A Protestant in Rome

solodeogloria

Good evening all!

As the title suggests I'm going to be visiting Rome in a few months time for a few days.

I'm going to be spending quite a bit of time looking around the Vatican I suspect.

Any guides or good sources on the history and significance of things in the Vatican?

Much thanks in the Lord Jesus Christ,
solodeogloria

Manach

The first book that came to mind was about how to get to Rome, which leads to Belloc's "The Path to Rome". The text itself is actually more of a travelogue of the author's walk from his home in France to there. On the face of it, being written in 1903, it can serve as a primary text into a past era. On the other side, it serves as a means to tie in the Christian faith to its roots and how other communities before this age tied their faith experience into the everyday rhythm of life.

uck51js9zml2yt

Don't forget to bring a thesis and a few nails with you.

Or is it a tablet and some 3m sticky pads in the current era!

SEPT 23 1989

The Vatican will just reinforce why you are a protestant

Enjoy the show

darlett

As a protestant-not a very well practicing one and all that I admit-who was in Rome, I'd recommend taking the time to attend an audience with the pope. It is an enjoyable and quite unique experience. And on regularly-As Dougal says they repeat them shows all the time - and free, it'd be a shame not too, just takes a bit of time the day before I think to collect the tickets.

http://www.papalaudience.org/ Has info on it and also some tours which I can not vouch for but most be as good a place as anywhere to start.

scream

I can highly recommend a company called Dark Rome for guided tours of the Vatican. We chose the 3 and a half hour tour, although there's a 7 hour tour as well. Our guide was an archaeologist and was really knowledgeable about everything and gave a lot of detail about Michaelangelo and Raphaels lives, professional and personal etc. The Galleria Borghese was amazing and you have to visit The Forum, I prefer the older Gods.

EirWatcher

Also I'd say investigate how recent attacks in Brussels have affected security arrangements around popular sites in Rome. I think you need to pre-book tickets to some things (apart from usual one of papal audiences), and may not be allowed to enter certain areas with backpacks, etc.

Tomb of Peter worth a visit ;-)

SEPT 23 1989

EirWatcher wrote: »

Also I'd say investigate how recent attacks in Brussels have affected security arrangements around popular sites in Rome. I think you need to pre-book tickets to some things (apart from usual one of papal audiences), and may not be allowed to enter certain areas with backpacks, etc.

Tomb of Peter worth a visit ;-)

One of my spies has recently returned from Rome and they inform me its all heavily armed soldiers everywhere and tanks on the side streets

uck51js9zml2yt

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

One of my spies has recently returned from Rome and they inform me its all heavily armed soldiers everywhere and tanks on the side streets

Well have tanks on our streets on Sunday. The OP may as well stay at home

Arkady

solodeogloria wrote: »

Good evening all!

As the title suggests I'm going to be visiting Rome in a few months time for a few days.

I'm going to be spending quite a bit of time looking around the Vatican I suspect.

Any guides or good sources on the history and significance of things in the Vatican?

Much thanks in the Lord Jesus Christ,
solodeogloria

It won't matter what religion you are in the Vatican, it's thronged with tourists from all races, religions and creeds.

Prepare yourself - It's very flamboyant and 'italian' in style, a leftover renaissance reckovation from the borgia era, that goes all the way back to the Roman empire, that they don't quite know what to do with (a bit like Ireland's relationship with Dublin Castle). Too good to pull down, and probably impossible to sell off from an Italian heritage/government/Vatican treaty point of view. - If you're looking for the exact opposite, you could try medjugorje , or the church's african missions.

The museum (more like museums) are enormous. "Why don't they sell it all off to feed the poor ?" (you'll hear this uttered every five minutes from someone or other in your party while you're there) - well even if the italian state let them, and there is a lot of treaty legalities with italy - Should the Irish state simplistically sell off it's museums and art to feed the poor and house the homeless ? Should Paris sell off the louvre and the eiffel tower to do the same ? It's an endless debate. Who knows. No one really "owns" such things at this stage, such world heritage sites belongs to the world. Those into art and culture claim the ordinary person should have access to the best of art and culture through such museums and the education they can give. One of the Church's missions has always been to bring education.

Once you get past the surface appearance, if you like thousands of years of Christian history, artwork, sculpture and painting, - it's all there. Each piece of art tells a story. Rome is incomparable to anywhere else in the world. 900 plus churches, all full of Christian artwork. If you don't - you'll definitely not like Rome.

If you've only a couple of days, stick to St. Peter's and the main museum sights and the cistine chapel, that'll be more than enough. You could spend a week studying the artwork, meaning, and history of art behind it in St. Peter's alone. Always go as early as possible in the day or the ques and crowds will be horrendous. Any of the "top ten" style guidebooks are your best bet. Be well prepared to take lots of photos.

Buon Giorno . . and enjoy the trip.

Jellybaby1

Once upon a time I too was a Protestant in Rome. It was a long time ago, long before all the security checks we have now. Anyway the sights that stuck in my mind were all the usual ones that a tour company would take you to, St. Peter's, the Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Catacombs and if you want to get out of Rome, which I didn't, then try Pompeii.

solodeogloria

darlett wrote: »

As a protestant-not a very well practicums one and all that I admit-who was in Rome, I'd recommend taking the time to attend an audience with the pope. It is an enjoyable and quite unique experience. And on regularly-As Dougal says they repeat them shows all the time - and free, it'd be a shame not too, just takes a bit of time the day before I think to collect the tickets.

http://www.papalaudience.org/ Has info on it and also some tours which I can not vouch for but most be as good a place as anywhere to start.

Good evening!

Applied for the papal audience by a fax (had to use an online service to send it!) and got the tickets in an old school typewritten letter today. I am very much excited to see the Pope even from a distance and even as someone who disagrees with a lot of Catholic teaching. Never thought they would write back.

Much thanks in the Lord Jesus Christ,
solodeogloria

uck51js9zml2yt

solodeogloria wrote: »

Good evening!

Applied for the papal audience by a fax (had to use an online service to send it!) and got the tickets in an old school typewritten letter today. I am very much excited to see the Pope even from a distance and even as someone who disagrees with a lot of Catholic teaching. Never thought they would write back.

Much thanks in the Lord Jesus Christ,
solodeogloria

You do know you will grow horns and be reciting the rosary within minutes of entering the building*






* this may or may not be true:D

EirWatcher

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

Once upon a time I too was a Protestant in Rome. It was a long time ago, long before all the security checks we have now. Anyway the sights that stuck in my mind were all the usual ones that a tour company would take you to, St. Peter's, the Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Catacombs and if you want to get out of Rome, which I didn't, then try Pompeii.

Another option to consider, only recently made available to the public by Pope Francis, is the Vatican Gardens.

Jellybaby1

I got as far as Castel Gandolfo, but only got to look through the bars of the gates.

solodeogloria

Eliezer Puny Roadkill wrote: »

You do know you will grow horns and be reciting the rosary within minutes of entering the building*

* this may or may not be true:D

Good morning!

You mean there's some form of hidden Catholic subconscious reflex built into my system

We'll have to see won't we.

Much thanks in the Lord Jesus Christ,
solodeogloria

solodeogloria

Good morning!

I arrived back from Rome yesterday evening. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the Vatican both to see the Museum / Sistene Chapel and St Peter's Basilica. The Papal Audience yesterday morning was also a very interesting event.

I hope to post some more in depth reflections later!

Much thanks in the Lord Jesus Christ,
solodeogloria

keano_afc

solodeogloria wrote: »

Good morning!

I arrived back from Rome yesterday evening. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the Vatican both to see the Museum / Sistene Chapel and St Peter's Basilica. The Papal Audience yesterday morning was also a very interesting event.

I hope to post some more in depth reflections later!

Much thanks in the Lord Jesus Christ,
solodeogloria

How odd, a friend of mine that used to frequent this forum was in Rome/the Vatican the last few days as well.

sbsquarepants

If you want a tip - pay the extra few quid to skip the que - the ques can be horrendous!