16 05 Rome

We woke once again early and had croissants and tea. We walked to a nearby church that contained the chains of St. Peter, San Pietro in Vincoli. These chains were used when St. Peter was killed and when the 2 chains were brought to the church they supposedly fused together. This church also contained the statue of Moses by Michelangelo. After this, we headed to the metro and traversed the town to San Giovanni in Laterano which is the church of Rome. Then we walked to the Holy Staircase where Jesus was condemned by Pontius Pilate. Many of us climbed the staircase on our knees before we left and headed to St. Peter's Basilica. There we climbed the cupola of the Basilica. We followed a very narrow staircase that curved around the dome structure and climbed to the very top giving an excellent view of Piazza San Pietro. After climbing these stairs we were all exhausted and hungry so we headed to a restaurant right next to the Vatican and St. Peter's Basilica. Then we headed to the Vatican Museum. Since the line was not miles long in the afternoon, we were able to move through the more than 2 dozen museums at a rather vigorous pace. There were many great and amazing paintings and works of art to look at, but we found the Sistine Chapel the greatest and most interesting of all we had seen. The amount of detail and the amazing pictures that were painted on the walls made us all stare in amazement. We saw the Last Judgement on the first wall and the 9 scenes of Genesis represented on the ceiling, all painted by Michelangelo. We then dispersed and some of the groups went shopping and others of the group went to St. Peter's Basilica a second time to see the crypt of Pope John Paul II. A good majority of the group is planning on going out to eat at the Hard Rock Cafe tonight, thus concluding our stay in Rome. As much as we liked the sites in Rome, a good portion of us are excited and relieved to move on to Florence!


Michelangelo's Moses, originally planned to be part of the tomb for Pope Julius II.


There are two sets of chains that were worn by St. Peter when he was crucified. Both ended up here and overtime "magically" fused together to form one chain.


The facade of San Giovanni in Laterano, the cathedral of Rome.


The Room Where Pope John Paul II Spent his Last Days. The top right, three windows of this building were the place where Pope John Paul II spent his last few days and passed on.


Looking down on the nave of St. Peter's Basilica from the Dome. The height of the dome is 452 feet above the floor of the Basilica. The paintings that you see on the side of the dome are not actually paintings, but mosaics.


Looking up at the Dome.


Looking out on Piazza di San Pietro and the colonnade. The Piazza is composed of the obelisk in the center and then the Colonnade which has 284 columns designed by Bernini. On each end stand two Swiss Guards.


Swiss guard. Swiss guards were first employed to protect the Pope centuries ago. The tradition has carried on and to this day, each guard must be from Switzerland and Catholic.


Pieta. This was Michelangelo's only piece of work that he signed. The people did not believe that a 25 year old was able to create work of this magnitude, so he signed it to prove it was his.


The nave of St. Peter's.


The legendary location of the burial place of St. Peter after his crucifixion, under the massive baldacchino by Bernini.


Pope John Paul II's tomb in the crypt of St. Peter's.


The Last Judgement by Michelangelo. This painting was done by Michelangelo starting in his mid-fifties. It is the only painting where he painted a self-portrait of himself. Look at the man towrds the middle holding the shed skin...that's him!


The ceiling frescos of the Cappella Sistina. This was painted by Michelangelo in four years. Rumor is he layed on his back to complete the nine scenes from the book of Genesis.


Brought to Rome by St. Helen, mother of Constantine - Jesus is thought to have crossed these steps numerous times on the day of his condemnation. You must crawl up the steps on your knees stopping to pray on each step.

Math May Seminar, Pictures 2005