Christian Family inspired Articles
"After all this had happened, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. "After I have been there," he said, "I must visit Rome also."
"After all this had happened, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. "After I have been there," he said, "I must visit Rome also."
Travelers everywhere have been spiritually motivated to take up their travels by the ancient words of Paracelsus, who has been quoted as saying: "The journeys I have made up until now have been very useful to me, because no man's master grows in his own house, nor has anyone found his teacher behind his stove."
Some Christians may even interpret these words to mean that traveling, seeing new things, having new experiences, and meeting interesting people are an important component of truly finding out what God and their faith mean to them. Some people can feel God's presence in their lives simply when sitting at home watching TV, but others find that it is traveling instead which does the trick.
Rome is at the very top of many Christians' lists of travel destinations because of its rich cultural history and numerous sightseeing opportunities. Who doesn't want to see the Colosseum, or perhaps even the ruins of ancient Roman apartment buildings? Rome is also the historical center of Christianity, and as such it attracts numerous Christian tourists every year. So where should you go if you are looking for Christian sites to visit? Here are some great places for you to check out:
1) St. Peter's Basilica
St. Peter's Basilica is probably the most popular Christian site in all of Rome. It is located in Vatican City, which may be the center of Catholic Christianity, but which is important to all other denominations of Christians as well. The basilica was built over the tomb of St. Peter early in the 4th century by Constantine.
2) Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls
This is another basilica that was built over a tomb, this time over the tomb of Saint Paul. Saint Paul the Apostle is a very important early Christian figure. It is said that he founded several churches and was responsible for much of the spread of Christianity in the 1st century. He is also considered to be the author of 14 of the books in the New Testament.
3) The Catacombs
There are five different Christian catacombs open to the public in Rome. These are:
- The Catacombs of San Sebastiano
- The Catacombs of San Callisto
- The Catacombs of Domitilla
- The Catacombs of Sant'Agnese
- The Catacombs of Priscilla
The catacombs are significant for Christian tourists because they were the sites of early Christian burials and sometimes even provided meeting places for worship.
4) Saint Peter in Chains
Saint Peter in Chains (also known as San Pietro in Vincoli), is a church that is best known for the fact that it houses Michelangelo's famous statue of Moses. This beautiful Renaissance statue is a part of the tomb of Pope Julius II, who died in 1513.
5) The Pantheon
Though the Pantheon used to be a temple built to honor and worship all of the Roman gods (who are collectively known as a pantheon), it was converted into a Roman Catholic church in the 7th century. It is the best preserved building in Rome, and is today still used as a church.
6) The Sistine Chapel
No Christian trip to Rome would be complete without a visit to the Sistine Chapel, the home of Michelangelo's "The Last Judgment," and, of course, his frescos on the Sistine Chapel ceiling. Do not miss out on your chance to marvel at this masterpiece of High Renaissance art.