Siena

Head of St. Catherine of Siena.

Left: the town square tower. Right: the Duomo (cathedral)

More of San Domenico.

Siena Cathedral
Most Holy Maria of the Assumption

Surprise view of the town tower.

Basilica of St. Augustine

There was a lot to see in this beautiful church. I may have to go back to capture what I missed. But for now, here are a few highlights that I really loved....


Madonna of the Roses

Angels with the instruments of the crucifixion.  Much like Michelangelo's statue of  Christ the Redeemer, this seems to capture a joyfulness in the suffering of the crucifixion. 

Tomb of St. Monica, mother of St. Augustine, patroness of parents who are disappointed in their children....and just patroness of parents :)

The beautiful dome has undergone many reconstructions. 

Someone besides the Holy Spirit up there!

Virgin of Childbirth.
All expectant mothers or those trying to conceive, come pray to Her. 

Some beautiful churches and a party

Sant'Ivo alla Sapienza

A baroque masterpiece. Built in 1642 by Francesco Borromini

The bright interior is made up of simple eye-catching convex and concave undulations.

Borromini is well known for his mixed use of the curved and the geometrical.

The sacrificial lamb, another one of my favorite images.

The church started out as the chapel for the University of Rome. Borromini was forced to adapt his design of the church with the already existing palace. So, he merged his church facade with the palace courtyard and created this beautiful space.

And now, a quick visit to San Bartolomeo all'Isola

The basilica of St. Bartholomew on the Tiber Island

Tomb of St. Bartholomew the Apostle

Some beautiful depictions of the Four Evangelists

Eagle: St. John

Lion: St. Mark

Angel: St. Matthew

Ox: St. Luke

And finally, the First Review Party!

....a good time had by all....many more to come....

St. Peter's Basilica

Our first of hopefully many visits to the Basilica....

If you stand on this point in the ellipse that makes up St. Peter's square...

...you see just a single row of columns beneath the great saints....

....but step away from that point, and there are actually 4 rows of these grand columns under there!

These tired looking lions have a big job...

...they balance on their backs this 330 ton granite obelisk. 

It was brought to Rome in 37 BC by Emperor Caligula and erected in his circus. There it stood as the silent witness to the martyrdom of St. Peter and many other Christians. 

 For pagans, the obelisk was a solar symbol that represented a vital flow between heaven and earth, a way of communicating to the divine. As a pagan monument in the greatest Christian square, it is a symbol of humanity reaching out to Christ. Originally inscribed to "Divine Augustus" and "Divine Tiberius" and now dedicated to the Holy Cross - "Christus Vincit, Christus Regnat, Christus Imperat. Christus ab omni malo plebem suam defendat." (Christ is the victor, Christ is King, Christ is the ruler, May Christ defend His people from all evil). It is topped by a bronze cross containing a fragment of the true Cross.

The Pieta, one of my favorite works ever. Michelangelo, 1498. 

Tomb of Blessed Pope John Paul II.

Making the ascent up the cupola...

Dove-cloud.

Steve taking a much needed rest at the top.

Our second Sunday mass in Rome was at this altar. 

St. John Lateran

Archbasilica of St. John Lateran

Cathedral church of the Diocese of Rome

Official ecclesiastical seat of the Bishop of Rome

Baroque facade by Alessandro Galilei, completed in 1735.

Cathedral dedicated to Christ the Savior, ranks above all other churches.

In the heavenly light.....

Omnium Ecclesiarum Urbis et Orbis Mater et Caput

The Mother and Head of all the churches in the city and in the world.

Cathedra, Bishop's Throne, symbol of Bishop's teaching authority (that little white chair). 

After the church suffered earthquakes and fires, was under the direction of multiple emperors, popes, and architects, and underwent many reconstructions, we have the church that stands today.  At the beginning of the 4th century it became the property of Constantine. In turn, Constantine gifted it to the Church as a residence for bishops. Constantine expressed that he desired all the churches built under his order to be greater in splendor and beauty than any secular buildings. To achieve this, many of the largest and best pillars from pagan Rome were incorporated into the new buildings.

Francesco Borromini designed 12 niches lining the nave to be filled with sculptures of the 12 Apostles.

St. Simon the Zealot, one of my favorites, by Francesco Moratti.

In the impressive baldacchino over the high alter is a reliquary containing the heads of St. Peter and St. Paul.

A beautiful sculpture of our Lord being taken down from the cross. 

We just happen to visit St. John Lateran on Saturday, Sept. 15 when the Gospel reading was from Luke:

"As the child's father and mother stood there wondering at the things that were being said about him, Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, 'You see this child: he is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is rejected..."