Archives: Photos
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These trees have grown so much in the last decade!
These trees have grown so much in the last decade!
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You almost got me Random Window Display.
You almost got me Random Window Display.
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Just a random selfie from a bridge with a view of St. Peter’s
Just a random selfie from a bridge with a view of St. Peter’s
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Happy Easter
Happy Easter
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Tonight is the Easter Vigil when, among other things, people who have been preparing to join to the church over the past year or so will be baptized. Here are pictures of the Lateran Baptistery next to Rome’s cathedral, St. John Lateran. After the early persecution period until about the start the 2nd millennium of Christianity, there were a lot of adult baptisms and immersion was typical. Added on, bishops did most of the baptizing and usually only a few times a year (modern-day confirmation split off of baptism once the practice moved to baptisms done by more people more often). Thus, the cathedrals would have separate bapistry structures that focused on a large inset font. The ceremonies would often be single-sex (or mirrored spaced within the building). The Lateran Baptistery was build in the 5th century, eventually connected to the cathedral with later construction, and as all things Catholic in Rome, given some artistic treatment during the Renaissance
Tonight is the Easter Vigil when, among other things, people who have been preparing to join to the church over the past year or so will be baptized. Here are pictures of the Lateran Baptistery next to Rome’s cathedral, St. John Lateran. After the early persecution period until about the start the 2nd millennium of…
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On this Good Friday, I remember last Friday when I visited the Scala Santa in Rome. It is said in the 4th century, Emperor Constantine’s mom, Helena traveled to the Holy Land on a pilgrimage to the sites of Jesus’ life. Being the emperor’s mom and an empress herself, gave her a ton of access. There she founded some major churches (like the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem) and brought back a number of relics—including the stairs of the praetorium that Jesus climbed to be condemned by Pilate. Placed in Rome as stairs to the Pope’s private chapel (because of course lol), they became a pilgrimage location where pilgrims would climb on the knees. Hundreds of years ago, worried about wear, the original steps were covered in wood. Until now. The wood was removed for restoration work and they decided to leave it off and open them to the public until the end of the Easter season before adding the covering again. By just pure luck, I was in Rome when they reopened it last Thursday and able to visit on Friday morning. It wasn’t really a moment to snap pictures on the phone, so I took a quick one as I walked in. There are others online if you want to see detail. So, as we look to celebrate Good Friday today, my mind takes me to these stairs trying to imagine what Jesus must have been thinking climbing them, knowing that condemnation awaited him
On this Good Friday, I remember last Friday when I visited the Scala Santa in Rome. It is said in the 4th century, Emperor Constantine’s mom, Helena traveled to the Holy Land on a pilgrimage to the sites of Jesus’ life. Being the emperor’s mom and an empress herself, gave her a ton of access.…