Sono arrivata!

 Goethe wrote upon arriving in Rome and taking up lodgings in a wee apartment on the Via Corso, "I am finally in this capital of the world!"  But of course he was living in those glorious days before tedious concepts like eurocentrism existed.  Sigh.

I have arrived in this glorious capital that is full of contradictions.  Splendid, yet dreadful, like any large city.  Full of miracles, yet full of noise, garbage, graffiti and endless tchotchkes, mostly made in China, some harmless, others a bit vulgar involving calendars featuring partially clothed, rather handsome priests.  Rome is a wonder!  So extraordinary.  Full of beauty, art, history and ....Italians, whom I just adore for their nonchalant fabulousness.

The trip here was seamless.  No problems at all, with the exception of being a little late out of Chicago.  Only 30 minutes!  But it was enough to get our plane bumped from a real 'port' in Fiumicino.  Thus, we had to disembark on the Tarmac of Shame, a lonely place well away from the terminal.  It is quite the experience to walk down the stairs from a Boeing 787 Dreamliner on to the asphalt and make your way cheerfully over to a bus that carts you and your fellow 300 passengers to the terminal for "processing."

The only hiccup, really.  I was at my hotel by 10:30, exhausted.  I dropped my bags and went out to amuse myself for 4 hours while my room was being readied.  

The Barberini is always a good place to spend a couple of hours, so I walked there and took another look at their permanent collection as well as the special exhibit of works by Bernini, the favored art of Pope Urban VIII (Matteo Barberini).  Glorious marble statuary, drawings, sketches.  

Then a walk to a little trattoria that I frequent.  Campari Spritz, a 'toast' and a salad.

From there, back to my hotel where I collapsed on the bed.....

One last suppli

 

Ciao Roma!  Ti voglio bene l'Italia!

Roma ~ quanto sei meraviglioso

 After mass, the long walk to San Giovani in Laterano.  This enormous basilica makes me quite emotional.  In fact, I'm pretty sure I had a touch of Stendhal Syndrome while looking up at the façade:

I had a lovely conversation with Sylvestro, the guy who has been working that souvenir shop forever... at least as long as I have been coming here.  He was giddy, telling me about the Jubilee year and that Pope Francis is going to open the enormous doors for the first time in a zillion years and when he does so, everyone's sins are going to be forgiven:

The church is so beautiful: mosaics, sculpture, paintings, inlaid marble..... the heads of Saint Peter and Saint Paul and items used in Christ's passion like part of the spear used to pierce his side.  

And then a walk through the cloister:

White marble, blue sky.  It's just Rome..................

Santa Maria Maggiore for mass

 It's part of my routine.  I go to morning mass at Santa Maria Maggiore the day before I leave.  It's my way of soaking up as much Splendor and Beauty that I can.  Daily mass is usually held in the Pauline Chapel.  But it's not about Saint Paul.  It's about the man who is buried there and who family paid for it.  Italian history is full of SO many rich and notable families.  But the Borghese, mmmmm, they really were impressive.  They did not just rest on their noble origins.  Many became noted lawyers, scholars, politicians and members of the Church hierarchy.

Born Camillo Borghese in 1550, he became a Cardinal priest of San Eusebio and the Cardinal Vicar of Rome in 1596. When Pope Leo XI died in 1605, Borghese was elected Pope and took the name Paul V. I think he was a pretty active and effective Pope.  He died in 1621 and is entombed in the side chapel at Santa Maria Maggiore.  Absolutely glorious, every surface is inlaid marble of different colors, there is gilt and life-size angels and two larger than life marble sculpture of Paul.

I love SMM.  In fact, I went to mass last Saturday and had a bunch of luck because they were holding a special mass to commemorate D Day.  There was a Cardinal, even, and he was so cute.  About 20 priests and some monks.  A long processional.  The Cardinal gave the most moving homily.  In Italian, of course.  He spoke of the suffering of WWII, the resilience of the Roman people, the horrors of war.  

Bello.
 

The miraculous

 Rome is full of miracles and wonders.  And churches.  900+ of them.  And sometimes the churches themselves are full of splendor and beauty that boggles the mind.  Take the church of Saints Ambrosius and Carlo along the Corso.  Typical Baroque façade, a little on the dirty side.  But inside, the eye is drawn up, up, up to the heavens.  And you wonder, how did all of this happen?

It houses many holy relics in the side chapels.  But the real prize is the heart of Saint Carlo, which is encased in rock crystal behind the main altar.

Another awesome miracle is in the Basilica of San Nicola in Carcere.  It's small, v v lovely. One of the side chapels:

But the real prize is this crucifix.  There is a sign that says Croce Miracolosa! Aperto gli occhi il 19 Luglio 1796.  That is: Miraculous Crucifix! It opened its eyes on July 19, 1796.

Mi piace!

 

A Roman Sunday

 I discovered what is up with all the city projects of cleaning and restoration. Pope Francis has declared 2025 a Jubilee year and I guess the entire city is gearing up.  The papal bull titled Spes Non Confudit, has set the theme that "Hope does not disappoint."  And they are estimating that the Jubilee will bring an ADDITIONAL  30-35 MILLION  visitors to Rome next year.  Note to self: Don't be here.

Like I said in a previous post, Piazza Navona is all roped off for cleaning.  This is what is in front of the Vittorio Emmanuelle Monument:

And then here's me, making my way to the Capitoline museum:

And Marcus Aurelius:

This museum is so wonderful.  Lots of beautiful paintings, decorative arts, sculpture:

But what I came here for is the special exhibit of works by Fillipo and Fillipino Lippi, father and son masters of Renaissance art:

Oh, I walked and walked today.  Four hours.  On the way back to the hotel I stopped at a local pizzeria and got some yummies.  Two suppli (a traditional Roman snack that is made from leftover risotto and is formed into an oblong shape and fried).  And two kinds of typical Roman pizza.  Very thin.  One with sliced potato and rosemary.... and NO cheese.  And the other with sausage and potato and a little bit of cheese.  

Buono!

 

Roma~ sempre qualcosa nuova

 Rome continues to deliver the goods.  Honestly, I always discover something new.  Today I was wandering around Piazza Navona, which by the way is undergoing a huge cleaning and restauration.  Not unlike countless places in Rome.   I don't know what happened.  Somewhere, someone got a ton of money and the powers that be in Rome decided now is the time.  There is scaffolding everywhere.

There are two churches that frame the Piazza Navona, and in all the times I've been here, they have never been open. But this morning, eccola! 

First is Our Lady of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  It was built on the 10th century site of the abbey of the Benedictines of Farfa, an oratory that honored St. Andrew.  In the 15th century, Pope Nicolo V ordered the restoration of the area and it was finished around mid-century (1450-58).  When Leo X became pope, the church caught his eye and he threw lots of money and art commissions its way.  Then in the 18th century, some additions were made and you can really see that style in some of the alcoves:

And then across the Piazza is Saint Agnese in Agony.  The art is largely sculptural depictions of her life and the paintings on the walls and ceilings.... just too divine:

There is also this side altar featuring Saint Sebastian.  Remember, he is depicted with arrows piercing his body.  He was a 3rd century martyr.  He was once a soldier in Diocletian's army but then converted to Christianity.  Legend is, he took advantage of his position as a soldier to help out Christians who were imprisoned.  Discovered, he was sentenced to death, tied to a column and shot full of arrows.  Irene (also a martyr) treated him.  She tried to plead for Sebastian's life in front of Diocletian.  He said, no.  Had her killed and thrown in the river.  

At the end of the (hot) day it's all about the deliciousness of salty chips and bitter Campari:

Salute!