Where Would Jesus Go?

After a day in Rome, we decided to leave Italy all together. We went to Vatican City, the smallest sovereignty in the world. They didn't stamp our passports, but they do have their own postal service and currency (although it does also use the Euro).



St. Peter's Basilica and Square, where the Pope holds his weekly audience. The church was built around St. Peter's tomb, and can be seen as a literal and symbolic beginning of the Catholic Church. Soon to be featured in a theater near you (along with Tom Hanks sans mullet).



All around the edge of the square there are statues. We believe this may be the greatest gathering of stone figures anywhere. And they are all watching you. Even Jesus is there, right in the middle. A real who's who of the Catholic Church.



The church is massive and ornately decorated with statues, exquisite marble detailing, and paintings depicting Biblical scenes. The focal point of the church is directly under its dome, where the tomb of St. Peter is marked with an elaborate wooden altar.



Among the many shrines inside the Basilica, there is St. Peter (we know, we were surprised too!) Apparently, someone along the line thought it would be helpful for them to touch his foot. Now, all these years later, people will line up to run their hand over that foot, although, for his toes' sake, St. Peter probably wishes otherwise.



Massive monuments and statues of popes past line the halls of the Basilica. Several popes are entombed in St. Peter's, while many others are buried below its hallowed dome.



Michelangelo's famous work, Pieta, can also be found in St. Peter's Basilica. The artist made this expressive sculpture, which depicts the crucified body of Christ being held by his mother Mary, when he was only 23 years old. It was also the only piece that Michelangelo ever signed.



After the Basilica, we visited the Vatican Museum, a massive collection of art given to different popes and the Catholic Church over the years. As you can see in this sculpture, everyone has a fig leaf in their special space. If you or someone you know is missing their fig leaf, please, seek medical help immediately.



In so many museums they waste valuable space: the ceiling. But not the Vatican Museum, where every room would be interesting to wander through even if there wasn't any art in it.



The museum is divided into different sections. Paintings, sculptures, and artifacts from ancient Egypt all have their own areas. Then there is this room, which is large paintings of maps. It is aptly named the Map Room.



Here, a painting of Italy, is displayed in the room. This map was painted several hundred years ago (that's before Google Earth even existed, kids!).



But the coup de grace was the Sistine Chapel. And they know it because they make you walk through every single exhibit before you get there. The ceiling, painted by Michelangelo, depicts many different scenes from the Bible, including the famous scene of God reaching out to Adam.



Here's a close up. We're sorry it's upside down, but when you're not supposed to be taking pictures, you make do with what you can. (For any mothers-in-law reading this, we actually took the photo of a poster.)