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OLM
Parish Reporter IN Rome
Places, Images, Thoughts
more than you might care to know!
(click on tiny picture to view original)
These varied pictures show scenes of interest, religion
and just plain fun in my Roman Adventure.The fountain above with me pictured
at the Spanish Steps is a fountain in form of a boat - quite interesting.
The lonely goat is in an undeveloped field right on the road to the College.
They seem to be taking care of the lawn and weeds in a place where space
is at a premium but possibly like in the states, the owner awaits the best
price for the land.
The churches above dedicated to the Blessed Virgin have
distinctive qualities. Saint Mary Major was constructed to memorizlise
the declaration of the Council of Ephesus in the 300's that Mary truly
is the Mother of God. The Pope took this declaration as an opportunity
to construct this massive Church to cap the doctrinal definition through
a stunning place for the worhsip of the Catholic Church. This mosaic depicts
the Faith of the Church in a liturgical setting. It also places the Liturgy
of the Mass in its total context of the Heavenly Liturgy and total Church
belief.
St. Pudencia is pictured because of the age of the church.
It also hails from the earliest days of the Church in Rome. You have to
descend down steps to the entrance and the interior is an example of the
worship, emphasis and concern of the early church to have its places of
worship mirror the importance of the Liturgy as well as the emphasis on
what we do at worship which is to connect with the mystery of the reality
of heaven while we hear God's Word and Share in the Eucharist.
The two photos above are classic shots in Rome.
The Victor Emmanuel Monument - Memorial to Unknown Soldier - is significant
in my relating since it is on the Plaza Venezia which is the pass through
point for a majority of buses that I take to get to places of interest.
The Coliseum is a favorite ancient artifact to me. It always reminds me
of Second Year High School Latin back in Omaha. For that class I think
I did my first major art work of memory. I made a "string art" depiction
of the Coliseum which remains in my memory when I see the actual Coliseum.
The Final Image "SPQR" is one which also reminds me of High School Latin.
It is evident on buildings, public vehicles, cabs and like the above photo
on the covers of utility access on the streets. The letters stand for Senatus
et Populus Que Romanum - The Senate and People of Rome - another ancient
designation of the days of the old Rome and its government.
In the church of St. Alphonsus there is a grand icon of Our
Lady of Perpetual Help. I include this on our tour of various images and
sites because of the devotion of many in our Parish to Our Lady under this
title. Another noted tourist place in the city of Rome is the Spanish Steps.
This area of the city is graced with another church, approached by the
myriad of steps shown above. In the piazza of this area, there is a grand
fountain in the shape of a boat which is shown in another place in this
telling with a picture of myself at the site. Also, near the steps is the
pillar shown in the last photo. This is another of the pillars in Rome
and is of interest to me since it shows the difference in ways that the
Church has approached different events and ideas in its history. To commemorate
the declaration of Mary, Mother of God, at the Council of Ephesus in the
Earlly Church the pope built a magnificent Basilica, St. Mary Marjor which
has a pillar topped by the Blessed Mother holding forth the child. When
the Immaculate Conception was declared a dogma of the church in the 19th
century, it was memorialized by the above pillar which is topped by Mary
alone. Maybe it is cost, or space or whatever but to me this is of interest
that one dogma received a major basilica to commemorate it while a more
recent one received only a pillar!!
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More later -- Next edition -- Fr. John visits Pope John Paul II
-- accompanying Archbishop Levada and Bishop John Wester on September 30,
1998.
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