BELLA ROMA (Part 1)..... Day #42!

Ciao!!!!

ROME was AMAZING!!! I have been trying to figure out how I am going to even blog about it, what to say, what pictures out of the hundreds that I took do I put up, where do I even begin!!! I guess the beginning would be a good start ;)

I arrived safe and soundly Friday night. Everything went so smoothly but was extrememly tired so I checked into the hostel and met up with Evan, Katie, and Erin and then went to bed! Evan and I have known each other for quite some time...grew up playing softball together for several years! She is currently studying in Scottland with Katie. It was such a blessing to be able to meet her in ROme!!

Spent the night for the first time in a hostel! It was really nice actually except for the guy snoring louder than a tornado (that might be a little extreme but at 4:00 in the morning things can seem louder than they actually are). =) I wish I could have gotten in the same room as the other girls but its okay! So we got up and had our tickets to the Vatican Museums. Such a good thing that we booked them online before we came because the line to get in was SOOOO long that it would have taken us all day! But we got to just jump right ahead of everyone and go right in:)

It was so gorgeous! Just completely breath taking going around all the rooms and getting to see the fabulous art and sculptures! Nothing is like it these days! We ended with the Sistine Chapel! Cameras were not allowed so I don't have any pictures from there but it was so MAGNIFICANT!!! I wish I could sit here and just explain what it was like sitting there looking up and seeing the ENTIRE ceiling covered in art!!!! Michelangelo was so gifted!!!

After the Vatican we went to lunch! When in Rome... I got Spaghetti and it was just amazing! Olive Garden does not even compare to REAL ITALIAN food!! :)

After lunch, Erin's (a girl I met through Evan) family Priest, knew Father Denis and he was able to hook us up with passes to go to Mass Sunday morning INSIDE ST. PETER'S, where the POPE HIMSELF WAS GOING TO GIVE MASS!!! What an incredible opportunity. Not just anyone can get these passes either you have to have connections, and 4 people ended up not being able to come so we got the tickets. How crazy!! I had never been to a catholic mass before, so it really was a neat experience for the first time! 

Father Denis ended up walking around Rome with us, giving us his very own personal tour! It was such a blessing and a huge reason the day was so great. Most the time I think tours are kind of boring and would rather just explore on my own but Father Denis made everything so interesting and taught us so much I don't even think tours would have talked about. We went to several churches, the Bridge of Angels, stopped in at the Pantheon, and he treated us all to Gelato! 

One of my FAVORITE stops was the Bridge of Angels. This bridge represents the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Each Angel is holding a different object that represents part of the crucifixion like the crown of thorns, and a spear (for the spear that pierced his side) and a stick with a sponge on the tip for when Christ said he was thirsty. The feeling of walking down this bridge is just one that I cannot even attempt to explain and put into words.   

After Father Denis parted from us, we went to see the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. There was a big protest starting with riots, so He told us to make sure and stay away from the Colloseum. We could see the smoke from where we were though... pretty crazy!!

At the Trevi Fountain we were taking pictures of us tossing coins in and making a wish...I was so focused on tossing the coin in I TOTALLY forgot to Make a wish hahaha, way to go me! But I mean really... What more could I have wished for?? God has blessed me immensly with this experience!! Sometimes I still think I am going to wake up from this dream!! :)

We ended the night with grabbing a bite to eat and then going back to the hostel. I tried a Roman dished called Gnocchi alla sorrentina. They are these noodle type things but made from potatoes, with a tomato sauce it was DELICIOUS!!

What a wonderful first day in Rome!!

Picture Time :)

Vatican City

a GINORMOUS bathtub made of MARBLE! 

The story of Moses :)

Lunch time :)

St. Peter's

Bridge of Angels!!!! :)

Jesus Christ carried the Cross on his back!

Crown of thorns!

meet Father Denis :) Yummy Gelato!!

The Pantheon

Police getting ready for the riots

Smoke from the riots! AH!

The Trevi Fountain!!

Spanish Steps!
Katie, Erin, Evan, Me

Dinner... Gnocchi alla sorrentina!

I absolutely cannot end this day without sharing with you all the best part!! :)

My entire was spent learning about amazing people in history who acted upon their belief in God. Really HEAVY!! I kept getting reminded of a verse that my Dad shared with me when I was struggling.

Psalm 56:4

In God, whose word I praise- in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?

All these people died!! They were convicted and put to death for being criminals, but they also died as a martyr for God's kingdom. No man can take away the lasting effect they had and still have today. With God, men can do nothing to you. Its ironic how most of their deaths are what had such an influence in the spreading of Christianity. Men thought that by destroying the people of Christ, they would destroy Christ but the complete opposite effect took place. Christ's kingdom grew!! Father Denis pointed out several times how Rome was a polytheistic country. They believed and worshiped many different gods. But now they are one of the most religious cities, because of the work of the disciples and many others. There was not any huge wars where the christians just wiped out all of those who were not christians, in fact the ONLY blood that was shed was their own. Christians were persecuted and crucified, yet they WON!! By the miraculous work of God, using individuals to spread his word, not just while living but continuing to show the Grace of God even after their deaths. How AMAZING is our GOD!!! :)

(Part 2 to follow)



-Lissa