Rick Steves Rome 2020 by Rick Steves & Gene Openshaw

Author:Rick Steves & Gene Openshaw
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Avalon Publishing
Published: 2019-10-29T16:00:00+00:00

PILGRIM’S ROME TOUR

Pilgrimage Churches

Map: Pilgrim’s Rome

Orientation

The Tour Begins

CHURCH OF SANTA MARIA MAGGIORE

Map: Santa Maria Maggiore

CHURCH OF SANTA PRASSEDE

CHURCH OF SAN GIOVANNI IN LATERANO

Map: San Giovanni in Laterano

CHURCH OF SAN CLEMENTE

Rome is the “capital” of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics. In Rome, you’ll rub elbows with religious pilgrims from around the world—Nigerian nuns, Bulgarian theology novices, students from Notre Dame, extended Mexican families, and everyday Catholics returning to their religious roots.

The pilgrim industry helped shape Rome after the fall of the empire. Ancient Rome’s population peaked at about 1.2 million. After Rome fell in AD 476, barbarians cut off the water supply by breaking the aqueducts, Romans fled the city, and the mouth of the Tiber River filled with silt and became a swamp.

During the Dark Ages, mosquitoes ruled over a pathetic village of 20,000...bad news for pilgrims, bad news for the papacy. Back then, the Catholic Church was the Christian Church. (Catholic means “universal,” and being a Catholic was the only allowable way to be a Christian.) Centuries later, during the Renaissance, popes sought to project an image of prestige and authority. The Church revitalized the city, creating a place fit for pilgrimages. Owners of hotels and restaurants cheered.

In the late 1580s, Pope Sixtus V reconnected aqueducts and built long, straight boulevards connecting the great churches and pilgrimage sites. Obelisks were moved to serve as markers. As you explore the city, think like a pilgrim. Look down long roads and you’ll see either a grand church or an obelisk (from which you’ll see a grand church).

Pilgrims to Rome try to visit four great basilicas: St. Peter’s Basilica, of course (covered in the St. Peter’s Basilica Tour chapter in this book and on my free audio tour), St. Paul’s Outside the Walls (see here), Santa Maria Maggiore, and San Giovanni in Laterano. The last two are covered in this chapter, as well as two other “honorable mentions”: The Church of Santa Prassede and the fascinating and central San Clemente.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.