As surprising as it might seem, it has been years since I visited St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. I came close when we visited years ago with Gretchen and Chris, but stayed outside with our backpacks and other materials which weren’t allowed inside when Chris went in. Last Christmas we got within viewing distance from the top of the Hop-On-Hop-Off bus trip we took with my mother and Jim, but the press of the Christmas Day crowds was more than we were interested in.
Last Sunday found us headed for Rome with Peter Kester to see as many of the sights as we could fit into a day. We disembarked at the Valle Aurelia stop and walked the kilometer around the walls, past the Vatican Museum and to the main square. Along the way we encountered a large cluster of people and officials. We waited and within 5 minutes were treated to the sight of Pope Benedict exiting the Vatican in a car. Not much to see other than a white clad figure waving to a group of nuns in a frenzy about to lose their papal virginity. Thus, Amy and I have seen both of the last two Popes.
We left quickly after he went by and found ourselves leading a throng toward the security checkpoint into the Basilica through which we passed without a hitch. The interior of the Basilica is breathtakingly vast and ornate.
The current structure was built on the site of a much smaller church which included the tomb of St. Peter. If you plan ahead and get special permission, you can travel down into the catacombs to see the remains of the many Popes who are interred there. The interior was decorated by many important and famous artists. Here Peter stands near Michelangelo’s Pieta which is, unfortunately, sequestered behind safety glass after an idiot defaced it several decades ago.
The main chapel was off limits to casual visitors as it was open to worshippers who had secured passes for a mass to be held shortly after we arrived. Based on what we saw earlier, it is doubtful that the Pope himself was to officiate. We wandered around the perimeter, stopping often to view the statuary and details of the side chapels.
For me, one of the highlights of a visit to the Basilica is a trip to the cupola. When you follow signs around to the right of the main building, you encounter a ticket booth where you can pay 5 euros for the privilege of climbing to the cupola. A few hundred stairs deposits you on the roof of the main building from which you can enter the interior of the monstrous dome which sits at the intersection of the cross shaped church. Most visitors do little more than wander around a wide balcony, high above the main church floor. You get a very different view of the church and interior of the dome.
Interestingly, you don’t even notice this balcony looking up from the inside unless your eye happens to be drawn to a bit of motion as someone moves around. As you exit the balcony on the opposite side from which you entered you can leave directly or, if you are savvy enough you can duck through a small doorway to your right to find yourself between the inner and outer skin of the dome. Winding upward another 300+ narrow steps sandwiched between rounded, tilting walls takes you to the very top of the dome. The cupola isn’t for the faint of heart or vertigo challenged. I had been before, so was aware of what I was getting into and able to brace myself for it. What you get when you finally arrive is an unparalleled view from one of the highest points in Rome. The iconic pictures of the main square are taken from this eagle’s nest.
Unfortunately, it was foggy and had rained shortly before we arrived in Rome, so visibility was a bit limited. You also get views of the Vatican which most people don’t realize exist. The country is entirely surrounded by a wall which is 10+ meters tall at most points and which you can’t see over anywhere. It is a fortress which was to protect the city state from invaders over the centuries. Inside are tranquil spaces, beautiful fountains and, at this time of year, lush, green gardens.
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