oh, hey italy.

I went to Rome and fell in love...with the city. With wide eyes I first gazed on the ancient city by mid afternoon , after a long morning filled with bus rides, train rides, and an early museum stop. I had my ideas of what Rome would be, just like any other modern human being in the 21st century. I grew up learning about Ancient Rome as if it were another world, one that could not be fully grasped or touched. I have read book after book about this city filled with churches that are art centers of worship and the countless death of Christians inside the colosseum. I have learned in history class that is is known as the eternal city. No other city (other than Jerusalem) on our world has been destroyed so and rebuilt so many times over the course of known history. War after war, destruction after destruction, invasion after invasion has not stopped this city from being the most well known city on earth. Like I stated in my first blog, you cannot fully know a person or place or even scratch the surface of knowing, unless you can make a promise with touch that mere sight betrays. That is why we came to Rome, Prof Doll stated over and over again, “we go somewhere to have an experience, to touch, to make a connection that you can’t do by looking at a photograph. The studio is not enough, you need to see”. So we went to Rome. 

For three FULL days and half a morning we traveled, toured, explored, walked, ate, walked some more, listened to, loved on, got inspired by, heard God speak through the city of Roma. As the saying goes, do as the Romans do, so we stayed in the cutest apartments downtown Rome. Just a half a step away from the Pantheon and another half step from THE best gelato of my life. That is how 20 college students enjoyed Rome from inside the city, my prof said if we didn’t stay inside it would be pointless to go. If I could explain every single place we went, all the art I saw, and my mind being blown from all new architecture I would, but no one wants to read a novel when this is only suppose to be a blog. So I will be only touching on a few main places where my spirit and heart really felt a connection. All the other stuff, I guess you’ll have to come see. ;) 

“All praises to the one who made it all, who made it all.

All praises to the one who made it all, who finds it beautiful.”

The song Crags and Clay, by Gungor, played on my ipod over and over and over again as I filed slowly through the biggest man made open structure i’ve ever stood in. This was not only the largest structure but the largest church i’ve set my foot into. One big open room, lined with millions of pounds of gold, huge columns the size of three people wide, and arches that reach higher a bus on its side, St. Peter’s Basilica had my attention for the next full three hours. As I walked up to this massive building, one of structure, history, and almost demanding attention from all who pass by, my breath was taken away. The church sits unlike any other church i’ve experienced. Due probably to the thousands of tourists inside all taking photos but also God’s presence was over whelming thick. St. Peter’s is the Pope’s church. It is known throughout history as THE Cathedral. Behind all of the people, all the cameras, all the gold, incense burning, and intense religious icons being shoved down my face everywhere I looked, God was there. I filtered through people, the little chapels on each side gazing up at the beautiful intricate details of the mere ceilings none the less all the details on the walls. I finally got to the back! The whole while feeling a bit overwhelmed, so overwhelmed I need to sit down. There are atleast 10 side chapels facing the walls where you can sit and pray. So I took that offer. Each was roped off with an officer protecting the solitude and holiness of prayer section, all I said was “I pray?” and he let me walk through.

I sat down in awe of the art, of the ability, and talent that went into making such a structure. I pondered all the churches i’ve been in in America. Other than the Catholic Cathedral I went to growing up and a random few others through the years, America doesn’t built things like this. Obviously I was sitting in St. Peters, but all I could think of is God you are worthy of this. You deserve this. This building was made with excellence and did not slack in any area. He deserves our gold, our time to build such outstanding design for His presence to meet with His people. Many could argue against my statements but after experiencing both the Catholic tradition and the Protestant, I believe there needs to be a reflection of both. Tradition and Spirit, Father and friend, gold and wood.  

I came to this realization after God rebuked and convicted my heart about my pride towards the Catholic church. (That wasn’t fun but needed to happen). How the Spirit is being revealed now on earth is happening due to the past. It’s a timeline of current events unfolding over the course of eternity. We just so happen to be in the middle of a great release of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Earth in signs and wonders. Not that He hasn’t in the past but now we have depth and ground to stand on our long history of faith being able to understand what God is doing. How God spoke it to my heart was the Catholic church matters!!! And is such a big deal. To know where we came from we have a better understanding of the present and than an understanding of where we are going in the future. The saints matter, the popes matter, the holy wars matter, the traditions matter, the sacraments matter. Church history actually matters. And I guess up until this point I did not have a place for them in my worldview or thinking. I don’t worship any better than the way they worshiped in the past. And I had to ask forgiveness for thinking the way I worship, talk, and pray to God is better than how the Catholic church worships, talks and prays. The way God revealed Himself to them is no less than how He is revealing Himself to the church now especially the American church. 

St. Peter’s is art that worships God. It may not be in the way I would have designed, decorated, or painted a church unto the living God, but that doesn’t mean its wrong. So after getting smacked (nicely) in the face by God, I walked out. Of course stopping to see the Piata, carved by Michleangleo. There is TOO much to say about that, so ask me in person. 

I set on the steps far away looking at the Basilica listening to “Crags and Clay”. 

The lyrics are stated above, 

“All praises to the one who made it all, who made it all.

All praises to the one who made it all, who finds it beautiful.”

And God spoke so softly, “I made this for me. People may have “made” it with their hands, but I made those hands. I wanted this for me because I am worthy of it. I find this beautiful just as I find the churches in American that you cannot stand because their lack of beauty and I find the cute little huts made out of mud in Africa just as beautiful. They are all beautiful because they worship me. Size does not matter, gold does not matter. What matters is that my presence still dwells and people still come to meet me. I made it for me.” And that shut me up for the whole night. 

Ancient Ruins!!!! blew my mind! After a long day of walking, site seeing, exploring we made it to the Roman Forum for the sunset! Absolutely my favorite time of the day, always. There are not many words to say about the ancient ruins other than they are really really old. HA! Well duh Hannah. I like being apart of something that has lasted over two thousand years- like Jesus. But also, standing inside of a building so many before me stood. Seeing the ruins grew my understanding for the timeline of humanity and how much of our lives are a tapestry knitted together throughout the ages. We all come from dust and dust we will return. 

The color pallet of Rome and most Italian cities (not all) are a variety of tans, yellows, browns. This is because of the local stones were used to build the city, handy right? There is this soft color pallet as my eyes gazed over thousands of year old design plans. They cared about design and art just as we do. They cared about what things looked like, how they fit together, how it will hold people. They were the ones who cared the most about design if you look over the course of history, ancient Rome had it going on with architecture. Everything in Rome is pretty close together, so we just hopped right over to the Colosseum. Now I do not want you to have a wrong view of what I am to say, but I was not impressed by the Colosseum. I think because it’s that popular kid that everyone likes, and because everyone likes him I am going to not, just because. It’s a beautiful structure but looking over it all I could think of is death. That is strong language but really. It was a place where death was glorified. A place where people would go to watch others literally be killed for entertainment. But as I think about this concept and look at our culture, I realize we glorify death but in our entertainment of movies. I pushed this thought out of my head so I was able to receive the historical land mark and move on. 

The next morning couple of my friends and I got up at 6:30am to go to a cafe before we started our day with the rest at 8am. They wanted to read and chat but I wanted to see the ruins in the morning sunlight. Thankfully everything in Rome, like I said, is SO stinking close, my friends watched me as I walked over to the ruins and sit in the early morning sun. It was even better!!! There is something different about the sunrise and how the sun slowly but sneakily lifts above the buildings as if it were one of those hot lava lamps being turned upside down watching the lava consume the space around. 

No one was out. Not a single person, other than the police trolling around and the occasional runner. I was astonished. I had all of the ruins to my self. I literally cannot believe it still, two mornings in a row. For there being so much hype about Rome and it being a touristy city, you could not tell at 6am. I am starting to be a morning person and some who know me will laugh out loud at that. I laugh every time I get up for the sunrise or just to read in the morning, it’s weird I’m growing up. 

I went inside the Vatican, I was overwhelmed. It was the last of three full days of site seeing and my mind was on overload. TOO MANY PEOPLE. I did get to see many famous beautiful paintings by Carvaiggo, Michelangelo, and just the Sistine Chapel, no big deal or anything. AH! Now I stay an hour inside of that chapel and just looked up. I could have spent more time but they were pushing us out, so rude. If you want to know more ask me questions- WAY to much to talk about. 

The city as a whole. 

Clean, a bit touristy in certain parts, beautiful, quiet, loud, ton of trees, tall buildings, maze like streets, ancient, modern. Those are just a few word to describe Rome. I could see myself living there for a short time in my life. I felt very safe, felt like a person not just a tourist. So many come to this city but God gave me a few beautiful personal experiences that no one else has had (I hope). I am not just another that comes and goes. I believe we all change a place or leave behind something that forms a bit of the city or person we meet. Rome changed me. I am not the same after experiencing the city. Was it the ancient ruins, or the beautiful artwork, or cathedrals covered in gold? Yes it was all of those, being able to touch, smell, hear the sounds of an ancient eternal city that is still living in its modern world. It is not stuck in the past but uses its resources to create future life. It is a city with endless supply of fresh water. Every where we went we saw fresh water flowing out of fountains, drinking holes, and spouts. They say if there is water flowing the city will be flowing. 

And so my time in Rome. Definitely not the last.

I grew in my understanding of God, His people, His timeline, I grew to love the people I am living with for the next three months, I grew to love art history, I grew to love early morning sunrises, and I grew to know a city most talk of but never have experienced the way I got to.