Out and About

Part of the BEDA college experience is to get the seminarians immersed in the local Italian culture. It is not only to see the historical buildings and learn the churches history, it is also to experience contemporary Italy, make connections and be exposed to the ‘global’ church both within from within the seminary and also hopefully with some local religious and other civil persons and organizations. During the first orientation weeks we will be travelling around Rome and surrounds experiencing many different churches and celebrating mass and well as meeting many different people. On Saturday we had a walk around the city to get us orientated, here are some pictures, see if you can identify anything.

Capital Hill Rome, designed by Michelangelo for a modern Rome. Commissioned by Pope Paul the third in 1536 transformed a derelict area into a centerpiece for the City. This is a statue of Marcus Aurelius' placed in the center with the Palazzo Senatorio at the back which now is the council chambers.

Looking up the stair case to Piazza del Campidoglio (the square) was designed so nights could ride their horses up easily. Some seminarians in the foreground.

The Church of St Mary of Aracoeli, or in English Altar of Heaven built in the sixth century. It stands on the highest peak on Capital Hill, next to the statue of Marcus Aurelius' riding the horse. Said to be named after a legend of a sear prophesizing to Augustus that the son of God was coming and this was the pace of his alter. Very popular for weddings and intensions prayers for weedings.

St Mary Major Basilica, one of the four major basilicas in Rome with St Peter, St Paul's, and St Johns' Lateran. It was built in the fifth century and tied to the council of Ephesus 431 AD that proclaimed Mary as Mother of God or Theotokos.

Inside St Mary Major Basilica, it still retains its original structure from the fifth Century.

The main altar

The crypt beneath, said to contain part of the manger from Bethlehem. It has a statue of Pope Pius IX praying in front of it.

The tabernacle in its own side chapel, I'm not sure how they even get the Eucharist in and out of it.