Italy (4) - The Vatican

Day 5
I had two tours booked for today. One was the Scavi Tour (Visit of the Excavations below St. Peter's Basilica) at 11:00 am, the other was the Vatican Museum tour at 2:00 pm.

We arrived at St. Peter's Square around 10:00 am. There was almost no line to get in St. Peter's Basilica, so we went in to look at it again. It was set up differently this time than 2 days ago, so we could see different parts of the church. We stayed longer than we planned and ended up not having enough time to climb the dome.

1. Michelangelo's Pietà behind bullet-proof acrylic glass panel.


2. St. Helena. If you visit the grotto beneath the Basilica, you will come out of the stairs behind St. Helena.


3. Altar of the Chair.


We approached the Swiss Guards at the Holy Office Gate just before 11:00 am. They directed me to the Excavations Office. Twelve visitors are allowed per Scavi Tour. The ten other people on our tour were all from Virginia, probably a church group. Their leader introduced himself to us before the tour and was eager to share some of his knowledge about the Scavi Tour. He knew an incredible amount of information about the Excavations and had printouts of what the necropolis should look like in hand. It was very helpful.

4. Me with the Swiss Guards at the Holy Office Gate.


5. The Excavations Office.


Our tour guide seemed knowledgeable and her accent was understandable enough for us. We walked ancient city streets of family tombs (necropolis) which was built in the 2nd and 3rd centuries. We saw some Pagan tombs, some early Christian tombs, how the original structure was kept intact by Constantine’s workmen as the first St. Peter's basilica was built on this site. In the end, one by one, we peered into a hole in a wall and saw some small bones, believed to be Apostle Peter's, in a plastic container. There was a little chapel nearby. Our tour guide said that the Pope came here to pray sometimes. I felt both honored and privileged to have this experience.

Scavi Tour lasted ~75 minutes. As the tour ended, our tour guide told us by walking against the flow of the crowd (people who had visited the grotto), we could see the Confessio and the tomb of Pope John Paul II nearby. There were quite a few people lingering at the tomb of Pope John Paul II, many of them on their knees. We lingered for a few minutes, said many prayers for many people, hoped they would be answered soon.

We arrived at the Vatican Museum a little before our 2:00 pm tour time. There was no line to get in. Our tour guide had very good English and her accent was easy to understand. We saw so many things. It's overwhelming. The highlight of the museum tour was definitely the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo's ceiling and the Last Judgment on the altar wall were beyond amazing. Crowds were small comparing to peak season. We were able to find room on the benches along the wall, so we could just sit down and look up at the ceiling for as long as our neck could take.

6. Model of Vatican City.


7. Apollo (2nd century Roman copy of 4th century BC bronze sculpture).


8.


9. Laocoön and His Sons being strangled by sea serpents.


10. Ceiling painting with 3D effect.


After dinner we went back to St. Peter's Square again to see it at night. It was raining and the Square was almost deserted except a handful of people. I can't think of any better way to end our trip in Rome.

11. Walking towards St. Peter's Basilica.


12. Is that Pope's office lights on?


(To be continued)