Churches of Rome

Rome is full of churches, with unique history of its own. Although , all the churches may look monotonous in the end, little knowledge about its history and the type of architecture makes it interesting and a worth visit. I saw a few famous ones, which I am sharing with you all and no better time to share it then on the Easter day.

Vatican City: The world's smallest country with an area of only 0.44 sq km. Vatican City serves as the spiritual center for millions of practicing Roman Catholics, who visit Vatican from every nook and corner of the world. Vatican City is also called “the holy see”. In 1929, the Treaty of Lateran gave the Holy See autonomy, officially establishing this tiny area that attracts millions of visitors each year. Vatican City is home to about 800 residents. None of them are permanent. The population of this tiny area, which surrounds St Peters Basilica, is made up of priests, nuns, guards, high-ranking dignitaries and, of course, the pope, and is constantly changing.

Saint Peter’s square, St Peter Basilica, Vatican museum and the world famous Sistine chapel are the major attractions of the Vatican city.

Saint Peter's Square is a massive plaza located directly in front of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City with an Egyptian obelisk at the centre. St Peter’s Basilica faces the square on Vatican hill. This location is highly symbolic as this is the site where Saint Peter, the chief apostle, died a martyr and where he was buried in 64 AD. St. Peter is considered the first pope, so it made perfect sense for the papacy to build the principal shrine of the Catholic Church here. The building is truly impressive and it is supposed to be the largest church in the world. The basilica's dome is one of the world's largest with forty-two meters in diameter.

The interior of the basilica is magnanimous. It is decorated with large monuments, many of which were created by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, one of the greatest artists of all time. One of his main creations invariably draws the immediate attention of visitors: the enormous, twenty-six meter high bronze masterpiece over the papal altar. The Baroque masterpiece is crafted from bronze that was taken from ceiling of the Pantheon. In front of the papal altar is burial crypt that marks the presumed grave of St. Peter. It is encircled by ninety-five bronze oil lamps. There are plenty more tombs and sepulchral monuments in St. Peter's

Vatican City is also home to the expansive Museums, which have one of the most impressive art collections in the world. Some of the most famous works of art on display here include the wall and ceiling paintings of the Sistine Chapel, the Stanze of Raphael, the Lacoön statue and the Apollo del Belvedere. Sistine chapel is something not to be missed, although I am unlucky in this regard as it is closed on Sundays except the last Sunday of the month when entry is free. Due to official engagements on working days I could not find time to visit Sisitine Chapel, although I visited Vatican City many times. Sistine chapel, located within the premises of Vatican museum,   is famous for its architecture and its decoration that was frescoed throughout by Renaissance artists including Michelangelo, Sandro Botticelli, Pietro Perugino, Pinturicchio  and others. Under the patronage of Pope Julius II, Michelangelo painted 1100 square meters of the chapel ceiling between 1508 and 1512. The ceiling, and especially The Last Judgment), is widely believed to be Michelangelo's crowning achievement in painting.

The Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem is a Roman Catholic parish church and minor basilica in Rome. It is one of the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome. According to the tradition, the basilica was consecrated around 325 AD to house the Passion Relics brought to Rome from the Holy Land by St. Helena of Constantinople- mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine I. At that time, the basilica floor was covered with soil from Jerusalem, thus acquiring the title in Hierusalem - it is not dedicated to the Holy Cross which is in Jerusalem, but the church itself is "in Jerusalem" in the sense that a "piece" of Jerusalem was moved to Rome for its foundation. Several well-known relics of disputed authenticity are housed  in this church .They include: a part of the Titulus Crucis, i.e. the panel which was hung on Christ's Cross,  two thorns of the crown, an incomplete nail, and three small wooden pieces of the True Cross itself. A much larger piece of the cross was taken from Santa Croce in Gerusalemme to St. Peter's Basilica on the instructions of Pope Urban VIII in 1629.

Arch basilica of St. John Lateran or Papale di San Giovanni is the cathedral church of the Diocese of Rome and the official ecclesiastical seat of the Bishop of Rome, who is the Pope. It is the oldest and ranks first among the four r major basilicas of Rome. The interior of the Arch basilica is another great example of an architectural masterpiece besides being an important church from the point of view of pilgrimage. The major attractions include the holy steps. Holy Steps or the scala sancta  are the  wooden steps that encase white marble steps. These are, according to Roman Catholic tradition, the staircase leading once to the praetorian of Pilate at Jerusalem, hence sanctified by the footsteps of Jesus Christ during his Passion. The marble stairs are visible through openings in the wooden risers. Their translation from Jerusalem to the complex of palaces that became the ancient seat of popes in the 4th century is credited to Saint Helena, mother of the Emperor Constantine I. The Altar of the Holy Sacrament contains a cedar table that is said to be the one used by Christ at the Last Supper.

The interior of the basilica with its art work and grandeur makes the visit worthwhile. The ceiling catches attention instantly. The scenes from the old and new testament are interesting as also the relief panels and the sculptures.

Santi Vincenzo e Anastasio church is a special church located just in front of the Trevi fountain. The sculptures, paintings and ceiling decorations are impressive. The church was completed in 1650 and is in the Baroque style. The hearts that popes carry on their chests are kept in the Santi Vincenzo. The hearts of 25 popes are displayed here