Paths to Explore: What a day...

Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.

-- Unknown Quotes Author

What a day we enjoyed! Exploration of the city and lots of walking figured into everything that we did today. We saw so many things that it is unlikely that we will remember all of the names of the places. True to what we were told by the Sisters there are lots of lovely churches/chapels tucked away and we discovered several of them today. As with most days here we began with Eucharist with the Sisters, enjoyed a fabulous breakfast and then we were off for the day. Today the intent was to explore many of the highlights of the city. After a short train ride and then a bus ride we were on foot. Once we reached the heart of the city it was difficult to decide which direction to go in. It was almost necessary to open the map and just point, however the trusty map reader, Edmund, had the spots highlighted so that was most helpful.

The city today was buzzing with people and it would be very easy to get lost in the crowd but it was so much fun to get caught up in the fervor of all that is going on around, doing touristy things as well as having some quieter, solemn prayerful moments.

The Vittorio Emmanuel -- by Rome standards this is a modern building

Standing Guard at the monument

The Architecture and statues are just phenomenal

Statue of Justice

This reminded us of a scene out of the movie Ben Hur

A View of the city from the stairs ... but wait for it we get to go even higher shortly!

We were able to go up on the roof of the building in the first picture and from there you can see Vatican city in the distance

Scenes of the City below

the Colosseum in the distance

Ruins of Rome

The Statue at the top of the building

And here we are up on the roof of the building in the first picture. This is not a selfie but I did manage to take our first selfie up here much to the great humor of Edmund, Anthony and I.

The Ruins of Old Rome Below

One section of the chapel next door -- the nativity

one of the altars

Altar of the Nativity

High Altar area

Anthony and Edmund -- we are about to enjoy the local pizza and calazone

Sadly we had to say farewell to Anthony today. He was returning to Oxford where he is studying. He is one of Newfoundland's Rhode Scholars!

Followed of course by gelato for dessert -- the flavours, the flavours! You have to have at least two!

Onward to the Colosseum,

The Archway was under construction

A picture or two of the Colloseum

The Trevi Fountain was much larger than I thought it would be

the Statues at the fountain

The Pantheon--trust Edmund and I to end up here in a rally!

Temple Adriano

Some of the Art work in Saint Andrea Church. This place boasts one of the most beautiful sacristies

Chapel of St. Andrea

Ceiling of said chapel

Doors and altar

Intricate ceiling work

In the church downstairs if you looked up at a certain spot there was an opening in the ceiling where this dove seemed to be in flight and the angels were looking down -- it looked like an opening to heaven

Baptistry

We ended up at this quadrant quite by accident.

It is know as the Four Fountains so here are two of them

The third fountain

and now the fourth!

Fountain in the middle of Republic Square

A slightly wider view

We were also able to make it to St. Mary and the Martyrs Church today where we took the opportunity to pray and to remember the many people that have trusted us to remember them in our prayers. St. Mary and the Martyrs contains much of the work of Michelangelo and as it was late in the evening the pictures are quite dark. Despite the fact that it was busy there, an area was set aside for meditation and quiet prayer. If you were not praying the section was off limits. There was a peacefulness about the place. From the outside it does not seen to have a great deal to recommend it but the outer facade hides a gem.