Confession in Rome

So how did I end up going to confession in Rome? I blame the Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. I woke up that day with the plan to visit the Colosseum/Forums and as many churches I could fit in. Santa Maria Maggiore was the first one I randomly walked into. A breathtaking structure, it is the only basilica that has retained the core of its architectural structure. Inside, the medieval interior decorating is just as beautiful. I found myself drawn to a confessional and before I knew it all 11 years of my ill-doing was pouring out of my mouth. Afterwards, I felt really sad and guilty as the priest chided me for my not going to church It has been almost 2 years now. I felt downright ashamed. I just wanted to go hide myself under a brick and stay there. Even after my prayers, I felt bad.

Upon exiting the church it was as if all of nature agreed that I had sinned. What had been a cool crisp sunny morning, was now gray, chilly, and with drizzling rain. The sun never came back that day. The weather alternated from soft cold drizzle to torrential downpour. Yes Lord, I got it – I need to go to Church regularly and sin no more!

My tour of the Colosseum and Ancient Forums was by Through Eternity. The guide was Tom, another American, trained as an actor, who had been in Rome for over a decade. The group of 14 visitors was also entirely American. Through the drizzle, Tom gave us background history. He pointed out the ruins while acting out various scenes of what may have ensued there centuries ago. He brought ancient Rome to life and he was quite funny.

However, I was disappointed with the Colosseum part of the tour and it wasn’t because of the rains. Even though the Enjoy Rome night walking tour I had taken on the first day did not include visiting the insides of the Colosseum, I felt that I learnt more about the Colosseum. There was nothing Through Eternity provided about the Colosseum that I wouldn’t have been able to get from an audio guide on site. In hindsight, it may have been a better deal for me to have taken the Palatine Hill tour and I do the Colosseum on my own. Of course, it makes more economic sense for Through Eternity to offer the Palatine Hill tour separately. That’s called business. The rains and my mood did not let me to walk the grounds on my own, so now I have another reason to return to Rome.

Not wanting to return home to wallow in my misery, I took the Metro to Piramide and then Bus 118 to the Appian Way.

My plan had been to visit the Catacombs of San Sebastiano and San Callisto as well as the tomb of Cecilia Metella while enjoying a leisurely walk along the ancient road. But remember, I was still being punished for my ill-doing through the heavens. So, I participated in a 30 minute guided tour of the Catacombs of San Callisto which was quite impressive, and decided that “seen one catacomb, seen them all!” The Catacombs of San Callisto are on four different levels and most of it is undisturbed. We visited the Crypt of Santa Cecilia where the saint’s body lay until it was discovered in AD 820 and then moved to the church named for her in Trastevere.

Despite the rains, I determined to press on with my leisurely walk along Via Appia. Let’s just say there was nothing leisurely about it. I was pressed to the walls by the cars coming up and down the narrow street and offered a complimentary splash by each and every single one as they whizzed through the puddles fast accumulating. I saw then the wisdom of visiting the Appian Way on a Sunday when the streets are closed to automotive traffic.

I was however amused by the cars attempting to navigate the old Roman cobblestone roads although a few just tried to ram me and other pedestrians.

Soaking wet by this time, I reversed my walk and entered the church of Domine Quo Vadis? built where St. Peter was said to have met Jesus Christ when he tried to flee persecution in Rome. According to tradition, upon meeting Jesus, Peter asked “Domine quo vadis?”(Lord, where are you going?) to which Jesus responded “Eo Romam iterum crucifigi” (I am going to Rome to be crucified again). Peter then returned to Rome to meet his fate of matyrdom. The current church was built in 1637. Inside there is a set of footprints on a marble slab that is supposed to be a copy of the footprints Jesus left behind. The original relief is conserved in the nearby Basilica of San Sebastiano.

Absolutely tired and soaking wet, I returned to Rome. Having seen the footprints of Jesus I was excited to view more relics. I visited the San Pietro in Vincoli which houses the chains (vincoli) with which St. Peter was bound when he was held in the Mamertine Prison. This church also houses Michelangelo’s Moses.

Finally, I returned home to Trastevere where I had a few delicious slices of authentic Roman pizza (thin crust, little cheese, cut to order and weighed) at Frontoni. No gelato for me today!