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The Doors outside the Church of St. John the Lateran |
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Inside the Basilica of St. Paul outside the Walls. Take a looksie |
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Inside the Vatican |
Then my friends, I saw Laocoon and his sons and my heart did skip within my breast. What a stunning Statue, I could’ve sat there all day looking at him. The movement and dynamism of the sculpture is enrapturing. I think this is one of my favorite sculptures I have ever had the pleasure of seeing.
Then, there were various tiddly bits in the Vatican. Yet again, I played the game of looking for those statues which entertained me most.
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An ugly little dwarf that winked at me. |
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He kept asking me if I thought the cymbals made his butt look big…awkward… |
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I think this is where they stand to announce the new pope |
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The entrance out of the Sistine chapel. They didn’t allow any photos to be taken within the chapel. |
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This may blow your mind, but the picture above, it is all painted! There is absolutely no relief, it’s all shadow work and perspective!
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Outside of St. Peter’s Basilica |
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Inside of St. Peter’s Basilica |
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I was separated from Michaelangelo’s pieta by six feet and a pane of plexi glass. I would’ve loved to have gotten closer to them, studied the folds of the fabric… (sigh) |
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Another Bronze replica of a dead cardinal laying rather creepily in a sarcophagus |
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The Basilica’s famous altar piece |
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St. John in Laterano outside the walls.
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Borromini sculpted these statues. I fell in love with them. They move in and out of their space in a variety of fantastic ways. As you look down the nave towards the altar you see these figures moving in and out of their spaces beautifully and are given a sense of the vitality of the faith to which they held. For a full list of the statues and picture look here
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This guy, Jacobus San Major, was the most dashing one. |
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So beautiful! |
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The story of, I believe, Jonah and the whale. |
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The Coliseum! |
Something that was interesting to learn about the Coliseum was that the Gladiators that battled there were given the best food and received the best of medical care. They were investments that needed to be cared for. Their bodies were pushed to the limit in training in order to prepare them for the vicious ordeals within the gladiatorial games. This reminded me slightly of professional sports today…
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The Arch of Constantine |
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Roman Forum |
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Scala Sancta |
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Also within the Scala Sancta |
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Why the Scala Sancta is special |
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The First time we tried to visit Moses, he was closed… |
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Santa Maria Maggiore |
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He has such an amiable face. |
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The hallway in Santa Maria |
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Door Handles! They were so tiny, but very ornate. |
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He stuck his tongue out at me! |
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The Virgin and Child
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The Virgin and Child never gave their pet pigeon the attention he longed for. |
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Piazza Della Republica after Italy’s win! |
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Horned Moses in the Piazza San Bernardo |
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I found Handala in Rome! Pro-Palestine Comic Character I think the muted sticker next to it is very apt. |
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Rome had these little water spigots everywhere! This was a large one, most of the time it would be a dragon, or a normal little spigot from which you could fill up your water bottle. |
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Ecstasy of St. Theresa. Forgive the quality of the photo…my camera died, hence I used my iPhone. |
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I thought it ironic that in the midst of such a beautiful church they would have a plastic Virgin with a light up halo…. |
Many of these churches had beautiful designs on the floors and various surfaces made from a wide assortment of marbles. They were stunning in their intricacies.
Slightly creepy shrine to Saint Theresa…note to self, never, ever, ever use plastic dolls to replicate the death of anyone you hope to honor…makes the death seem superficial…
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So far from Ireland, and yet the Druids are in Rome |
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Island paradise off the road a bit in Rome |
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Michaelangelo’s Horned Moses! |
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Some of the portrayals of death in, I think, San Pietro in Vincoli |
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One may ask, “why the lobster”, to which I would reply, “I have no idea, but it certainly made me laugh”. |
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He just looked so sweet. |
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The chains which held the Apostle Paul |
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Trevi Fountain! |
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Piazza Navonna |
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And Finally, the first photos I took driving through Indiana on my way home. The green against the sky was the best welcome home. |
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Oh, it is good to be home. |