Friday, November 9, 2012

un'avventura

Every day is un'avventura, an adventure!

So Fr. Joe and I went back to the site and our theory proved correct.  The coordinates were correct by latitude and longitude however directly below our feet was a traffic tunnel!  We found the staircase that took us there and found the Cache!

This first picture is of a tiny Church, whose name I forget, that is located near the Piazza Navona.  It is never open!  Today I was walking by when the custodian opened the door and I slipped in behind her, the photo came out terrible but it was great to see the place!

Church near Piazza Navona
 I took this picture as I passed behind the Pantheon, the entire building was once clad in white marble and was spectacular.  On the rear of the building you get a sense of just how spectacular where these remnants remain.
Pantheon
 Then on to find the Geocache.  Here is close up of the magnetic canister with an even tinier scroll to sign inside.  It was behind a pipe.
Tiny Geocache
 Here is longer shot, you can see the pipe and the tunnel and Fr. Joe on the right checking his phone fo the next cache location.
canister actual size
 Then I ducked into another small Church, this one is an Russian Church near the Colosseum.
Russian Church
 Then into another very ancient Church called SS. Cosmos and Damien in the Roman Forum, part of the complex used to be a Roman Temple and Administrative Complex turned into a Church.  You know this is an old Church because the Mosaic Icon in the Apse has no gold in it.  The Romans used Blue as a background which was considered the most precious color to use.  With the influence of Byzantium the blue would disappear, being replaced by gold.  This was a really spectacular mosic.
SS. Cosmos and Damien
 Not visible too good on the left of the mosaic is Pope Felix, here is a better shot of him.  He wears the ancient style of the pallium, another way to date the mosaic.  He is the white bearded man on the left by himself.
Pope Felix
 Here is a photo of the Roman Forum with the Colosseum in the background to the left.
Roman Forum at sunset
 Then on the way home the Church of San Marco in the Piazza San Marco was open but very dark inside, the crypt was also open where relics are kept, this is a photo of the reliquary.  You can actually see the bones through the glass though you would not know it from the photo.
Reliquary in the Crypt of San Marco
 Ok, lots of Churches every day but this building is quite famous in Rome also, it is the Jewish Synagogue.  It's distinctive feature is that it has a square dome to set it apart from the many round dome Churches of the City.  It was already dark but friday is the Jewish sabbath so the lights were on inside for services.
Rome's Synagogue

No comments:

Post a Comment