Day 5 (Part 2) - Vatican City: Julia

Day 5 (Part 2) - Vatican City: Julia


Inside St. Peter's Basilica

Julia: On Thursday, we went to Vatican City where we stayed all day. We first went into St. Peter's Basilica which is the biggest Catholic church in the world. We climbed up the dome of the church which, while being extremely claustrophobic at times, was extraordinary. Once we got to the top of the dome, we could see this amazing view of Vatican City and the neighborhoods around it. I didn't have my phone for this day due to an unfortunate incident on the metro, but not having my phone forced me to live in the present and focus on the beautiful view before me. When I was up on top of the dome, I wrapped my hands around the metal bars and poked my head out between them so that my view wasn't obstructed by the bars. I may have looked strange to the other tourists on top of that dome, but all I was focused on was the beauty of what I was looking at. Beauty that wasn't clouded by the need to take pictures or the need to post on social media. Just beauty in its plain and simplest form. 

After the dome of St. Peter's, we spent about an hour in the actual church which held some of the most impressive works of art and architecture I've ever seen. Every inch of the church was covered in detailed artwork and sculpture in a way that was almost overwhelming to take in. But after some time, I determined that the stained glass artwork on the back wall of the church was by far my favorite. It depicted a dove flying out of a burst of orange and yellow that was surrounded by wooden and golden sculpture. I spent at least five minutes just standing and staring at this piece, once again reveling in the presence of simple beauty. 

Inside the Vatican Museums

After lunch, we went to the Vatican Museums where we saw even more art and sculpture. The obvious highlight was the Sistine Chapel with Michaelangelo's ceiling and wall paintings. While I absolutely loved the Sistine Chapel, I found that I really loved looking up at the lesser known ceilings. The detail that I found in those ceilings took my breath away and left me in a trance that quite literally almost made me run into a pole. I find it astonishing how art can have that effect on someone. 

And so while Thursday was a jam-packed and exhausting day, I went to bed feeling satisfied and inspired.

In front of St. Peter's Dome

Location: 00120, Vatican City

Comments

  1. RcaragherJune 9, 2023 at 12:09 PM

    Julia, great to read what you and your Poly- St Peter's group experienced. Loved reading your take about life and its views from atop St Peter's dome: "but all I was focused on was the beauty of what I was looking at. Beauty that wasn't clouded by the need to take pictures or the need to post on social media." May you enjoy being fully there and not be captivated, like so many of us, by needing to get "post-able" photos. One of the reasons we, GIP, don't have phones is so that we can, just as you fully did, soak up the beauty of what is before you. Have a great transition to Valdobbiedene and time with your Italian family.

    ReplyDelete
  2. La Srta. DiederichJune 10, 2023 at 12:50 PM

    It was great to revisit the Vatican through your eyes.and focus more on the "lesser known ceilings." There is so much beauty to treasure on this journey.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Italy 2025 - Day 9: Padua - Amelia and Leela

Image
Amelia and Leela: A view of Padua’s Basilica di San Antonio. We started off the day with breakfast with our host families. We then met up as a whole group outside of the school in Valdo to ride an hour long bus into Padua. Once we got to Padua, we took a walking tour of the Basilica of Sant Antonio, the Prato di Valle, and the Piazza delle Erbe. The Poly group and our Italian friends walk through Prato di Valle. A view of Piazza delle Erbe. At each place, some of the Italian students gave English presentations about the history of the place. Then we had free time to explore the areas of Padua, eat lunch, and go shopping. After exploring the city, we met up as a group in the Piazza dei Signori. The group gathers in Piazza dei Signori. Once everyone was together, we took a short walk to the Scrovegni Chapel and its nearby museum. We and the Italian students and had some time to wander through the museum, which had beautiful vases, glass pieces, and stone-carved portraits. I really enjoye...
Read more

Italy 2025 - Day 8: A Free Day with Italian Host Families - Filiz and Allison

Image
Filiz and Allison: Part of the system of canals and the River Sile that surrounds the medieval core of Treviso. Today, we didn’t have a fixed agenda besides spending time with our Italian host families (which meant we could sleep in after a week of early mornings). We began the day with a leisurely morning before catching a train to Treviso, a city/town near Valdobbiadene. The historical center of Treviso. While it was a relatively long ride, it was nice to have the time to rest and reflect on the previous days. In Treviso, we shopped at a few stores before sitting down for brunch. The menu included a mix of Italian and American food, and it was admittedly nice to have a reminder of the cuisine back home. A representative store in Treviso. During brunch, more Poly students and their Italian hosts met up with us, and we hung out while finishing our food. Afterwards, as a group, we walked around Treviso. We made several stops for souvenirs but also some for gelato and sat at a nearby caf...
Read more

Italy 2025 - Day 7: Venice - Anya and Carthan

Image
Anya and Carthan: After our first night staying with the students from Valdobbiadene, we enjoyed separate mornings and breakfasts with each of our host families before meeting at the Montebelluna train station. We changed trains in Treviso to reach our final destination of Venice. The group and our Italian friends on the regional commuter train to Venice. The rainy approach by train across the lagoon to Venice. We walked the streets with our umbrellas and saw many bridges and colorful buildings. The group and our Italian friends navigate the labyrinthian Venetian streets. The group and our Italian friends visit Venice’s Jewish Quarter. The group reaches the Rialto Bridge. While there, we visited the Piazza San Marco, characterized by the Venetian lion emblem, as well as the various cultural influences on its architecture. The group and our Italian friends gather together in St. Mark’s Square. The group and our Italian friends explore the interior of St. Mark’s Basilica. We also rode go...
Read more