Pilgrimage to Rome: Part VII: Final Part

In this, the final installment highlighting my recent pilgrimage to Rome, I share some final sites: Florence Italy (so not in Rome), the Vatican Museum, and Castle de San Angelo.

Santa Maria in Portico

This church contains the body of St. John Leonardi.  Pray for us!

Castle d San Angelo

Castle d San Angelo, formerly known as Hadrian's Mausoleum, was built to house the remains of Emperor Hadrian.  The fortress was used as a safeplace during Christian times for the Pope and this is also the site of a famous apparition by St. Michael the Archangel.

Florence

While this series of posts is on my recent trip to Rome, I could not pass up the chance to take a high speed train from Rome's Termini station up to Florence.  Florence is so far the most beautiful city I have ever been to, and I would highly encourage everyone to visit this city in their lifetime.  It is truly a masterpiece.

These photos are of the Institute of Christ the King's Church in Florence.  Photos taken on Holy Saturday:

 These photos are of the Cathedral (Duomo) as well as the Baptistry:

These photos are of the sacred objects in the Duomo's musuem, which has one of the greatest collections of religious artifacts in the world.  This is a MUST see.

A view of the ceiling in the baptistry:

The Duomo as seen from climbing up the bell tower

The Vatican Museum

And the grand finale - the Vatican Musuem.  There is no greater museum in the world.  If I were to post all of the images that I had, I would be unable to do.  This is just a small piece of the Vatican Museum.

Conclusion

Thank you for everyone who prayed for me to have a safe and prayerful journey.  I prayed for all of you while visiting these holy sites and I look forward to again returning to this truly amazing city - the center of the Church and of the world.  Thank you immensely for your support and interest in my journey.  I hope to continue visiting more holy sites and sharing them with all of you.

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Pilgrimage to Rome: Part VI

During the Sacred Triduum, I attended Mass at Most Holy Trinity of the Pilgrims (Santissima Trinità dei Pellegrini), the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter's Church in Rome.  Here are some of the photos from there.  Most incredibly, they prayed the Old Rite for Holy Saturday that included all 12 readings and the use of the hastam, the three-pronged candle.  This is very rare indeed.

Also, especially rewarding was my visit to Santa Maria Minerva, the Dominican Church in Rome that houses the relic of St. Catherine of Siena, the patroness of the Order.  Her body is preserved right under the high altar (although her skull is said to be in Siena).  The Church also has the bodies of several Popes as well as Blessed Fra Angelico.  Outside of the Church (which is spectacular on the inside but lacking in much outward glory) is the Elephant Obelisk.  This was one of my favorite stops on my journey.

Next, here is the Church of St. Peter's Chains.  Besides containing the precious chains that St. Peter was imprisoned with, it contains Michelangelo's breathtaking statue of Moses. 

And the final basilica in this installment is the Church of St. Prassede.  This small church located near St. Mary Major contains the Pillar to which our Blessed Lord was tied and scourged.  Kyrie eleison!

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Pilgrimage to Rome: Part V

This is my fifth installment sharing the experiences I gained in my pilgrimage to Rome this year.  I hope you are enjoying these posts and that it is worth the time to post these images.  Please post a quick comment if you are enjoying these so I know that it is worth continuing.

This 5th installment features a number of different churches in Rome.

The first place of pilgrimage in this edition of my Pilgrimage to Rome post series is the Church of San Luigi dei Francesi. This Church is the French Church in Rome.  The church is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, to St. Denis the Areopagite and St. Louis IX, king of France.  The church's most famous treasure is Caravaggio's works on the life of St. Matthew. This include the three world-renowned canvases of The Calling of St Matthew (on the left wall), The Inspiration of Saint Matthew (above the altar), The Martyrdom of Saint Matthew (on the right wall).

Next is the Church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, which was built in the 8th Century.  The church offers the Greek-Melkite Rite.  On the outside of the Church is the famous La Bocca della Verità (Mouth of Truth), but equally important inside is the skull of St Valentine.

Santa Maria in Traspontina features beautiful one chapel inside which contains the two columns to which Peter and Paul were said to have been bound prior to their martyrdom in the circus of Nero nearby.  This is a Carmelite Church, as can be seen by the Devotion to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.

Santa Maria in Trastevere is one of the oldest churches in Rome.  The basic floor plan dates back to the 340s, and the first sanctuary was built by Pope Callixtus I in 221.  The Church has many important mosaics.

Church of St. Agnes (Sant'Agnese in Agone) is a massive structure from the outside and inside has some of the most beautiful ceiling work I have seen in my travels.  The Church features the important relic of the young virgin martyr, St. Agnes - it contains her skull.

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