The Pope And Tony Orlando Have Something In Common

Naturally, after the Vatican Museums, the next stop is the Vatican itself -- St. Peter's Basilica, St. Peter's Square, St. Peter's Tomb, and a bunch of things not named after St. Peter (it's true, not everything is named after him there).

First we went underneath to the crypt to view the tombs of various dead popes (Editor: Yes, most people in tombs are dead.  Those who aren't tend to be in horror movies.)  The main event is to see the tomb of Peter.  The surprise is that the tomb of Pope John Paul II is not in the basement as it was in 2007 when we last visited.

As it turns out, visiting Pope John Paul II's tomb is so popular it was moved upstairs to the main church floor, where it draws an appreciative crowd of people from all over the world, except former Bulgarian and KGB secret agents.  (Their alleged involvement in the plot to kill the Pope is now considered to be not true.)

From there, we went up to the main level of the church.  The narthex (or portico) is absolutely huge.  The columns are from the 4th century church originally built on this spot (but smaller).  

The most famous door is the Holy Door, which is only opened during certain years, including Jubilee years, the next of which starts December 24, 2024 and runs for a year).

On Christmas Eve during Jubilee years (supposed to be every 25 years, but sometimes your mileage will vary and it won't be 25 years), the pope knocks "three times on the ceiling if you want me, twice on the pipes, if the answer is no."

(Editor: That's not the pope, that's Tony Orlando and Dawn!

Writer: They never should have broken up in 1977.  If there is a better song about prison than "Tie a Yellow Ribbon" then I don't know music.

Editor: Um, what about every prison song by Johnny Cash or Merle Haggard.

Writer: Okay, I don't know music.)

Anyhow, the pope knocks three times on the Holy Door with a silver hammer and the door opens, welcoming pilgrims to come on in, offering them a nice charcuterie board and a glass of Barolo.  (Well, that WOULD be a nice, welcoming touch).

Once in the nave, you begin to understand just how massive the church is.  It covers six acres and can handle as many as 60,000 standing worshippers.  

Cecilia's first stop inside is the porphyry maroon marble stone.  It's the spot where Charlemagne was crowned as Holy Roman Emperor, an upgrade from being King of the Franks (and Beans?).

It's funny. . .the cost for building and decorating this magnificent church was financed by selling "indulgences" to the rich to buy forgiveness for their sins.  That corruption led to a German monk named Martin Luther to start the Protestant Reformation.  

At the risk of ticking off my many Catholic friends, I won't note that the Protestant Reformation led to more Biblically-based theology as an upside, but mostly boring churches as a downside.  It also led directly to the Counter-Reformation by the Catholic Church, featuring Baroque architecture to wow people (and it still wows to this day).

This St. Peter's Church took 120 years go build, and included such architects as Bramante and Michelangelo.  The latter's dome rises 448 feet above the floor of the church, with the light beaming in many windows to show off the blue-and-gold mosaics.  

The church also features in Latin every quote by Jesus to Peter written out in seven-foot high letters around the church.

The eye of the visitor is drawn to Bernini's seven story bronze canopy in the middle of the church as it towers over the altar.  Some of the bronze was taken and melted down from the Pantheon.  Talk about robbing Pantheon to pay Peter, or however that saying goes.  (Editor: You know how the saying actually goes!)

The dove window also catches the eye, as sunlight pours through the six foot high symbol of the Holy Spirit, surrounded by gold clouds, angels, and babies.

The tomb of the most important pope of my lifetime, Pope John Paul II is simple, just a stone slab with no monument.  But his popularity rates its own benches so people can sit and pray in front of it.  He was sainted by the church just nine years after his death.   

The final sight in the church is Michelangelo's Pieta.  It's a stunning work, although the original was not there, but a copy, as the original is being cleaned up.

After Cecilia was finished with her guided tour,  we did go back into the church to see the Blessed Sacrament Chapel.

One regret I've got is that we did not go up the dome for the best views of Rome, but the line was massively long and we were starved for lunch.