A PLACE YOU CAN’T VISIT ONCE
Vatican, an independent country located in the heart of Italy’s capital, covers an area of 44 hectares, yet it holds a leading spiritual influence worldwide; its official population is less than 1,000, most of whom are clergy. Visiting the nearly 400-year-old Saint Peter’s Basilica alone is enough to captivate anyone’s heart…
Finally, after more than an hour of waiting in line, my wife and I were able to enter St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City.This visit to the Vatican, on a tour, lasted half a day, just a “quick glance.”If you want to explore and learn more about this place, it would probably take at least a week.Next time then, if there’s another chance to visit Italy, and not go on a tour.
INTO SAINT PIERRE’S CHURCH
At the end of 1999, I went to the Vatican with a group of friends, right at the moment when the Pope was officiating from a balcony overlooking the vast Saint Peter’s Square.
At that time, we stood in the square with thousands of other parishioners. According to later records, the square was built in 1667, surrounded by an arc of 284 columns, on which there are 140 Catholic saint statues.It can hold up to 150,000 people at the same time.
At that time, there were no long lines of people waiting to enter St. Peter’s Basilica.The change is very evident, as Vatican has become a tourist attraction, among which, there are many mainland Chinese. Vatican, of course, must be included in their itinerary.
According to the records, most of the buildings in Vatican were constructed between the 14th and 15th centuries. Master architects like Sangallo, Bramante, and Michelangelo designed and constructed several buildings that continue to inspire many artists and architects to this day.
Because we followed the tour program and only visited Vatican for half a day, we couldn’t explore many places, we could only enter Saint Peter’s Basilica. However, it was enough to create memories of visiting one of the largest churches in the world, which time cannot erase…
Our impression when entering the cathedral, which was built from April 1506 to November 1626, is how beautiful and magnificent it is. Every year, St. Peter’s Basilica welcomes millions of visitors and worshippers to pray or admire its beauty.
Perhaps, not only distant tourists but also Italians in Rome, whenever they have the chance to visit here, must be in awe of the magnificent and majestic beauty of the cathedral. Obviously, many leisurely travelers come here to admire the Renaissance architecture and paintings of Italy.
Clearly, many tourists come here to admire the Renaissance architecture and paintings of Italy.
FEELINGS FOR THE PAST
In the church, there are many artworks to see and learn about.But due to limited time, after taking a tour around the church, we returned to a few important places.
Honestly, it’s impossible not to admire what the ancients did, especially Michelangelo.The summer sunlight streams through the dome designed by this genius painter and architect, and through the high windows, casting down on the heads of tourists as soon as they step inside, creating a sense of wonder.Just the dome and these windows alone are masterpieces.
Not only that, right in the center of the church is a dazzling altar for the priest to perform the mass. The Catholic Church in Rome believes that right beneath that altar lies the tomb of Saint Peter.This saint is recognized as the bishop of Rome and also the first pope of the church.In the early period of the Catholic Church in Rome, many popes were buried in this church.
Then there is the pulpit believed to be of Saint Peter at the back of the church.It looks like a throne, although it is just an old oak chair that the sculptor Bernini repaired and decorated. Besides its historical significance, it is also a work of art, surrounded by bronze statues depicting saints and angels.
Although it is neither the main church of the Roman Catholic Church nor the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome, St. Peter’s Basilica is considered one of the most important religious structures of the Roman Catholic Church. Through many upheavals and the passage of time, the structure has remained a hallmark of Vatican City, becoming an indispensable part of the holy site for those belonging to the Roman Catholic Church.
Therefore, St. Peter’s Basilica has been used as a representative image for the Vatican.
Today, it is a sovereign nation with a total area of 0.44 square kilometers, located in the heart of Rome, the capital of Italy.With the official name Vatican City, this place represents the supreme power of the Roman Catholic Church. As of the end of 2020, the population of this special country was only 801 people, according to United Nations statistics, and no one is born in Vatican City.
If you want to enter here, just go ahead, no need to show a passport.
