Weekend of Sightseeing

On Saturday, I took a trip to Tivoli and Sunday a visit to the church of St. John Lateran in Rome.

Ruins of the Villa Adriana



  Tivoli was about an hour and half outside the city of Rome.  Our first stop was to view the ruins of the Villa Adriana which was the summer home of Emperor Hadrian.  He was considered a good emperor and ruled from 117 a.d. until 138 a.d.  It is fascinating to be walking on ruins so old.  Yet, I could not help to think instead of building a summer home on 145 acres with 300 people sharing it with him that the money might have been put to better use. I know it is hot in Rome and even the Pope has a summer home. But how much is big enough? Then again is this any different than our rich and famous with all their homes in several countries today?  Just because one has the money does not justify spending it foolishly.  We still have many poor that could benefit from the generosity of others.


The main fountain of Tivoli





After our visit of the ruins, we visited the Villa de'Este of the Cardinal Ippolito de'Este (1509-1572).  I do not know how good of a religious man this Cardinal was, but his palace and the 27 fountains or more are very impressive.  One of them even plays music.  None of the fountains are run by electricity, but all are engineered with the power of the river near by.  It is very amazing.

Front of the Church of St. John Lateran

 

 

 Today was more holy.  I visited with several other priests the Church of St. John Lateran, which served as the Pope's church until the Basilica of St. Peter's was built.  It remains the official church of the Bishop of Rome, which is the Pope.  Here you find beautiful statues and side altars.  It is here where St. Francis visited the Pope to begin his order.  Also, they claim the relics of the table of the last supper is in this church as well as the skull bones of St. Peter and Paul.  I stopped and prayed many times along the way.  On our return home I stopped in the Church of Cosmos and Damien as today is there feast day.



Overall, it was a very pleasant weekend.  Tomorrow we have more lectures for the next three days.

Thanks for walking with me through Italy and Rome.