Hey my VLC family! We are on our last lap of the journey as we began our exploration of Christian Rome! We first visited the Basilica of Saint Paul, another gorgeous cathedral specifically in honor of the Apostle Paul, built in the 4th century as ordered by the Roman Emperor Constantine, over Paul’s grave. The site is filled with incredible statues in dedication to both Peter and Paul, representing their dedication to the faith, and their eventual martyrdom, but my particular favorite pieces were the frescoes of Jesus with his Apostles, many of which decorate the ceilings and high walls on backdrops of gold. Simply stunning! Something truly special was, a bit after our arrival, a service started in which we were able to witness the spectacular choir singing in Latin. The acoustics of the room paired with the organ playing along made it impactful in ways words do not do justice!
Next, we headed off into the Christian Catacombs of Rome, specifically the Catacombs of Saint Callixtus! And for me this was the highlight of the day! With frescoes inside dating back to the 8th century, the catacombs we were able to explore were some of the first to hold Christian burials and ceremonies. The walls were dotted with preserved symbols including doves with palms, fish, and the Good Shepherd carrying His lamb. Many of these had to be somewhat inconspicuous as Rome was still dominated by pagans at the time, and it is incredible to see the history of some of our faith’s most important symbols and icons. We may forget but there was a time when Christians could not freely practice anywhere, and walking through that history has deepened my appreciation of the Lord’s unfailing and timeless faith and love for us. That despite the persecution His believers faced, it survived in His name, and His people could prosper to further glorify our God with the many beautiful churches and cathedrals that are now the mainstay of Rome. Now what was deeply moving came at the deepest point we reached. In a chamber underground in the catacombs we were given permission to take time for a group prayer, which we celebrated with singing the Lord’s Prayer together. And this was one of the most uplifting moments of faith shared with my brothers and sisters in Christ on this journey, a moment that I will never forget, another deep blessing from this trip.
We then proceeded to lunch, which we followed with our last stop of the day, San Giovanni Basilica aka Saint John’s Basilica, named after the Apostle John the Evangelist, not John the Baptist. Of course, this was deeply special, as this is where my name comes from, the Latin (Ioannes) and later the Italian translation of John’s name from the Bible, meaning “God is Gracious.” Another fantastic holy site, in which my favorite pieces were the 12 statues of the apostles, which were massive but incredibly beautiful, stoic, and imposing. These marble carvings captured the larger than life feeling that the apostles have for our people, something you will need to see to experience. The details and symbolism that each piece had, reflecting on both their lives and death were powerful. So, make sure to tune into today’s video for the apostles and much more, and prepare as tomorrow is the last day as we follow Paul’s footsteps to Mamertine Prison, his final home. Ciao VLC!