December 7, 2013: The Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel

Today we visited the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel. The Vatican Museum was the first of its kind to gather artifacts and use them to educate people. It was supposed to be a place for people to gather and learn, as well as showcase the unity between faith in Jesus Christ and human reason. What is interesting about the Vatican Museum is that it is an ongoing reality given the fact that new collections of art are continuously added.

At the Vatican Museum, behind is the dome of St. Peter's Basilica 

In the museum we saw some very unique pieces. On of them was an artwork panel that showed three different scenes. The scene on the left was of the crucifixion of Peter. We know this is Peter's crucifixion since he requested to be crucified upside down. The right panel shows Paul being beheaded. We know this panel is of Paul for two reasons. The first being that Peter and Paul are almost always showed together, and the second is because the legend of his martyrdom states that after being beheaded, his head bounced three times. On the panel we can see little tick marks to indicate these three places. It was also thought that a spring erupted through the ground at each spot his dead bounced. In the center is Jesus on this throne, surrounded by saints. The bottom ribbon is interesting because instead of Jesus being worshiped by the twelve apostles, it shows Mary holding a baby Jesus who is sucking his fingers. This is meant to highlight Jesus' humanity.

Another piece of artwork I found interesting was a piece that showed Prassede and Prudenziana, the two martyrs I spoke about in an early post. I recognized the painting to be of them given that they were ringing out a cloth filled with blood. This was a common way to represent them since they would gather martyr bones and give them proper burials.

Reflection #2:

I would like to go into more depth about the Sistine Chapel, as well as the artwork of Michelangelo on the ceiling. What is interesting about this chapel is that it is built inside the Pope’s residence, which is located next to St. Peter’s basilica. Many chapels already existed in the Pope’s residence prior to the Sistine Chapel, so one might wonder why would he build another? The reason is because the Pope and bishops needed a safe place to gather to decide on the election of the Pope. They also wanted to ensure that the election was made freely, and finally they wanted to prevent another Great Schism (this was a time when there was up to three Pope’s all preaching different things). The reason a church was built instead of a meeting hall was because they still wanted a place to celebrate mass, and they wanted it to be a reminder that what they were doing was about Jesus Christ. The dimensions of the building are also somewhat strange; however, the reason the chapel has so many angles is because it was thought these were the dimensions of the chapel in Jerusalem. The chapel is also unique in the fact that there is little space for lay (non clergy) people. This was intentional given that the Sistine Chapel was meant for clergy. 

The frescos in the chapel by Michelangelo are absolutely stunning. On the ceiling is his first painting. The panels from one end of the chapel to the other show the creation of man by God, the creation of woman coming out of the side of Adam (this image could also represent the creation of the church), the great fall where Eve eats the forbidden fruit, Kane and Abel, God sending the great flood, and finally Noah becoming a drunk. Essentially, this fresco is the down fall of man, and ultimately the separation between God and man that is created after the great fall. On the sides, Michelangelo painted saints, as well as lay people, to show that while humanity fell, God continued to send worthy people. It was interesting to have the opportunity to see this after discussing it in class. For many this may seem like just a beautiful piece of art, but in reality great controversy surrounded this work given the nakedness of the people, as well as how Michelangelo chose to represent humanity and divinity. There is so much more to the history of Rome than what one sees through the naked eye. 

December 6, 2013: St. Peter's Square and Basilica

I previously posted about St. Peter's Basilica located in the Vatican City. Before, we had the chance to visit the crypt under the church, the mosaic studio, as well as the "hidden" room located above the actual church. Today, we again found ourselves at St. Peters; however, this time, we got to experience the church in all of its glory. We began our lecture in front of obelisk which is a tall, pointed needle type structure. This obelisk is located in the large space that spans the front of the church. What is so unique about this obelisk is that it came form the circus where Peter was martyred. This particular circus would have been located just to the left of where St. Peter's Basilica stands today. It is now thought that this obelisk is a "silent witness" to the martyrdom of Peter.

Sorry Dr. Colombo... It was just such a good shot! 

When we were able to go into the hidden room in St. Peter's, there was the model above of St. Peters. In the middle of the court yard you can see this obelisk. Being able to enter the basilica was also amazing. The size of the building, as well as the art is beyond words. It is clear why it took over 100 years, and several architects to complete construction. 

Reflection #1:

I would like to go into more detail about two particular items we learned about today. The first is the design of the basilica, and the second is the pieta statue. 

The design of the basilica is very specific. The building was originally supposed to be in the shape of a greek cross. A greek cross is one that all lengths of the cross are equal. This was the design under Donato Bramante, Baldassarre Peruzzi, and Michelangelo.  Michelangelo also had the idea to create the dome we see on top. He was inspired by the dome found in the Pantheon; however, Michelangelo made one critical change. He increased the height and added windows to the design. This simple, yet revolutionary design represented the fact that God takes on humanity, and that his light and grace reigns down on the body of Christ rather than humans transcending humanity.

Dome at St. Peter

After Michelangelo’s death, the greek cross structure was pushed aside, and instead Carlo Maderno lengthened the building to create a Latin cross. The shape of the building is not the only aspect that was carefully though out. The courtyard directly in front of the church has significance of its own. I already mentioned the fact that the obelisk represents this silent witness in the death of Peter; however, there are also columns that wrap around the court yard. These columns are made of several pillars, and on top are saints. The way in which these pillars cup the court yard represents the arms of God welcoming and greeting members of the Christian community. This embrace is basically a symbol of invitation to live a life with Jesus. 

The second item I would like to discuss is the pieta statue inside of the church. Pieta simply means mercy, and while there are several of these statues, the one found in St. Peter’s is probably the most famous. This statue was made by Michelangelo when he was only twenty-two/twenty-three. This statue shows Mary with Jesus on her lap after he was crucified; however the statue does not convey distress. Instead, it is more a representation of a mother with her child. Jesus is laying on Mary’s lap just like a baby would lay on his mothers lap, and Mary does not seem to be upset. This statue is also unique in the way that Mary’s body is completely out of proportion. Her legs are massive in order to accommodate her dead son; however one would never notice this detail because they would be so absorbed by the maternal connection between Jesus and his mother. I found this pieta particularly fascinating because the carving is able to convey so much emotion, and for Michelangelo to have completed this work at such a young age is extraordinary in itself. 

December 5, 2013: FREE DAY

Today was our first free day! After five days of intensive learning, it was nice to have some time to reflect and wander the city of Rome. While many of my classmates took day trips to different cities, I decided I could use this day to catch up on sleep, work, and experience everything Rome has to offer in the modern day and age. Initially, the plan was to try and visit the Gallery Borghese, or just the Villa Borghese: however, after getting lost it turned into a day where I could soak in the streets and explore. After wandering a bit, Sally and I got on a bus tour that took us around the city. We past places like the Vatican, the colosseum, Santa Maria Maggiore, and many others. It was exciting to revisit these places and realize I was beginning to learn my way around Rome. Since it was not really a learning day, but more an enjoying day, I have nothing to say about these pictures, but I wanted to share them with all of you! 

 

December 4, 2013: San Clemente and SS. Quattro Coronati

Reflection:

Today we had the opportunity to visit two more basilicas from early Christianity. The one I would like to focus on was the basilica of San Clemente which was constructed during the 12th century. Looking at the entrance to the quadriporticus (basically a quad), it is clear that the church is far below modern ground level. As I mentioned in a previous post, it was common to simply remove the roofs of buildings and build on top of them. This practice has led to the gradual rise of ground level over several centuries.

The building to the left of the tree is San Clemente, and the stairs lead to the quad 

The visible church was not the only one we were able to see. Two more layers exist below this church. Directly below is a church that was built in the 4th century, and below that was the equivalent of an apartment building from the 1st century. It was thought that San Clemente lived in one of these 1st century apartments. More importantly, and this would lead to the construction of the 4th century basilica, San Clemente's apartment was a house church where early Christians gathered. San Clemente was most commonly known for three things: the fact that he ran this house church, that he was a disciple of the apostles, and that he was martyred. Unlike the basilica of St. Peter, which was built over the location of Peter's remains, the 4th century church of San Clemente was built because it was the location of the house church. The 4th century church would later be damaged by an earthquake, and modifications were made to it during the 9th century. These modifications would include the fresco art on the walls. These frescos told about San Clemente, about the life of St. Alexis, as well as one that showed San Clemente celebrating the Eucharist. On ground level, in the 12th century church, the original arches of the 4th century can be seen on the walls. Some of the materials, including a marble slab located in the center of the church, was taken from the 4th century church (but dates to the 6th century). Finally, the mosaic in the apse is of a crucifixion scene that shows the cross as a tree of life. What I found most interesting about this apse was that it uses the crucifixion scene to signify new life. This can bee seen in the way that Christ is represented: he is in an oran position (paying position) and does not seem to be in pain. Surrounding him are ordinary people going about ordinary things, and animals fill the scene to show life. Unfortunately, no pictures were allowed inside of the church, or in the excavation sites, but the fact that we were able to walk the same streets as San Clemente did in the 1st century was absolutely mind blowing.

December 3, 2013: Santa Maria Maggiore, Santa Prudenziana, and Stanta Prassede

I can't even begin to describe what we were able to experience today. The best way, I think, would be to go chronologically.....

Our first stop was to Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica. This basilica was built in the fifth century and was meant to highlight the Virgin Mary's participation in Jesus' victory.

The original structure was a classic basilica. The basilica was used in many political contexts, and since Christians were using the same structure as their earliest churches, it was a sign that the emperor supported Christianity as the religion of the state. This building originally consisted of the nave (the long hallway you can see in the picture above), and an apse (the half circle at the far end). Later, transepts were added that divided the nave and apse. From the sky, these transepts would make the church look like a cross. Not all of the art work in Santa Maria Maggiore is original to the fifth century. This can be seen in the art work found in the apse. 

In this mosaic, we see Jesus and Mary sitting on a throne. Had this been original, Jesus and Mary would never have been sharing a throne. However, in this later version we still see that Jesus has authority over Mary given the fact that he is gracing her with a crown. While this particular mosaic is not original, the art work found on the victory arch, which divided the apse and the nave, is. 

A little blurry, but still amazing

The mosaics on this arch consist of different bible stories specifically about Mary. As I mentioned before, this basilica was meant to signify the important role Mary played in her own son's victory. 

The second and third basilicas we visited were closely linked. After the fire Nero set that destroyed the city, senators came to the hill on which Santa Maria Maggiore was built. One senator, Prudence, created two basilicas in honor of his daughters Prassede and Prudenziana. These two sisters were known for gathering the remains of martyrs and giving them a proper burial. Later, Pressede and Prudenziana were also martyred. 

Above is a picture from Santa Prassede. This church was again in the classic basilica style. In the apse we can see a mosaic that represents the last judgement. As Jesus Christ rises to the heavens, Peter and Paul can be seen on either side. Peter and Paul are then presenting Pressede and Prudenziana to Jesus. Santa Prassede Basilica was closely associated with martyrs, and under the alter there are thousands of martyr remains. 

The final church we visited was of the second sister, Santa Prudenziana. Above is my favorite apse from all three of the churches. In this mosaic, we see Jesus seated on a throne, teaching. Above him is a jeweled cross, and on either side of the cross are four figures: a man, an eagle, an ox, and a lion. These figures represent the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. While the  basilica of Santa Pressede is linked with martyrs, the basilica of Prudenziana had an association with their family in general. Again we see Peter and Paul on either side of Jesus, and there are two women behind them. These two could either be the sister, or just women gentiles. It is unclear in this particular mosaic if they were meant to represent the sisters. We again see the overlap of Christianity and society given the fact that behind Jesus are Roman buildings.

I really enjoyed being able to see these mosaics. I had learned about them in a previous class, and having the opportunity to see them and understand the significance of the artwork was a great experience. I was also able to learn more about the different churches and their rolls in Christianity. While I had a great time visiting these churches, it was not my favorite part of the day. Today, we got to experience something so unique I do not think anything else will be able to compare.

After our visits to the various basilicas, we had the chance to see the Vatican mosaic studio. This studio serves two purposes. The first is to restore mosaics. The second is to create new mosaics which the Pope presents when he visits different countries.

It was amazing to have the chance to learn the process behind creating these mosaics. The best part was that one mosaic was a portrait of Pope Francis. Each Pope has a mosaic made which is then hung in St. Paul's, located just outside the walls of the Vatican. We had the opportunity to see this mosaic before the Pope since it was to be given to him on December 4th. We then had the opportunity to venture into St. Peter's basilica and go into a hidden room above one of the arches. Here, we got to see the original model of what St. Peter's would have looked like had Michelangelo not taken over construction. This model was like a huge doll house that opened and we could walk into. Today we had so many unique experience that I am not sure I would be able to pick a favorite moment. 

December 2, 2013: Underground Rome

Today we had the unique experience of exploring the excavation site under St. Peter's Basilica.

St. Peter's Basilica is located in the Vatican City. When stepping into the Vatican City, you actually are leaving Italy and entering an entirely different state. St. Peter's Basilica was the first church constructed for Christians following the Edict of Milan. Constantine experienced two major issues while constructing this building; the north to south hills, and mausoleums. Since Constantine was dedicated to building directly over the spot where Peter's remains lived, he removed the roofs of the mausoleums, filled them in, and built a foundation to support his basilica. As a result, years later the site under St. Peter's was excavated to reveal several mausoleums.This is the spot we got to experience. Rome is unique in the sense that ground level has continued to get higher and higher since building over existing buildings was a common practice. What was not common, however, was to disrespect the dead in the way Constantine did by destroying these mausoleums. His actions did not sit well with many pagans living in Rome given the fact that there was a long standing belief that mausoleums were literally where the dead lived. In the crypt under St. Peter's, much of the art was associated with resurrection and eternal life. Examples of this is the use of peacocks and egyptian art like the bull of death. There was one mausoleum I found particularly interesting, and that was one that belonged to a Christian. It is important to remember that at this time, Christianity was not legal in the Roman kingdom. Often, if someone was Christian they handled their faith discreetly. Signs that pointed to the fact that this person was a follower of Christ was a mosaic of Jesus, as well as scenes that showed the story of Jonah and the Whale and one that showed a fisherman. These images would later become closely associate with Christians. Unfortunately, no pictures were allowed in the crypt, but it was a truly amazing experience.

CIAO!

We have finally arrived in Rome! We got to the city around 2:00 p.m. yesterday after a seven hour flight, followed by a three hour layover, another one-and-a-half hour flight, and only two hours of sleep. With that said, there was no rest for the weary. Right away we began touring the city. Our first stop was to the Lay Centre, which hosts students from around the world who are studying at local colleges. While walking there, we casually passed the colosseum. The sites here are unbelievable: I cannot describe how incredible it is to be surrounded by so much history.

This morning a small group of us ventured to the Trevi Fountain. The fountain is unlike any I have ever seen. What is even more impressive is its architecture.

The fountain was originally built in the 17th century. During this time, Rome was considered to be the Rome of the Pope. There was a general fascination with beauty and power throughout the city, as well as a movement to restore tradition. This fountain was built to commemorate the triumph of water. There are several layers of art in this fountain, the most obvious being the statute in the middle which represents Oceanus, the Greek divinity of the sea. Oceanus is riding on a chariot which is pulled by tridents. Behind Oceanus are two statues; the statue on the left represents abundance, while the one on the right is a symbol of purity. Above the statues are scenes that depicts a virgin leading men to the source of pure water, and the building of the aqueducts which were so important to Roman life. While the fountain is a beautiful sight, understanding its significance to the Roman culture makes it even more fascinating. Furthermore, this fountain speaks to the relationship between Catholics and Greek gods at the time. Since this was commissioned by a Pope, it signifies that Greek gods were still significant figures during this time, but there was a way to use them as symbols without worshiping them. 

Today we also visited the Lay Centre for a second time. We saw Palatine Hill, the hill on which the city of Rome was founded. This was the location Romulus and Remus fought to decide which of the seven hills to build on. While the original palace no longer remains, ruins stand along side of the church of St. Sebastian. On a symbolic level, this panoramic view represents that while the empire is in ruins, God's good grace will never fail. 

Later, the Roman Empire would be burned to the ground by Nero, who would blame the fire on Christians. This act of injustice eventually led to the first execution of Christians. 

We also had the opportunity to visit the home of John and Paul, two martyrs who were killed in this house. What I found most interesting about this site was the artwork on the walls. 

This house was built by a Christian family; however, there are no Christian figures in the artwork. The only possible resemblance to Christian images is in the family room. 

The figure in this image is thought to be a women in an oran position, which signifies praying. It is possible that this single figure is a symbol for "church". 

Today was filled with rich history about Rome, as well as amazing experiences in a new city!