Learn What To See On A 2-Day Tour Of Christian Rome
September 8th, 2009 | by Cristiano Rubbi |Colosseum - Roman crowds used to flock here by the thousands (the Colosseum had a capacity of 55,000 people) to watch deadly fights between gladiators or between gladiators and wild animals. Unfortunately, in the early stages of Christianity many Christians were killed in this arena in the most atrocious manners. This structure, which is usually seen as a symbol of Roman power, has also become a symbol of Christianity. The many crosses that have been placed in the Colosseum are intended to underline this particular significance.
St. Peter's Basilica - This is undoubtedly the most famous church in Rome, since it is the biggest church in the world and is also representative of Christianity as a whole. Its awe-inspiring, admirable structure stands where a 4th century church - currently referred to as Old St. Peter's Basilica - used to be. Beneath St. Peter's, excavations conducted in the 1940s brought to light the tomb of St. Peter the Apostle. The design and construction of the Basilica are considered architectural masterpieces, while its religious significance is without doubt enormous.
Monastery of Santa Maria in Grottaferrata - Also known as Greek Abbey of St. Nilus. Founded in 1004 A.D. by St. Nilus, a monk coming from Calabria together with a few brethren, this monastery is run by Basilian monks, who are Catholics of the Byzantine-Greek rite. Their Order was established by the Catholic Church to gather the Byzantine-Greek rite monasteries in Italy 50 years before the Great Schism between Catholics and Orthodox. It is therefore unique since it has been constantly in communion with the Catholic Church, while retaining its original rites and traditions. The church and monastery are the result of various alterations, but the whole complex offers an incredibly fascinating sight. Incidentally, the library has an invaluable collection of over 50,000 books, including some rare old parchments.
Basilica of St. John Lateran - It is the "Mother of all Basilicas". In other words, this is the most important church for Catholics throughout the world. In actual fact this church is Rome's Cathedral. Obviously, this is a very old church, although it has been rebuilt and renovated several times. Its awe-inspiring, but extremely elegant appearance is an indication of the ability and refined taste of the many Italian architects and artists who worked to the construction of this building through the ages. Given its status, it has played a very important role in the history of Christianity.
Basilica of St. Mary Major - Built in the 5th century A.D., this Church, together with St. Peter's, St. John Lateran and St. Paul Outside the Walls, is a papal, or major, Basilica. Actually the term Major in its name refers both to its particular importance for the Catholic Church - the papal basilicas have precedence over all other churches and each possess a holy door that must be passed for the pilgrims jubilee to be considered properly completed " and to the circumstance that it is the largest church in Rome dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls - The imposing structure of the Basilica welcomes visitors who are usually struck by the particular shape of the building as much as by its interior decorations and particularly the medallions containing images of the various Popes. The Basilica was initially built by Emperor Constantine in the 4th century A.D. on the burial site of St. Paul the Apostle. Like most of the other ancient churches of Rome, this Basilica was rebuilt and renovated several times through the centuries. A fire that seriously damaged it in the 19th century, made it necessary to reconstruct a large part of the church. In June 2009, at the end of the year marking 2000 years from St. Paul's birth, the Pope announced that it is now virtually certain that the remains in St. Paul's Sarcophagus actually belong to the Apostle.
Basilica of St. Peter in Chains - This is not one of Rome's major Basilicas, but it certainly deserves a visit for at least two reasons. The first is that this church houses the chains that bound St. Peter while imprisoned in Jerusalem. The other reason is the presence of Michelangelo's statue of Moses. This was to be part of a huge funeral monument of Pope Julius II, but in the end it was placed on its own in this Basilica to commemorate Julius II, since his family, the della Rovere, regarded the Basilica as their own church. In this sculpture Moses has two horns on his head. In actual fact they are supposed to represent rays of light since in the Bible it is written that, on descending from Mount Sinai, Moses had rays of light (Karen in Hebrew, later confused with Keren meaning horns)issuing from his forehead.
Basilica of Santi Cosma e Damiano - This is truly one of the oldest churches in Rome, since it actually incorporated a building previously used as a pagan temple, as well as the Library of the Forum of Peace, also known as Vespasian's Forum. Turning whole or parts of pagan temples into Christian churches was not unusual in the early days of Christianity. Thus, when in the 6th century A.D. Pope Felix IV was donated the Temple of Romulus and the Library by Theodoric, king of the Ostrogoths, he merged the two to make a new church dedicated to two Christian saints and martyrs, Cosmas and Damian. Though it underwent considerable alterations over time, the church is delicately beautiful, particularly in the areas that are preserved in the original Byzantine style.
Cristiano Rubbi has spent the last 20 years in the travel business. Based on his experience, he has created a Company dedicated to travellers to Italy. His WEBSITE gives helpful advice for anyone coming to Italy and allows you to book online tours and shore excursions. Join his FORUM, sign into his GUESTBOOK or email him at info@niceandeasytravel.it.
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Tags: Christian Rome, Christianity, Churches in Rome, Colosseum, Must-see Tours, Religion, Sightseeing Tour of Rome, Tour of Rome, Touring, Travel