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| From Italy Honeymoon |
Upon entering the Vatican Grottoes, you are immediately greeted by a series of stone sarcophagi. Each one is crafted with elaborate design and care. Many of them are topped with what appears to be life-sized stone edifices of the entombed popes. Like eternal stone shadows of the men that once kept watch over the whole of the Catholic world. In contrast, some of the tombs were just large, smooth markers about 4'x10'x2'. I guess the term "marker" is a bit understating, however, they were no less elegant and impressive than their more elaborate neighbors. The only non-pope within here is Emperor Otto II, who's remains were transferred to Saint Peter after first being set in the old basilica.
As we go deeper into the tombs, the craftsmanship appears to get more and more intense. Although, at a point it seems that due to space, the time frames of the different tombs begin to overlap. Soon we start to notice different centuries mingling together in stoic, humorless stone. Reading the dates, you begin to appreciate how long and short the papal reigns were. They would last anywhere from decades to, in some cases, only a matter of days.
Halfway through the tombs, we see a large darkened room, completely closed to the public and kept safe behind thick glass doors. This is the Sepulcrum Sancti Petri Apostoli. Despite the dim lighting within, we can make out beautifully colored marble and stained glass.
Then we come upon the tomb of Ioannes Pavlvs PP. II, the previous pope that passed in 2005. His tomb is a large, flat stone rectangle, big enough to park a car on (tho I wouldn't recommend it). The ivory colored marble glitters with the help of glass roses laid across it. Below are other offerings, some being from other religious leaders such as the Dahli Lamma. The lighting around it leaves nothing to imagination, and the guard insures that no one stands to linger for too long.
Next we went into the Basilica, unaware of just how massive it was within. Ceiling that reached at least 12 stories tall. In some places it was several stories higher still. Enormous halls of rose colored marble stretched endlessly. Upon entering, we meet the famous marble statue depicting the Pieta, dating to 1499. Everywhere there are images of Saint Peter holding the massive keys to Heaven. Decorating each wall and corner are bronze and marble statues of past popes and the saints.
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| From Italy Honeymoon |
The stone statues of the saints climb the massive walls and look down on all crowd of guests. The scale of the Basilica is unlike anything I've encountered. To relate it to the other very large Roman churches we've seen, you could easily fit four of them within this one piece of architecture. The dumbfounding thing is that it was originally intended by Michelangelo to be even larger. At the center of all this is the tomb of the Apostle Peter. Next to us, a pilgrim church group with their priest leading, stop before the Apostle Peter and begin to sing prayers in harmony.
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| From Italy Honeymoon |
Deciding to take a break from the Vatican until later tonight, we head back to the hotel. On the way, we try out some of the Halal -- fast food Indian. The curry and salt is a welcomed thing after spending hours in the grottoes and the Basilica exploring. We both take short naps and prepare for a late night at the Vatican museums.
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| From Italy Honeymoon |
The first thing to note about the Vatican Museums is that: the popes liked order. Each room and hall is designed to reflect a theme. The first few rooms are collections of Egyptian artifacts. Statues of past pharaohs, mummified cats and servants, images of gods and so on. The dim rooms and moon light from the windows made for an eerie mood.
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| From Italy Honeymoon |
After the Egyptian artifacts, we come into a beautiful courtyard with a fountain and candles. Around us are classical statues from Roman antiquity. We learn that many of these statues, along with those that were on display ahead of us, were directly responsible for inspiring Rafael in his interpretations of Jesus and the images within the Sistine Chapel.
Then there was two long halls of stone animals called the "Stone Managorie". Every kind of animal that the ancient Romans decided to immortalize in stone was depicted on these pedestals and shelves. Then came the "Galleria della Statue" which houses many fully formed statues. These included Eros, Adonis and Apollo (who would be restored to Menerva with the addition of a bronze helmet). Beyond that, another themed hall that contained a large collection of busts.
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| From Italy Honeymoon |
Further on, there were some large, round chambers that housed statues of the Roman gods and mythology. Each one displayed and lit against a crimson background. Looking around at the array of stone gods and goddesses, you get the feeling of a great bird cage, where God and the pope can keep watch over them. Indeed, the entire first floor seems to be examples of what the Catholic church had worked so hard to suppress. Other gods, pagan practices, idol worship. All the things that would be seen as an insult to the Holy Christian God were locked away, like an exhibition of warnings. The floors above it would showcase enough holy art to crush the collections of marble under their combined weight.
The floor of the museum would take us over the ancient AD works, across the entrance to the museum's center courtyard (where the select person's cars were parked) and over the next wing of the building. Along the march through the never ending hallways, we are delighted with anything that you could imagine was created in the Renaissance period to bring glory and insight to God and the Bible. There were ceilings painted to show events from the old and new testaments, as well as moments in more modern centuries where God was shown to intervene with some event (such as battles fought between France and Spain).
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| From Italy Honeymoon |
There were also incredibly long halls lined with huge tapestry, each one large enough to cover the floor of a one-car garage. They told the stories of Christ and other significant moments that had touched the Catholic church (like "The Massacre of The Innocents [children]" "and The Death of Julius Cesar"). After 2 very long halls of tapestry, the walls changed to show painted maps, just as large as the tapestry preceding them, and with wonderful detail. They focused mainly on the regions around Rome and Italy, as well as the regions around the Holy Lands near Jerusalem. Each map had a bust on either side, as well a an open window directly adjacent to another. Streams of cold night air seemed to act as invisible walls that let you know you were moving from one region's map to another. As if to frame the hall of maps, a last hall of giant tapestry added a finalizing note to the long stretch.
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| From Italy Honeymoon |
Further along, we see more and more painted walls and ceilings, moving us deeper and deeper through all the history the Vatican holds dear. Within the history and biblical interpretations, one painting on the ceiling catches my eye in particular, This image is set in what is without a doubt the entrance of Saint Peter's Basilica, as if you were about 75 meters in. On the floor are the dismembered remains of an ancient Roman statue (it could be one of thousands, so take your pick). Between the door and the broken marble is a large crucifix with Christ upon it. Behind him, though the open door of the Basilica, you can see out what appears to be Rome in he distance. This painting struck me because, as soon as I saw it, the entire intention of the of the Vatican was summed up. Here was Christ in the the most outstanding of all of Christianity's buildings, protecting everyone outside the Vatican from the lies of the past and any perversions that would distract from the word of God and Jesus Christ. It was probably the most simple of all the frescoes on the walls and ceilings thus far, but it's message was also the most vivid.
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| From Italy Honeymoon |
Beyond we would come to what was called "The Hall of Signature". This place contained some of Rafael's most famous frescoes. Ceilings and walls are covered in frescoes depicting the life and death of Jesus. This room was somewhat of a preview to the big event that was closing in: The Sistine Chapel. However, before the chapel, we are first to pass through the Vatican's collection of modern art.
The Collections of Modern Religious Art bring what modern art generally does: about 30% works of real power and talent intermingled with works that seem like something produced in the basement of a high school student dropping acid. However, there were some prizes to be found. There was Van Gogh's 'Pieta', Salvidor Dali's 'Paesaggio Angelico' as well as his 'The Trinity'. There was also and brass sculpture that consisted of five very large panelings set in a way that made the observer feel as though they were within it, witnessing the second comming of Christ.
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| From Italy Honeymoon |
After about two and a half hours of works taking us from the time of the pharaohs to the modern centuries, we finally come to the Sistine Chapel. First of all, this chapel is just that: a chapel. It is not this huge second incarnation of Saint Peter's Basilica that cartoons and some poorly directed movies will attempt to persuade you. It is about the size (if not a little smaller) of your average church interior found in any small town in the US. The only difference is that the ceilings are about twice as high as the average church and the artwork is of a vastly higher caliber. The false light (approved by the conservators of the art) that is shown through the windows near the ceiling fills the space. The light, white and cool, coupled with the cold night air seeping into the space through drafty seals; I'm filled with a displacing sensation that makes me forget it is 10pm at night and a part of me starts to believe it's 8am in the morning.
You look up to the famous ceiling and see the chapters of the Bible unfolding in a cascading array of images, with the creation and deception of man at the pinnacle of the ceiling. I look down to see the same shattered red, green and white mosaic floors that appear in some of the churches in Rome we've already seen (now realizing it was their attempt to honor this place). In times where a new Pope is being elected, this is the place where Conclave is held. At that time, this modestly sized floor space will be filled with long tables draped in white cloth, set those who would decide the future leader of the Catholic faith. Ignoring the clamor of the crowd around us, I stop to imagine the solemn scene of stoic men laboring over heavy decisions.
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| From Italy Honeymoon |
Beyond the chapel, we make our way through several more halls filled with items that relate to the past popes. These displays include preserved vestments, jewelry, scepters, adornments, goblets, water pans and some of the most elaborately decorated Bibles I've ever seen. Further down, we see halls filled with centuries worth of gifts to the popes from everyone of every station around the world. Among these are a piece of the Vatican's flag that was brought to the first lunar landing by the pilots of Apollo 11 and fragments of moon rocks set in brass.
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| From Italy Honeymoon |
Having left the museum, we were both feeling a bit overwhelmed and exhausted. We had begun at 7pm and it would not be until about 11pm when we would make our exit. To recharge, we stopped at a cafe and filled our senses with gorgonzola pastas and pizza. The highly fragrant foods activated our numb bodies like smelling salts. With renewed energy, we finished our evening with some night photos of the exterior of Saint Peter's Basilica.
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| From Italy Honeymoon |
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