outfits for our last excursion with the group. I knew we had a group dinner planned, but I had no idea what was in store that evening.

Domenica, Dr. Bednarz and Dr. Sebastian surprised us with a traditional full course Italian dinner at a restaurant a few blocks away from campus. We had drinks, proscuitto and mozarella, melon, bruschetta and a seafood salad to open. Not to mention the wine and beers cascaded across our tables. While we enjoyed our opening courses we had a little fun sneaking our thank you cards underneath the dinner table to each other. I tried my hardest not to laugh as I signed Dr. Sebastian's card while I was talking to him. He had no idea. By the time the seafood salad came out I was ready to throw up my white flag. But just as I said this to myself I remembered that we still had our main dish to go.

Our waiter brought out pizzas, pastas and salads the group ordered. Michelle Rau and I agreed that we would split each other's dishes because we were both stuck on the same two options on the menu. She had some of my gnocchi and I had her lasagna. Between the two of us we still couldn't finish our plates. We admitted defeat and handed the rest to Jacob.

Full and exhausted, we decided to let our food settle and enjoy each other's company. We stayed at the table for an hour after our meal was served to us and reflected on all of the great things we saw and did during our month in Italy. I couldn't believe we created so many memories in such a short amount of time. So many inside jokes came flooding back to me. It was a little overwhelming, but I enjoyed every minute of it.

We walked, slowly, to Saint Peter's Square for our final meeting. Dr. Bednarz and Dr. Sebastian thanked us for coming on the trip and told us they had an amazing experience because we each brought something special to the table. They were right. There are so many personalities within our group; so many idiosyncrasies, thoughts, theories and opinions. I loved the fact that everyone had something insightful to say every day that I was there. Believe it or not, I learned just as much listening to my peers as I did during our class sessions.

As they wrapped up their final thoughts we surprised them with our thank you cards and Domenica with a gorgeous bouquet of flowers that Antonia picked out for her on behalf of us. I was happy that we were able to show our gratitude and express how thankful we were for everything that happened during our month together. Just as we finished hugging I looked up at the sky and saw seagulls flying rapidly towards the Vatican. I let out a quick, "What the hell?" before being surprised with fireworks!

It was a great surprise, but at the same time I wasn't surprised at all. From day one I've thought there was something about our group that attracted good luck in a borderline magnetic way. During the show everyone in Saint Peter's Square stopped in their tracks to watch the sky. I glanced around at our group laying against the warm rocks admiring the show and I saw unity. I can't imagine a better way to end our last night together.




When we headed back to campus we ran into a street fair. The fireworks were set off from Castel Sant'Angelo to celebrate the feast of Saints Peter and Paul. I'm sure the celebrations on the street were a continuation. We saw a band performing on the riverfront and sat on the wall to watch for a few minutes. I have to say I was impressed. Even the security guards couldn't stop themselves from dancing.

For at least a mile you could see people running, singing, dancing and laughing in every direction. The carousel was in full swing and tap dancers rapped against the cement to put on a show for anyone who wasn't playing games or indulging in the endless sugary treats available at the giant candy bar. Castel Sant'Angelo was definitely the place to be that night.

We walked back to via Marcantonio for a final late night gelato run, said our farewells and went to our rooms to pack. Honestly, I barely slept that night. This will sound certifiably nuts, but if I fell asleep I knew I would wake up to a clock that finally ran out. So instead, I watched the sun rise and listened to the seagulls laugh one more time.

Eyelids heavy and bags in tow, Kathryn and I set out for the shuttle stop. I couldn't believe we were leaving. But, I was at peace with it. I knew that this was one adventure of out many that life would undoubtedly offer me. So when the plane took off three hours later, I said, "Until next time, Italia."

Until then, I'll be on the edge...

Assisi, Siena, Florence: Part Three

Florence.

We left Siena early that morning to make our final trip, Firenze! It might have been the fact that I tried banana yogurt for the first time that morning, or maybe I was just in high spirits because I felt great about our travels that day. We actually ran into a parade of one of the contrade of Siena, which was awesome!

Two bus rides later and we arrived to Florence. The hotel, yet again, was beautiful and gave us a direct view of Piazza del Repubblica where the hotels were lively, street musicians and break dancers didn’t miss a beat and a picturesque carousel straight out of children’s books glowed. I fell in love with our surroundings.
Jeff, Kathryn, Rebecca and I went exploring. We found a cute pizza shop that I swear doubled as a perpetual dance party. The cooks were so outgoing and they had great music playing inside (ironically this was the same pizza shop where the cast of MTV’s Jersey Shore worked while they were filming their most recent season, but we’ll overlook that). Across from the pizza shop there was an outdoor wine bar. You could literally walk up to the bar, place an order and sit curbside with your wine. I imagined it would be a great place to go at night.

After lunch we passed by Chiasa di Dante and toured the Church of Saint Margaret where Dante supposedly met his beloved Beatrice. It was…different, for lack of better wording. I didn’t expect the watercolor paintings on the wall – I think I spotted Jonah inside the whale on the wall to the right of the altar – but I really liked the basket of love letters. I thought it was adorable. I thought about leaving one, but decided against it when Kylee started recording people reading the letters. Maybe next time, Dante.

We had the rest of the day to ourselves, so I grabbed dinner and went to the bridge to watch the sunset and listen to street musicians with the group. We stumbled upon the perfect spot that had a huge crowd brewing. Dr. Bednarz, Michelle Brenes and I each made wishes on coins and threw them into the river, which I thought was a really sweet gesture. It felt great to have so many of us together. Once the sun set I leaned across the bridge and saw the buildings in the water’s reflection. I caught a few snap shots on my camera, but it honestly didn’t do the scenery justice. It was gorgeous.

When we got back to the hotel I watched Italian cartoons with Jeff, Chris, Michelle Rau and Jacob, but we gave them our own dialogue. Hilarious. I switched off between the cartoons and listening to the band at the bar downstairs. They were playing all of my favorites that night: Earth, Wind & Fire, The Jackson 5 and Norah Jones which was a pleasant surprise. Jacob and I decided to go on our own adventure and check out the bar.

The bar tender was the coolest! He gave us our drinks half price and gave me extra fruit (which I’m a sucker for). We caught the tail end of the band’s performance. I didn’t want to disturb them once they were finished because I knew they had a long gig, but I couldn’t resist.

The band just finished their last gig at the bar and were preparing to set sail and take their act on a cruise that was sailing through the Caribbean to the United States. Their guest singer’s name was Carla. She was from Chicago. I was inspired by her story the most because she decided to quit her job a couple years ago and follow her passion: singing. After her gig in Florence she was headed to Switzerland. That just goes to show you sometimes God has a plan for us that we can’t envision for ourselves. I congratulated her and wished her nothing but the best.

Jacob and I finished our drinks and I headed back to the hotel for a good night’s sleep.

Assisi, Siena, Florence: Part Two

Siena.
Cattle. That’s how Dr. Bednarz described the scene of our class hauling it to Track 12 at the train station. We’re not really running. Are we really running? Oh. I guess we’re running, I thought to myself. We made our connecting train to Siena within seconds, poor Dr. Sebastian’s backpack strap nearly being gnawed by the closing doors.

Once we arrived to Siena we walked through the town to get to our hotel. At first glance it seemed like a city of walls, the exact opposite of Assisi where you could see sky and landscape for miles. But I didn’t mind it. It was beautiful in its own way.

Hotel Athena is located literally on the opposite side of Siena just a short walk from the city gates. This hotel was gorgeous too. We quickly dropped our stuff and made our way to the piazza for lunch. Kylee and I weren’t hungry though, so we decided to do some shopping (can you blame us? I mean, it is Italy). Six dresses, two fitting rooms and one missing water bottle later we sprinted back to the piazza to join the class for a tour of the museum (which had an excellent medieval bell tower, but that’s just my opinion).

Inside the museum we saw frescoes dating back to the 13th century. My favorite was the Allegory of Good and Bad Government. The detail in the faces of each character, human and mythological, conveyed so much emotion. You could read their faces and know the thought process and mood of the painter, the mark of any good artist. In the room with the painting we saw a scale model of a duomo. I asked Dr. Bednarz why the Star of David was located in the duomos. Jeff and Chris noticed the same thing. We briefly discussed it and I made a mental note to research it later.

After the museum we were free to explore the city. I wandered through some more stores, picked up some gelato and walked back to the hotel where I stumbled upon Chris, Jeff, Michelle Rau and Michelle Brenes watching a sport that we nicknamed “Medieval Rugby.” At the time we had no idea what to call it because it seemed like there were so many sports going on at once. If I described this sport to you, you’d think I’d gone mad. But, it’s worth a try:

Imagine 30-50 shirtless men (sometimes pantsless as well, please don’t ask why because I still haven’t figured it out) running around an outdoor court the size of half a football field with a dirt floor. These men can kick or throw the ball to their team mates, but run the risk of causing boxing matches between opposing team members on the side. I don’t mean on the side of the court. These men will drop the ball to start boxing or wrestling in the middle of a game already in progress without a second thought, which is probably how pants began disappearing. If they grew tiresome they would either hug it out or lay on the ground until one of 20 referees – who were all dressed in neon costumes that rivaled the Swiss guard – blew their whistle. Once a team member managed to trek across the court they received a point only if they threw the ball over a six-foot fence out of bounds. Wait, did I say a point? I meant half a point. At certain intervals in the game the score would be 2 ½ to ½ . Oh, did I mention that there are 6-10 teams that were all serviced by a circus of paramedics between plays?

Yes, this game actually exists.

Anyway, when the game ended I went to the hotel’s computer to do some research. After my experience in Assisi I wanted to learn as much about Saint Francis as possible. Fun fact: his feast day is October 4, which is my birthday. Coincidence?
I ended my night at the piazza with the group. I loved Siena’s night life because everyone seemed perfectly content with enjoying each other’s company. It was a big, outdoor party. Who doesn’t love one of those?

Siena, Day 2

The next morning we met early for breakfast and a trip to the Duomo. We saw some wall frescoes that blew my mind. I guess I should be used to it by now, but it still amazes me that some of these artworks were created thousands of years ago and to this day harbor colors so rich and brilliant.

Heather and I analyzed the frescoes. We saw that the emotions of the devotees of Christ just after his crucifixion were depicted in ways that most of the gospels don’t cover. Most artists don’t capture Mary kissing her deceased son on the cheek on the apostles removing the nails from Christ’s feet. They cover the important moments through the parables and the miracles, but the fact that this artist took the time to extend the story and consider every emotion they felt through every phase of Christ’s burial? Amazing. Clearly this person is devout in their faith. Their heart(s) shows
through the work.

After the Duomo we briefly visited a baptistery, quickly followed by the Church of Mary of the Assumption. In my research on Saint Francis the night before I looked through a long list of patron saints. It took me a moment to remember, but once I did my jaw dropped. Mary of the Assumption is the patron saint of Jamaica. I was nearly brought to tears when I entered the church.

I loved the complexities of the church. The chapels weren’t closed off and the main aisle was decorated with flags from the 17 districts of Siena. I also spotted floor carvings which, if I’m not mistaken, were depictions of the Massacre of the Innocents. Somehow it fit like the perfect puzzle. The assortment of colors and light made for organized chaos.

I found the gift shop because I was considering finding a rosary with Mary of the Assumption on it, having just discovered she was another patron saint of mine. I looked at the bracelets and rings and saw one in particular that caught my eye. The beads were red and gold ladybugs. I had unknowingly visited the church of the patron saint of my country and found a rosary that connected it to my experience in Assisi. It seemed as if everything was falling in to place. I bought the rosary and said a prayer for Jamaica just before leaving the church.

Between churches I visited the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo with Jeff, Michelle Brenes and Lauren. This museum had artifacts that were once housed in the church. I saw bones of Pope Leo X that were encased in a gold display. I thought it was very pretty (surprising coming from me, I know). I think my favorite display was an assortment of sculptures of the apostles. I think I spotted Thomas and Judas. Either they still aren’t getting along or someone was in the mood for a practical joke because all of Judas’s fingers were missing except for the middle one, which was pointed like a missile directly at Thomas.

Our next church was the Church of Saint Dominic. I had dreaded this church since we visited Santa Maria sopra Minerva and saw Catherine’s body. It didn’t stop me from enjoying the church though. This church was different because it had a staggering amount of open floor space (Dr. Bednarz later explained to us that there was a tradition of riding a horse into the church for good luck), little decoration outside of the chapels and lots of light to bounce off the bare walls. It seemed as if it were a work in progress. I appreciated its simplicity because the Dominicans don’t believe in indulgence. Their sanctuary is a reflection of their beliefs. To me, that’s beauty.

And then came her head.

I thought I was ready. I reminded myself that, like everything else in this world that’s new to us, it shouldn’t be feared due to lack of understanding. However, all rationale went out the window when I saw her. I honestly don’t remember how long I was frozen, but Dr. Sebastian told me he didn’t see me blink. Poor Dr. Bednarz must have been worried. She had to remind me to breathe!
I felt like I was in the church for hours, but truthfully it couldn’t have been more than 45 minutes. Our final excursion was to the Sanctuary of Saint Catherine. We saw the cross she was praying to when she received the stigmata, portraits of her in her youth and some of the original rooms in her house. The church we visited had beautiful frescoes and boasted blue and gold motifs (sidenote: I find the art work in Siena has a central theme of blue and gold, I made a mental note to research it when I got back to Rome).

After we left the sanctuary I went back to the hotel to rest for a while because later that night we went out for Jeff’s birthday! I was a little jealous that he was able to spend his birthday in a foreign country, I’ll be honest. But he seemed perfectly content with dinner and relaxing at the piazza. One of the things I like most about him is that he’s not demanding. He was extremely thankful for everything that happened that day.

We ended the night in the piazza once again. If I ever return to Siena not only do I hope I have time to see the horse race, but I hope I get the chance to lay down in that piazza again and listen to the sounds wafting from the lounges and restaurants. Something about that area is so relaxing, but makes you feel like you’re in the place to be. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that I’m fortunate enough to see it again.

Assisi, Siena, Florence: Part One

Our final week in Italy consisted of a fast-paced, enticing, unforgettable roundabout through Tuscany. My professors decided to save the best for last. I divided the posts between the three cities instead of doing six separate posts to save space and time. I’ll do my best to recall as many details as I can. First up on our agenda…

Assisi.

My alarm went off at 5:30, again at 5:45 and thrice at 6:00. The seagulls, confused as usual, ushered me into our early morning departure with their raucous, yet amusing laugher (if you’re wondering why I find it funny that their shrill voices disturb us at all hours of the night, don’t ask; I’m still uncertain). We met in the map room at 6:30 and set out for Lepanto. Our wait at the Termini was extended due to a scheduling glitch, but an iced coffee from across the street and good conversation were enough to lift my spirits.

Our train arrived in Assisi around noon. When our shuttle dropped us off in town I was taken aback. Six months ago I went to Jamaica with a friend of mine who told me that Assisi was her favorite place in Italy. She said its beauty was unparalleled and true to form with its patron saint, Francis. Honestly, her words didn’t do this gorgeous town justice. I don’t think mine will either, but I’ll try:

Imagine boarding the Delorean with Marty McFly and setting course for Medieval Italy. Then, hit the pause button on life. This is how it feels to travel to Assisi. The only modern additions to the town were cars and cell phones. Everything else was perfectly preserved. We put our bags down at our hotel – which boasted a view that could’ve been dreamt up by Michelangelo himself – and walked to the Basilica of Saint Francis.

Before we left for Assisi I did some basic research on Tuscany. I knew Saint Francis was the patron saint of Italy, Assisi, nature and animals. That was the extent of my information. I could have never anticipated the experience I would have when I visited his church.

When I first walked in my eyes had to adjust to the lighting (we visited many churches in Rome that filtered their light by level to represent the ascension of Christ, the basement level being the darkest and the cupola glowing; I figured this building was modeled to do the same which Chris later confirmed for me). The structure of the building was different than any we had visited. The chapels were not sectioned off, rather they were all connected through walkways, giving it the appearance of a labyrinth that was wrapped around the congregation.

I walked through the chapels and made my way downstairs to the tomb of Saint Francis. I knew thousands of people traveled from around the world to pray to him and other saints. I saw nuns, monks, business owners, wives and children kneeling at the tomb immersed in prayer. It was a connection deeper than any I witnessed in Rome. I walked around the tomb and saw pictures of people taped to the gates surrounding it. I realized the enormity of what I was witnessing and took a moment to pray as well.
I went upstairs to the basilica and found a balcony where you could see the entirety of Assisi. The atmosphere was breathtaking. Miles of illuminated trees, farmland and flowers stretched to the horizon. I can honestly say I’ve never seen a place so beautiful and quaint. At that moment I felt as though I stumbled upon God’s best kept secret. I felt more safety, security, light, love and peace of mind than ever in my life. I couldn’t explain the emotions that dwelled within me or why they chose to reveal themselves in that place, but I felt God talking to me in a voice louder than ever before. I repeatedly told Him, “I get it. I understand.”

I reluctantly left the balcony and decided to continue exploring. I stumbled upon the gift shop. I considered buying rosaries for friends while I was in Rome, but never for myself. I felt different in Assisi. I knew that day it was the right thing to do. While I was at the store I asked Michelle Brenes and Dr. Bednarz how to pray the rosary. I think they knew I felt a little disconcertment about buying the rosary, because they told me I didn’t have to be Catholic to use one. At the risk of sounding dramatic, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders and purchased it. It’s the most beautiful one I’ve ever seen.

I lingered in the church as long as I could, not wanting to chase away the feelings I’d experienced moments before. Soon enough the group was ready to move on and I decided to go exploring with Rebecca and Kathryn. We walked to the outskirts of Assisi in search of the statue my friend told me about. We didn’t find it, but I couldn’t be too disappointed because in the process we had an adventure. I took pictures of the farm houses and the flowers that sprinkled the roadside while we waited for the bus back to town. While we sat on the curb ladybugs began crawling at mine and Rebecca’s feet. Rebecca reached down and, without realizing the alarm that sounded in my voice, I said, “Don’t touch them! They’re good luck. They’re the one insect you shouldn’t kill. Besides, what would Francis do?” Rebecca and Kathryn laughed and more crawled towards us. I figured it was a good omen for what was to come within our final week.

When we caught the bus back to town we found a restaurant that appeared as, literally, a hole in the wall. When you walked inside the lighting was soft. You saw a wall of wine bottles, giant paintings on the wall across and out of the window was a view of a building across the street that had dilapidated frescoes (I think we agreed it was a scene from the Gospel of Mark). The music was fantastic and the family who owned the restaurant had infectious personalities that warmed the environment. The pasta was the best I had tasted during the trip as well.



After dinner we caught up with the rest of the group for a glass of wine on the hotel balcony. But before drinks I grabbed my rosary from my room and found a private section of the balcony. I prayed at sunset. The skyline glowed with subtlety in the distance. The hotel clerk donned Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black on the balcony stereo that day. Her voice hummed in the distance, but my attention was focused on the birds. Their chirping was, much to my astonishment, harmonic. The sound was infectious. I listened to their song as I prayed, thanking God for every struggle, frustration and moment of stress that laid the path to my Italian experience. I knew at that moment that I was meant to be there and God brought me to Italy for a purpose. For the first time I prayed to Saint Francis. I asked that he continue to watch over his beautiful town, over Italy and over me. It was an amazing feeling speaking to someone who held no prominent place in my life just days before but suddenly filled my heart. Lutherans recognize saints, but only pray to the Holy Trinity. However, I knew he was listening.



I rejoined the class for drinks on the balcony and hiked with them to the top of Assisi to look at the stars. They were brightest in Assisi, away from the light pollution of the city. I closed my eyes a few times in a desperate attempt to capture mental pictures. I didn’t want the moment to end, but all good things must.
We walked back to the hotel and said goodnight. I knew the next morning we would have to leave. I made a promise to myself that I would come back to visit Saint Francis again. I had no choice. Clearly, we were linked.

Ventunesimo Giorno

Me time. Those were my first thoughts when I woke up this morning. Don't get me wrong, I love spending time with our group, but it was about time for me to get lost in the city on my own (don't worry, I actually knew where I was going thanks our impromptu excursion to the Lady Gaga concert).

I decided I wanted to see the Arco di Giano and Piazza della Bocca Verita. I surprised myself by waking up early and making a beeline for the Lepanto station before 9am. I go off at the Circo Massimo station and went for a stroll. It didn't take long for me to find the arch, but I stumbled upon a few things along the way and decided to play photographer.

I snapped some photos of archaeologists at work at a scavi. This dig was set up behind a church around the corner from the arch on via Di Monte Caprino, one of the historic districts of Rome (I'm still trying to figure out/remember the name of the church, work with me). I found myself walking along the back side of the Forum and turned on to a street with a monastery. I guess I had perfect timing because I could hear the monks chanting and church bells ringing in the distance, which reminded me that we'll be in Assisi soon! Sidenote: A friend of mine told me she could hear monks from their monastery in the distance when she went to visit the statue of St. Francis during her last visit. That's one of the things I look forward to most during our stay.

Anyway, I passed the monastery and made my way to Piazza della Bocca Verita. I researched the site before going there and found the art work Bocca della Verita by accident. It's a sculpture on display at Santa Maria in Cosmedin. Archaeologists believe it was originally a part of a fountain and the face represents the ancient god of the Tiber river. As it turns out, I took a picture of this weeks ago without realizing it. During our first week I ventured to the Trevi with Lauren, Kristen, Kylie and Rebecca. On the way back I took some photos of the novelty shops lining the street. At the time I called it "the Mantelpiece" because I thought it would be a perfect trinket to decorate with, but I didn't think I would see the original weeks later.

Needless to say I liked the Piazza. I didn't stay there for long though. While I was walking I was approached by a guy who started speaking to me Italian. I told him I spoke English three times and turned to leave, but he persisted in speaking and tried to maintain eye contact with me. I automatically put my defenses up and looked around to make sure he wasn't trying to distract me from something or someone. He gave me a rose and said, "For you bella, smell it!" and raised it to my nose, which was odd because it wasn't the entire rose, just the flower that had been almost entirely cut from it's stem. Who walks around with roses in their pockets? All too suspect. I bid him adieu, threw the rose away when I was out of sight, washed my hands and headed back to campus.

I was frustrated and discouraged when this happened because I had such a good morning, but it reminded me that, as comfortable as I've become in our new city, you can't forget to remain alert, especially when you're alone. I was just around the corner from the Embassy when this happened and would have never guessed that I could find myself in a bad situation in broad daylight. But such is life. I shook it off and returned to campus.

On a lighter note, I enjoyed class. I gave a presentation on Pope Clement V and we began wrapping up Dante. Afterwards I grabbed some delicious Chinese food around the corner from Rienzo, which was a nice change of pace (I definitely recommend it for anyone who wants to try something new before we leave) and Sebastian treated us to gelato! Overall a great night.

Ciao.

Ventesimo Giorno

Sundays usually mean crowded churches. They also mean that you'll have the museums to yourself because the tourists are sleeping in and families, for the most part, are spending time with each other. I decided to take advantage of this and headed for the Capitoline Museum with Kathryn and Kylee. I heard nothing but good things about the Capitoline, so I was looking forward to it.

The view from Piazza del Campidoglio was stunning. The statues leading the path to the entrance of the museum were enormous and a little intimidating. They didn't get any smaller once you entered the museum. The first glimpse of the museum was a http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifcourtyard that displayed the remains of a Colossus, which was awesome because I've never seen one in person. When we left the courtyard things got a little tricky because the museum is sectioned off in to two buildings. En route to the second building we saw the Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius, the bust of Medusa by Bernini, the bust of Constantine I and the She-Wolf of Rome (which was pretty cool because we saw a replica on the hike to the top of the hill at Piazza del Popolo our first night in Rome). Fun fact: Pope Sixtus IV was a huge fan of sculptures. He placed the gigantic statues in the courtyard in 1471 which eventually expanded into a museum designed by Michelangelo in 1536.

We initially didn't realize that you had to enter an underground tunnel to cross from one end of the museum to the next, so in the process of finding the opposite end we accidentally crashed a wedding reception at a caffeteria on the top floor (their dresses were stunning, let me tell you!) and tried to sneak a peek at the Pope John Paul II exhibit on the top floor - turns out you needed to purchase a second ticket to gain entry, oh but no - and stumbled upon a war museum in the Vittorio Emmanuel monument. Initially our goal was to find the exit so we could get back to the museum as quickly as possible, but then I spotted a model of Mount Vesuvius erupting mounted next to a sculpture. It automatically caught my eye considering we were in Pompeii just days before. It was also very out of place in comparison to the decorative guns, uniforms and war-time doctrine that surrounded it. Creative liberty on behalf of the curator, I guess?

We found our way out of the war museum and stopped for a moment to view the city. I caught about seven different basilicas and tried to take a photo, but it didn't turn out well (Note To Self: ditch the Casio when you get back to Jersey). After about two hours of viewing the sculptures we began our trek back to the Barberini station. As much as I liked viewing the art inside the museum, I have to mention some of the things I noticed on the walk there and back. For example: this wall frescoe at the bottom of Capitoline Hill. I was told it's a portrayal of the baptism of Christ; a scene that solidified the beginning of his ministry. The baptism is mentioned in all of the gospels, but I think the artist of this fresco didn't take inspiration from Luke because he referenced a baptism by water (And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, Luke 3:3), whereas Christ is seated with Mary surrounded by icons in this image. I'm not sure why this artist decided to portray this scene differently, but I saw it and thought it was gorgeous.

Kathryn and I also ran into this art work on the way to the metro stop. Unfortunately the artist wasn't there so I couldn't ask him any questions about this piece, but his tools were left behind so I'm assuming we missed him by a few minutes. On the ground is a 3D image of a woman in robes surrounded by Angels and Demons. I've always been impressed by artists who could make images come to life with chalk and pastels, so I spazzed when we saw it. I think I may have scared Kathryn a little.

We wanted to visit the Crypt of Capuchins right after the Capitoline, but then I remembered I had shorts on. By the time we would have made it to the Collegio and back siesta would have started, so we decided to reschedule. If/when I return to Rome I seriously need to remember to pack more skirts.

After a personal siesta and classes, I went out to dinner at a cute spot around the corner - we saw Cooper Nielson: breakdancer edition, YES YES YES! - followed by another night at Piazza del Popolo. It was a fun time. I plan to take a personal adventure next.

Ciao!

Sedici, diciassette, diciotto

I missed the laughing seagulls.

This was my initial thought when we emerged from the underground of Lepanto station yesterday afternoon. Many of us couldn't wait to get a slice of €3 pizza or a riceball from Mondo Arancina, while others just wanted to lay in bed and sleep. I personally missed the seagulls perched on the rooftops of St. Johns that laugh all hours of the night. It's funny what you notice about your environment once you've been removed from it for a certain amount of time.

Day Sixteen - Pompei

7:00 wake up, 7:30 meet up time. 8:00 arrival to the Termini, 9:00 departure from Rome. Nothing about that morning was simplified. After staying up until 3am with Kylee reading about Pompei and cramming three days of necessities into my tote bag (Navy Seal Swag), Jacob's iPod lulled me to sleep on the train ride to Napoli, which was surprisingly a lot shorter than we anticipated. I missed my Daft Punk! Between them and Aesop I was good to go.

The Napoli Termini was a beast, but the buses were something else. The defenses I usually have up in Rome went in to overdrive the moment we left the train, and for good reason. Within minutes of boarding the train poor Dr. Bednarz caught a hand creeping in her purse. Thankfully nothing was stolen. After 45 minutes or so of exploring - that's the word I'll choose for our journey to the hotel - we arrived to Hotel Toledo. We dropped off our bags and headed back to the Termini to meet with the archaeologist, Rosario, for our walking tour of Pompei. By that time most of us were starving and raged on the McDonald's at the entrance. I haven't felt much separation anxiety from American food, but I have to admit having a small piece of home was nice. A few chicken nuggets, fries and an orange Fanta later and we were headed back out of the Termini. Change of plans. We explored some more until we found the archaeologist and boarded the train to Pompei, where I napped again. It was fantastic.

Rosario had a nice surprise for us. We were granted the opportunity to visit a Scavi her students were working on. Their site was a mansion that belonged to a wealthy family that lived on the outskirts of Pompei. Their house was reconstructed several times due to earth quakes, but survived its original construction date that's estimated to 62 BC, predating the life of Christ. This blew my mind. The frescoes were so well preserved and the rooms were enormous. I was in shock. Some of the rooms had bodies on display that were preserved from the volcanic eruption. Rosario compared the eruptions to the bursting of a champagne bottle, which was amusing, but painted the perfect picture.




Her students showed us some of their projects, piecing together relics from the house. I respect them for doing work that's so tedious, more so for their determination and pride every step of the way. It definitely showed.







After our tour of the villa we finally saw Pompei. Rosario and Domenica gave us information on the bath houses, the soup kitchens, the traditional Roman house and, my personal favorite, the Villa of Mysteries. I took too many pictures to name:


After a long day of exploring, we had a group dinner at a family owned pizza place by the hotel. I didn't realize how much I missed the mom and pop places that we have in Jersey until I walked inside and sat down. In my neighborhood you know the families that own the restaurants and they're usually pretty friendly people. For me, it was a little slice of home...with the exception of the Italian soap operas that our table watched during dinner. Imagine Jack Bauer meets General Hospital. Sounds weird, but very entertaining. MiRau was surprised with cake and champagne for her birthday, which I thought was adorable. After some well deserved group time, we were off to bed to rest up for our day on the island.



I guess some of us were more tired than others. Sorry Sebastian, I couldn't resist. Muahahaha.

Day Seventeen - Capri!

My day didn't start out the way I planned, mainly because I had been under the weather since we left for Napoli. Most people didn't realize there was anything wrong because I have a mean poker face, but it got to the point where I felt overwhelmed. I didn't like removing myself from the group, but I disliked the idea of being anyone's burden even more, so I thought at the time it would be best to keep to myself and try to get some rest. Fortunately, between Jacob's iPod (shout out to Jacob for having a great selection of music, by the way, I missed my Daft Punk!), the waves - ironically a rocking boat soothes me - and some medicine thanks to Dr. Sebastian I was back to my old self in no time. http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Capri is easily one of the most beautiful islands I've ever seen. It was nice to be by the water again. Astrologically, I'm an air sign, but I'm convinced I was supposed to be a water sign. It's my element. I swam to the other side of the rocks that had a castle built in to the mountain, which was gorgeous, and chilled on the beach with a frozen strawberry lemonade courtesy of Rebecca's recommendation. Michelle B. and I gave Lauren a lesson on Shakira and did a photo shoot with the group when the sun wasn't so harsh. It may not seem like it, but I live for these moments with our group. Having a chance to sit back, relax and appreciate everything God has given me in this trip with a bunch of great people has been a daily occurrence for me.




I'm not sure what else to say about this beautiful place, except being there was so soothing. I didn't want to leave, but the sun was setting so we decided to go to dinner before catching the ferry back. I loved the restaurant they picked. Our waitress was bubbly and charismatic and her sons had a great music selection - anyone who can name a Justin Timberlake or Bruno Mars song gets automatic brownie points in my book. I'm hoping that when I come back - which I will, revisiting this island has officially made my list of non-negotiables - I hope to eat there again.

Our evening didn't go as smoothly as the day did, which resulted in an early departure. I've decided that I won't recant the events of the night out of respect for my friends, but I think we all learned valuable lessons about safety and became closer as a result of what occurred in Napoli. I have so much respect for every person in our group for the way we conducted ourselves and, more so, the fact that we were willing to carry each other without question. I especially respect my professors for the way they handled the situation. They offered their services and actively sought help from others to make sure we were okay. I commend all of you.

Day Eighteen - And then we rested

Sleep. Breakfast. Taxi fleet to the Termini. More sleep. Roma. It honestly wasn't a bad morning at all. Upon walking into St. John's I felt a huge weight lift from my shoulders. I was happy to have left everything behind - with the exception of Capri, I would go back there any day - and focus on what comes next.

After Napoli, we all needed a little Home Sweet Rome.

Quattordicesima Giornata

The beginning of Week three.

Today was a day for the class to do their own excursions. My original plan was to get some rest, wake up at 8 and be out the door at 9 for a trip to the Etruscan Museum. Somehow, I don't think the moving crew received the message because they decided 6am was the perfect time to break down the graduation stage in the court yard. Keep in mind that I slept through the iPhone alarm in the Common Room and the 3am drunken ramblings of our lovely neighbors from the University of Houston on many occasions with ease. In short, bombs could go off and I would probably roll over and continue my snooze. A part of me was impressed with the movers for achieving the impossible.

Anyway, my body rebelled against the 6am wake up call and I managed to get myself together around 9:30 this morning. I set out with Rebecca, Michelle B. and Catherine to the Etruscan Museum to discover that it was closed. Turns out many museums in Rome are closed on Mondays. We decided to roll with the punches and come up with a Plan B, which was San Clemente. Unfortunately we forgot about siesta. The churches closed at noon and we were forced to wait at the dorms until they reopened. Again, rolling with the punches. I decided to utilize the time and researched San Clemente, Giovanni e Paolo and Ostia Antica for tomorrow. I also found a new outfit because we didn't think the bishops would have agreed with the cut off shorts and purple t-shirt I donned that morning.

We set off for Circo Massimo around 2:30. Our first stop was San Clemente. This visit was a change of pace for me because I didn't fulfill my usual routine of milling about the church and viewing the paintings and wall frescoes. Instead we went straight for the mithraeum. I was able to piece together a few images based off the information from Chris' Weebly, but I honestly wish we had a guided tour just because I wasn't familiar with it. Having an expert available to speak about the mithraeum would have helped me connect the dots. Also, seeing the mithraem after researching the church was kind of like studying for a huge Math exam only to discover minutes before that you confused the dates on your calendar and you'll instead walk into your English exam. But it's okay because I still walked away having learned something new. Plus I was able to get a few cool pictures:



I know I'm not supposed to be taking photos at some of these sites. Lauren and I even got called out by one of the employees at the exhibit - which I thought was absolutely hilarious, forgive me, I'm still working on fighting off the shutter bug.

This mosaic is of brothers Saint Cyril & Methodius. They were known for revolutionizing Slavonic biblical literature; developing the Slav alphabet and teaching in Slav, improving the literacy rate and developing Christianity in Eastern Europe. They also found the body of Saint Clemente and brought him to his final resting place. Clement was martyred by the Romans; tied to an anchor and thrown into the Black Sea. I remember Antonia mentioning during her presentation that early Christians used the anchor as a disguise for the cross. She also said on her Weebly that it was a symbol of salvation and a metaphor for "anchoring the port" of faith. This photo is blurry, but the actual mosaic has an anchor on it. Cyril and Methodius were nicknamed "The Apostles to the Slavs" and were named co-patron saints of Europe with Benedict of Nursia after their deaths.

After our tour of the mithra under Basilica San Clemente, we continued to SS Giovanni e Paolo. We got a little lost, but thankfully a friendly couple pointed us in the right direction. It wasn't too far away from San Clemente. I didn't expect to see the domus raised to ground level, but the archaeologists that raised the walls and reconstructed the rooms did an amazing job. If I didn't know any better I would have assumed the original house was built at that site.

John and Paul were Roman soldiers and eunuchs to Constantina. They were secretly beheaded and buried in their home in 362 by the Romans when it was discovered that their house was used as a meeting place for some of the earliest Christians in Antiquity. They created a nymphaeum inside the house that paid homage to the female nature deities described in Greek mythology. The nymphaea of John and Paul had an array of geometric patterns, leaves and rams on the borders of the walls, common symbols associated with the nymphs. There was also a beautiful fresco in one of the larger rooms. Archaeologists have agreed on two interpretations:

A) It's a depiction of the return of Proserpine to Hades on and island between Bacchus and Ceres

B) It's a depiction of the re figuration of Venus Marina while Bacchus pours her a drink

I'm not well versed in Greek mythology, but I would say both of these theories could be correct based off their stories. I liked Giovanni e Paolo because there were so many relics on display and because archaeologists are still trying to determine the symbolism of some of the relics left in the domus (the building was created in phases; a cult building was installed during the 5th century, making some of the relics different than those from the lifetime of John and Paul).

After John and Paul we walked to the Circo Massimo train station. We ended up waiting for a semi-empty train for 20 minutes before biting the bullet and boarding one anyway. Being from the tri-state area, I've been on many packed subways. But I was shocked at this one. There was almost no room to turn your head. I was nervous when I saw a woman help her two children - one an infant in a stroller and the other no older than age 2 - on to the train. Under those conditions it would have been easy for them to get sick.

We got back to the Collegio just in time for classes. We discussed the influence The Aeneid had on Dante's work in addition to the metaphors in the cantos. In Dr. Bednarz class we discussed mockery of the royals in the scriptures, specifically Kings Herod and Eglon. I made a mental note to keep my eyes open for imagery that delegitimized royalty within the next few days.

Classes ended later than expected, which I'm thankful for because we were able to fit the sites in. Kylee, Lauren, Jacob and I decided to go out for dinner and ran into Dr. Bednarz, Dr. Sebastian and Elizabeth. We found a pizza place a few blocks away from the Collegio where I tried my first ever anchovy pizza at Dr. Bednarz's request. I wish I took a picture to document it, because I know my family at home probably read this paragraph, laughed, re-read it and laughed again. Italy has made me much more adventurous with my eating habits, because at home I probably would have stared at the fishy slice for about twenty minutes until it got cold. But I loved it! I don't think I could have eaten an entire pie by myself, but I did try and I was pleasantly surprised. I also enjoyed the Sausage and Potatoes I ordered. Dear Protein, I miss you!

Dinner lasted a lot longer than expected, but I enjoyed every minute of it. We didn't get back to the Collegio until 11 because we stopped for gelato afterwards. I did my best to handle some work when we returned, but my pillow called me, so I settled with reviewing some background information on Ostia Antica with Kylee. I even made a list of places I wanted to visit.

Anywho, my bed is calling me. Ciao.

Tredicesimo Giorno

Since my arrival to Italy I've slowly metamorphosed in to a coffee drinker.

Shout out to Lauren Baudot, our resident caffeine addict, for aiding me in my transition to the dark side. This was the beginning of my stream of consciousness as I crossed via Marcatonio to get to Vero, our newly dubbed Italian Starbucks. I stayed up late the night before talking with a friend on Skype and doing research. I figured an iced coffee would be the perfect way to start my day. But, to be honest, it's not Lauren's fault. My mom drinks coffee religiously. It was only a matter of time before I caught the bug.

Much to my dismay, I discovered Vero was closed on Sundays. I turned around and headed back to the Collegio for class. In my sleep deprived state I also failed to realize that our class was headed out for an excursion that morning. I showed up to the map room in a Kanye West concert tee and cut off shorts. Rebecca and I exchanged confused glances and realized we were out of the loop.

This is where my woes end for the day. As much as I've grown to appreciate a morning coffee, I quickly realized the cappuccino machine around the corner gave me the same burst of energy for a mere 50 cents. I also realized that, in going back upstairs to change into an outfit that would be church appropriate, if my worst problem was discovering Vero was closed on a Sunday - as half of businesses in Rome are - then I was in pretty good shape. I grabbed my books, my water bottle and my bag and joined the class on an excursion to Santa Maria sopra Minerva. This church is unique for a few reasons: it's one of the most important churches in Rome as far as the Dominican order is concerned, it's the only Gothic Cathedral in Rome - which I was very excited to discover, I love Gothic cathedrals - and it is the final resting place of the body (not the head) of Catherine of Sienna.

The interior of this church was stunning. The wood used for the altars and the balconies was of a darker, deeper persuasion than any I've seen on this trip. The ceilings didn't have frescoes, rather, they were modeled after the night sky with patterned borders on the arches. We arrived at the perfect time of day where every picture I caught inside the church reflected the light that poured through the windows.

Dr. Bednarz explained to me that archaeologists use clues within the construction of a building to help figure out what lies beneath a structure. For example: Minerva is the greek goddess of wisdom. Mary, in addition to being regarded as the mother of Christ, is also the patron saint of wisdom. Santa Maria sopra Minerva was built over a temple constructed to honor the goddess Minerva and derives its name from the uniting of the two. So in theory, an archaeologist that wanted to know if there was a domus, insullae or temple beneath the church would look at frescoes, sarcophagi, paintings or any other art work that would have pointed them in the direction of Minerva.

I took this photo of a stained glass window because I haven't seen many on display outside of The Vatican Museums. I hit the shutter as one of the priests asked us to leave for the siesta. It came out clear by chance. At the time I had no idea what I was taking a picture of, but there are a few symbols of Mary that I learned about from research:

The Almond - Lying in the flower bed on the lower left hand corner of the glass are almonds. According to Numbers 18, the Almond is a symbol of the Divine favor.

The Owl - In the upper left hand corner there is a bird flying next to the artist who holds his finished painting of Mary and Jesus. It wasn't placed there by accident. The owl was a symbol of Minerva that represented wisdom.

Fleur-de-lis - This symbol, located in the lower right hand corner of the glass, is attached to the Virgin Mary, the Madonna Lily and Isis - the Egyptian goddess of wisdom commonly associated with Minerva and Mary; the obelisk above Bernini's elephant sculpture outside of the church is one of eight originals in the city of Rome and identifies the fact that the temple below the church was erected to honor Isis as well as Minerva.

I was surprised to have identified that much symbolism within one art work. I didn't have the chance to take photos of the other sculptures in the church, but I was fortunate enough to have visited The Garden of Catherine. It's not an actual garden, but was named as such because it's the room she was in when she passed away. The room was actually taken apart and reconstructed within the church, which I thought was pretty cool. Catherine's body rests in a sarcophagus behind the altar. When I saw her remains I said a prayer for her and the bells rung to signal the arrival of siesta soon after. Sidenote: I know church bells were first used to keep civilians aware of the time, but I learned the other day that Paul spoke about calling the Gods in his scripture. We also discussed Levi the tax collector inviting Jesus into his home in the gospel of Luke (Luke 14: 12-24). The Copts (early Christians in ancient Egypt, 4th century) had bells, idols and incense placed on altars used to call the gods and invite them into their homes. Connection?

Our next stop was the Study of Saint Ignatius. Dr. Bednarz mentioned to us a few nights earlier that we would have the privilege of visiting his apartment. I knew this would be a once in a lifetime opportunity and was something I wouldn't want to miss. We arrived just as the siesta was beginning, but luckily ran into a scholar that we were able to sweet talk into letting us in for a tour. I think it helped that we said we were students from Loyola.

The scholar (forgive me, I can't remember his name) gave us some background information on Saint Ignatius:

* He was born in Spain in 1491 to a middle class family
* He wanted to be a knight; suffered an injury from an accident that left him bedridden in his father's home - the only books available were The Life of Christ and The Lives of The Saints, thus beginning his spiritual conversion
* He left Spain and traveled to Paris because he illegally preached on the streets of Spain without officially being ordained a priest, that was a big no-no during the Inquisition


The entrance to Saint Ignatius' apartment is marked by a corridor designed by Andrea Pozzo (he also painted the ceiling of The Church of Saint'Ignazio just around the corner from the study). He a brother of the Jesuit order commissioned by the Jesuits to design the interiors of churches across Europe. He was a visionary that took normal icons and imagery and slightly altered their appearances. For example: the putti on the wall frescoes in the corridor are portrayed as being older than most and have the facial features and long hair to show it.

Andrea Pozzo was smart about his design. His frescoes were elaborate and unique from most that I've seen within the last two weeks. But what struck me the most about his design was his use of color that lead the eye to view an image in the center of Saint Ignatius on his deathbed surrounded by his Jesuit brothers. This single image was painted in black, white and gray tones. Most of the death scenes I've seen in paintings are created from an ominous point of view. It was refreshing to see an artist that was able to execute the scene and relay the message without giving the viewer (me) a somber feeling.

When we entered Saint Ignatius' apartment I was at a loss for words. We viewed his study where some of his letters, stamps, books and a pair of shoes were on display. We also entered a room that was converted in to a small chapel in the 1500s. This room was the site where Saint Ignatius passed away in 1556. I was so busy taking pictures and absorbing the moment that it took me a few seconds to realize that everyone had fallen silent. I looked over my shoulder and saw Jeff's head lowered in prayer and immediately stopped in my tracks. I was embarrassed, but stopped what I was doing to sit and take in the scene. Everyone had grabbed a seat or stood still. I had never seen our group so quiet or unified. It was beautiful for the few moments it lasted.

One by one we exited the room, took our final photos, gave our thanks to the scholar and left the building. Next up on the agenda was mass at The Church of the Jesu of Rome. I decided to skip mass and left with Elizabeth and Jacob. Our plan was to find the nearest metro station and grab lunch close to campus, but we found a restaurant that was serving fresh vegetables. Y'all, please excuse the dramatics, but I have never in my life been so happy to see broccoli. I've missed it so much. I had a come to Jesus. Not quite like the rice ball, but pretty close.

When we got back to campus Dr. Bednarz and Dr. Sebastian were generous enough to postpone classes until the next day so we could watch Domenica's graduation! We were so excited to see her walk across the stage. Rebecca, MiRau, Dr. Sebastian, Kylee and I watched the ceremony from my room and screamed at the top of our lungs when they called her name. I was happy we were able to share that moment with her.

After the ceremony and the delicious food provided at the reception (which came at a price because St. John's newly appointed Secret Service gave us the third degree about our purpose for being at the reception; in the words of Dr. Sebastian, "As if they were running sooo low on food"), I spent the evening researching and listening to music with Michelle Brenes. I got the chance to read her blog, "When Keeping It Real Goes Wrong." I didn't like the way her day went, but I loved her portrayal of it and her ability to remain in high spirits. I hope she's feeling better.

Ever since our visit to the Vatican making connections has been easier for me. I think my eyes were opened after the tour. I know you can't blanket the experiences for everyone in the group, but speaking from a personal point of view, I was able to see the influence the scriptures have on a lot of art work that I appreciate. I spent close to an hour in the Egyptian room that afternoon. I grew up loving everything there was to know for a child about ancient Egypt. The connections between early Christian/Pagan symbols were prevalent, and as a result I've developed a formula. Now that I know what I'm looking for, it's only a matter of time before I stumble upon it at each location. I think I'm making progress.

Until next time, ciao.

dodicesimo giorno

So I was supposed to include a second part to yesterday's blog. However, a steep change of plans occurred that prevented me from seeing The Church of Saint Ignatius, so that will have to wait. That's okay with me. Better late than never.

We visited The Catacomb of San Callisto today. I think I've finally overcome my discomfort in visiting the catacombs, which is a milestone in my book. I went about my usual ritual of saying prayers as I waked through the catacombs, but there was no fear or feeling of trespassing. Finally.

I liked our tour guide. She was pleasant and had a good sense of humor. But to be honest, I think I learned more at The Catacomb of Priscilla (with the exception of seeing the crypt of Saint Cecilia, which I'll discuss soon). It may be the fact that Priscilla was my first experience in a catacomb so I absorbed a lot of information, but it seemed that a lot of the statistics were repetitive. Which is understandable. It was also difficult for me to make connections because we didn't spend much time viewing the frescoes in the catacomb and I couldn't take any photos to look back on. Again, understandable. At the last catacomb I went to the gift shop and wrote down the names of the frescoes based off the post cards. I made a mental note to try and use the shops and the tour guides as resources again.

After the catacombs we had two class sessions with Dr. Bednarz and Dr. Sebastian. We reviewed a few scriptures from The Gospels. We referenced John 11: 8-16 where Jesus speaks about the sleeping dead. This was a clear connection to the portrayal of Saint Cecilia sleeping in her statue in addition to every bishop, cardinal and saint whose graves I've seen within the past two weeks:

11 After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.” 12 His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” 13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. 14 So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

Dr. Sebastian gave us background information on Dante's life and how his work revolutionized modern day poetry and song writing about love. I knew the Inferno was an influential literary work, but I had no idea he was responsible for how many artists format their work today. I also admire the fact that he spent his life rebelling against what he didn't believe in. His decisions definitely cost him a lot, but I respect him for taking action when most of us never consider doing so.

After classes we went back to campus. I rested for a while and did some reading until the time came for the Lady Gaga concert at Circus Maximus. Which was...an experience. I'll leave it at that. Ciao.

Undicesima Giornata - Parte prima

Disclaimer: YOU DO NOT HAVE TO READ THIS ENTIRE POST. My day was exponentially long and this post will consist of almost everything I learned and observed because I have so much swimming around in my head at the moment. Forgive me. If I had a Sparknotes version I would gladly pass it on.


INFORMATION OVERLOAD.

Those are the only words I can use to describe this day. It is currently 3:25pm, so you can only imagine that I mean this in every sense of the word. So, in order to convey every part of my day without committing murder by blog, I'm splitting this post into two parts. This part consists of my adventure in The Vatican.

The Sistine Chapel

When we arrived to The Vatican after what felt like a 30-second long train ride (I am not arguing - it was actually very pleasant, just an observation) we headed straight for the Sistine Chapel. Dr. Bednarz was afraid we would face a torrent of crowds if we waited until noon, which was a smart decision because it was still considerably busy at 9am.

Well, as you probably could have guessed, it was breath taking (Supposedly there's this rule that you're not supposed to take photos. Yeah...about that...didn't listen. Shrug. Sorry, but it's a once, possibly twice in a lifetime opportunity. I couldn't pass it up.) I remembered a story Rebecca told me about her middle school Social Studies class. Her teacher gave her class the challenge of laying beneath their desks and drawing a picture against the bottom surface. This would put them in the position Michelangelo was in while he painted the chapel. They realized how difficult it must have been. I think it must have been tedious and overwhelming at times, especially once he reached the ceiling. My favorite section was The Twelve Prophetic Figures. Their size in comparison to the rest of the figures was dynamic. I also loved the fact that Michelangelo combined the seven prophets of the Old Testament with five female Classical prophets: The Sibyls.


Immediately after the Sistine Chapel we walked down a long hallway where I saw a globe with the Horoscope on it in place of the seven continents. I had never seen anything like it before. There was no information card beside the globe and it was encased in glass, so I have no idea who made it, when or what they titled it. I'm hoping to find it online. I think it may be similar to Cesar's Horoscope at the Arapache.

The Borgia Apartment and Laocoon

Next up was Raphael's Museum. En route to see Raphael's work we got the chance to walk past the Borgia Apartment. I had this on my list of places to visit in the museum because it's one of the first locations where the Popes started personal collections. It was created under the reign of Pope Alexander VI and originally located in the Apostolic Palace of the Vatican. Alexander VI was interested in frescoes and commissioned the painter Bernardino di Betto to decorate the studio. The frescoes were completed between 1492 and 1494 and draw from medieval themes as well as glorifying the lineage of the Borgia family (Alexander VI was born Rodrigo de Borgia. Coincidence?).

Unfortunately, the church didn't agree with Alexander VI's taste in art. The Borgia Apartment was closed down shortly after his death in 1503 because of the negative reputation associated with the Borgia family. His name eventually became a synonym for the immoral standards that drove his pontificate. Ouch. Fortunately, Pope Leo VIII was a little more forgiving and reinstated the use of the Borgia Apartment in 1889 for public viewing. The pieces were inducted into the Vatican Library.

I didn't get a great look at the Borgia Apartment, so hopefully I'll get the chance to go back and explore it along with the other half of the museum. Soon after we took a quick tour of an outdoor sarcophagi exhibit that featured some sculptures. We saw the very first art work the Vatican inducted in the museum. Purchased over 500 years ago was the sculpture of Laocoon. According to Greek mythology, he was the priest that warned the Trojans about the deadly wooden horse they received as a gift from the Greeks (and to think as a kid I thought Orlando Bloom warned them, thank you Hollywood). Athena wanted the Greeks to win the war, so she set snakes on him and his two sons. The Trojans interpreted it as a sign from the gods that the horse was a sacred object and brought the horse and twelve members of the Greek army behind their walls. Well, we all know how that story ends...

Raphael

Anyway, we all agreed that we wanted to see some of Raphael's wall frescoes and saw The School of Athens! It's easily my favorite painting by Raphael and among the best from the Italian Renaissance. I had a silent fit when we walked in to the room. I discussed some of the unique qualities about the painting with Elizabeth. She pointed out to me that Heraclitus (which is supposedly the face of Michelangelo) wore different clothing than the rest of the teachers and seemed somewhat disinterested in the scene before him. I pointed out to her the unique placement of Alexander The Great amongst the teachers.

I didn't want to leave The School of Athens. But soon after we grabbed lunch, which was great because I think we were all pretty hungry at that point. Rebecca finally got her hot dog and fries! I wish they had chocolate milkshakes available for her, but I'm keeping the faith that she can still find one. During lunch I discovered that Dr. Bednarz is a Lady Gaga fan! We talked about our plans to go to the Rome Pride Parade tomorrow night where Gaga is giving a free concert (turns out I didn't have to pay $200 to see her in New Orleans. A-ha!). I think all of us are looking forward to a night on the edge...of glory! I just hope Rebecca's argument for observing the Sabbath was convincing. Oh and shout out to Kathryn for the Bueno White Chocolate bar. BOMB.COM

Saint Helena - Mama Constantine

Before lunch Dr. Bednarz suggested that we split up and explore the museum ourselves. She said there was simply too much in there to cover as a group. The tourist groups didn't help. So I did some exploring. I wasn't able to find the sarcophagus of Junius Bassus or the Dogmatic Sarcophagus - the two art works I planned to present on today. I think I passed them in a different section of the museum that was locked, so I may go back. I might as well see what I've been researching for the past month. I did, however, run into this beauty (if you can call funerary art beautiful):

This is the sarcophagus of St. Helena, mother of Constantine the Great (I). The material is Porphry, which is very rare for a sarcopagus. A definite giveaway that she was a prominent figure in Rome. Her granddaughter, Constantinia, has one created from the same material that was on display at her church, Santa Costanza, until a few decades ago. All four sides contain images of battle scenes, specifically scenes of war prisoners and slaves being stepped on by war generals. In Psalms there is a recurring theme of crushing enemies, whether under God's feet or your own:

Psalms 44:5 Through you will we overcome our haters; by your name will they be crushed under our feet who are violent against us.

Psalms 68:21 The heads of the haters of God will be crushed; even the head of him who still goes on in his evil ways.

Psalms 18:38 I crushed them, and they were not able to rise: they fell under my feet.

etc, etc.

The point is, in Roman Antiquity it was not uncommon for the foes of the emperor to be restrained and their heads forced to the ground so the king could step on their heads. It was considered the ultimate form of disrespect and is still considered one in some countries today. Remember the Iraqi reporter that threw a shoe at former President Bush? He didn't throw the shoe in order to hurt him. He specifically aimed for his head as a form of disrespect and hatred, which likely stemmed from Psalms.

The Egyptian Room

After the sarcophagi I went to The Egyptian Room. This was also on my list of places to revisit because I assumed I wouldn't have the time to go. I'm happy I decided against leaving after lunch. At the entrance to the right are panels from Upper Egypt with Coptic inscriptions dating back to the 4th Century AD. The letters are similar to Greek: I was able to spot letters that resembled phis, omegas, pis and upsilons. The Copts were a community of early Egyptian Christians. They were among the first to start practicing the religion. Their art work contains symbols borrowed from the Pagans and the Jews. Copts were the dominant religious group in Egypt until the Muslim conquests, but still remain the largest Christian community in the Middle East. Until today, I had no idea about Copts or their significance in early Christianity.

I also saw the sarcophagus of Imhotep, the high priest. I almost tap danced, no lie. Imhotep is one of the most famous figures in Ancient Egyptian history and I had no idea his sarcophagus was located at the Vatican Museums. If you had asked me yesterday I probably would have guessed it was at the Smithsonian or still in Egypt. However, Pope Gregory XVI acquired it in 1838.



The next room was Roman art. These statues are made of granite and bare Egyptian influence. I didn't realize until today that many galleries in Roman Antiquity were modeled off the Nile river. The Romans thought the decoration made for a calming environment.

The last pieces I want to note here are idols modeled off of deities that were used by the Egyptians to call the gods to their homes. They would burn incense and ring small bells as a means of inviting the gods into their homes. Paul spoke about this in The Bible as well. It's easy to see that Egyptian art work from the 4th to 7th century was heavily influenced by early Christianity, which I didn't realize until today. As a kid I was fascinated by the iconography of hieroglyphics and thought it was a culture completely separate from mine. I'm just now realizing how some of their traditions hit close to home.

I browsed through a room of more statues from Roman Antiquity of Gods and Goddesses and got tired soon after. I wanted to stick around to see the Pio-Christian Museum, but I decided to be a wet blanket and come back to study. I also wanted to rest up so I would be ready for the visit to The Church of Saint Ignatius. I've wanted to go since Jeff pointed it out on the map in the common room during orientation. I think it would help bring my insights on the Jesuits and religious education come full circle. I also heard from Kylee and Antonia that it was beautiful.

This is where Part One ends. Two hours later at 5:25 I've finally finished jotting down my thoughts. To be honest, I'm pretty sure I'm forgetting something. If you're still reading this, thank you. I appreciate your patience and interest more than you know. I'll be sure to post my photos and thoughts on Saint Iggy when I return. Until then, ciao!



P.S. - This picture has nothing to do with nothing. It's the exit staircase at the Vatican Museums. I just thought it looked really cool.

Decimo Giorno

I know I keep saying this, but today was mind blowing. No, really. I'm pretty sure this has been one of my most informative and ground breaking days thus far in Rome. Here's why:

Our first stop was The Borghese Gallery. I knew we would see a lot of Caravaggio's work and statues by Bernini, but otherwise I used the blank slate approach. This museum is breath taking. I recognized so many art works that I studied in high school. We studied ceiling frescoes in churches (I saw these and instantly thought of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel - I. CAN'T. WAIT) and honestly the photos don't do them justice. It amazes me how these artists mastered creating illusions and 3D imagery on flat surfaces. The shadowing was impeccable. I also loved the emphasis on gold. There were golden frames, art works or gold-dominated ceilings in every room of the museum. Today I was finally able to see Bernini's work in person. Mrs. Dodd - my high school AP Art History professor - loved Bernini and emphasized the realism in his work. It seems impossible that someone could create life like figures from a block of marble. Sidenote: Was anyone else was excited to see Fluffy today? I also silently spazzed when I saw the room full of Caravaggio's paintings.


It was amazing to see this portrayal of with Caravaggio's head replacing the face of Goliath. I've never seen another artist that took so much care to provide the details. Groundbreaking for an artist of his time.


Next up was the Catacomb of Priscilla. After this visit I'm convinced that I was Egyptian in a previous life. Does anyone remember the opening scene in The Mummy Returns when the thieves were entering a tomb? One of them had a belief in curses so strong that he refused to enter the room (I don't believe the catacombs were cursed, it's just a reference point, stay with me). That was probably an uncle or a cousin of mine, and like my Uncle Robber I have a strong respect for the dead and feel strange when exploring their final resting places. There's something about disturbing the peace that initially left me uneasy. I spent the first fifteen minutes of the tour praying for the people that once rested in those tombs.

I quickly shook off my woes and put my attention and focus on the scene before me. I'm happy I did because what I saw was incredible. We were fortunate enough to have the nuns at the catacombs grant us entrance just as the doors were closing. Our tour guide gave us a few quick facts behind the history of the catacombs:

*There were 40,000 people buried within the 8 miles and 4 stories of tunnels that create the catacombs
*The catacombs were originally an underground apartment Priscilla lived in. Once she passed away her family transformed the house into a catacomb and temple
*Pagans and Christians did not want to be buried together, which was part of the inspiration behind this catacomb - it was a place specifically for Early Christians to lay their loved ones to rest
*The largest structures were created for the wealthy who could fit entire sarcophagi in to their tombs. If your family didn't have money you would be wrapped in cloth and buried in one of the "shelves". Some of these shelves to this day have not been excavated
*The catacombs are extremely stable because the volcanic Tufo rock is suitable for sculpting: it's soft when first exposed to air and hardens shortly afterwards
*The frescoes on the walls of the catacombs were preserved with dirt - at one point in time the site was packed with dirt, protecting the art from light exposure and preserving the color

We saw the earliest portrait of Mary and Jesus alongside the Prophet Balaam. It's dated to the early 3rd Century. I've seen pictures, but to see the real thing in such great condition was amazing. I was also shocked when we saw the imagery in the temples. At one point I noticed a portrayal of the three magi arriving at the throne of Mary and a newborn Jesus; the same image that I spoke on at the Biglietteria yesterday afternoon. When I saw that and considered the dates, I realized that it probably wasn't a child's sarcophagus mounted in the museum. It may have been the upper register of a sarcophagus created for a family from the middle class in the late 3rd century.

After the catacombs Antonia gave a brief presentation about the symbols in the frescoes we viewed and Kristen gave us some details about her SCAVI visit which gave me something more to look forward to. Aside from the tombs of the Popes, I figured I would walk in blindly.

I think one of the things I liked most about today was that all of our projects are beginning to fall into place (but a close second was finding out that Dr. Bednarz knows who Snoop Dogg is! I can't tell you how much that brightened my day). I saw images in the catacombs related to my funerary art project, Greek and Latin transcriptions that reminded me of Kathryn, temples that reminded me of discussions I had with Michelle Brenes and an entire room in the Borghese dedicated to Herculanean sarcophagi that Rebecca pointed out to me. I was also able to spot a ton of imagery from the Gospels and Judith. As each day passes I can spot something either related to our class discussions, the Weebly or a subject matter I learned about in high school, which is very impressive.

With that said, I'm off to nap. Afterwards Lauren and I plan to introduce Kylee to the wonderful world of rice balls. I'm also hoping to find a pair of cheap sunglasses. Apparently whipping your hair back and forth can be dangerous. Shrug. Such is life.

Nono Giorno

As a class, we were introduced to and had the privilege of participating in a Question and Answer session with Ambassador Miguel Diaz of the U.S. Embassy of the Holy See. He's the first Hispanic-American ambassador to the Holy See and only the ninth since the establishment of the embassy in 1994. I also found out that the Vatican broadcasts worldwide in over 45 languages via Vatican Radio, publishes a newspaper named The Observa Romano AND operates a Facebook page! The media nerd inside me got excited (Beyonce proceeded to give her a side eye).

Ambassador Diaz and his staff clearly take their work seriously and approach it with passion. This much was clear to me when we met Nathan Bland, Public Affairs Officer to the embassy. We made a connection when I found out he received his master's from Seton Hall University, located literally around the corner from the house I grew up in. What are the chances? He spoke about his part in strategic planning, relations with the media and organizing conferences with panels of experts on subjects like mother-to-child HIV transmission, religious tolerance and the role of African-Americans in the church as a part of their Black History Month series. I instantly thought of my friend Angie, who just graduated from Loyola with a B.A. in Public Relations. She's a devout Catholic and is determined to put her degree to use in ways that will help people. I honestly can't think of a better job for her. We had a good conversation this evening about my encounter with Officer Bland among other parts of my experience in Rome thus far.

Ambassador Diaz speaks with conviction on issues he believes in while also executing a conversational tone that isn't the slightest bit intimidating. His tone sets the pace for his nineteen person staff. He is positive and persistent and has a hard-working group of individuals behind him. He's not a trained politician. He is not by any means a guy who operates by the book, but he is naturally diplomatic. His life's work until accepting the position of ambassador was teaching Theology at the College of Saint Benedict. When he told us these things I think my level of respect for him rose. He has managed to find a job that fuses his gift with his passion after first serving in a line of work combining his passion with his faith. I hope I will be half as fortunate as him.

Following the Embassy visit we went to the Biglietteria Museum - which is a small section of a villa! Um, what?! Insanity. - where Kristin gave another fantastic presentation on Caravaggio. I was able to give a brief presentation on a panel of a 4th CE sarcophagus. I guess it was good practice for The Vatican, but still a little scary. I'm just happy I hit all of my main points. While touring the museum I found a few works by a painter named Francesco Albani. Like Caravaggio, he was endorsed by the Giustiniani family, a prominent family from Venice that contributed to the Church, the Roman government and sought out thousands of works that, collectively, have allowed historians a window into the history of Italy dating back to the 15th century.

Albani emerged as a prominent artist in the Baroque era. He focused on mythology and saints, but he has a series of paintings on display at the Biglietteria that show Jesus Christ in infancy, as a teen, the crucifixion and after He's risen. I'm curious to find out whether he was influenced by biblical stories just as Caravaggio was. I'll post more about that tomorrow.

After an adventure on the bus that brought us across town, we arrived back to the Collegio where I made my first dish with authentic Italian pasta and read some of The Inferno (I wish I had a cool pasta picture like Michelle's, hers turned out great). My spidey senses tell me our Metro days will be behind us pretty soon. So I'm all for the idea of resting up. Until next time, ciao.