Sailing around the Med and Isles (2018): Day 17

Very much looking forward to today's adventures in Rome. Today I get to do something that's so unique and unknown by most. But first we need to get to Rome. Now that I know Italians cannot drive (or can drive but you think you're going to die when then do) I've opted for the 45 minute train ride to the city from the port.

One of the catacombs of Rome

The 1921 Altare della Patria for king that unified Italy in back in 1860

Amazing how fast time goes here. It took an hour just to walk around one building. Now I understand how you could easily spend a week here and still leave without seeing everything. Must head to the Vatican for the highlight of the day.

You may be thinking, what's so unique in Rome to do? There is a tour that is limited to 200 people a day. You must contact the Pope for tickets and they usually are taken months in advance. What it this tour? We're going to walk in the old cemetery that is directly under the current St Peter Church.

History lesson time. Jesus lives. Before he dies he tells one of his follower, Peter, to carry on the church after he dies. Jesus dies in roughly 30AD. Peter leaves Rome and goes off to spread the gospel. Rome is still a hotbed of 'human entertainment' where people and animals are killed for public entertainment. The current spot of the Church is then a long chariot race track. Emperor Nero really hates Christians. There's a great fire in Rome and Nero blames Christians for it. Who better to punish than the leader of the church, namely Peter. What lucky timing for Nero - in celebration of his 10th year to the throne, wants a huge, gory celebration. Let's have the party and murder Peter at the same time. Before Nero kills Peter, Peter asks to be hung upside down so as to be shown lesser than Jesus who was hung right-side up. He's in his mid 60s at this point.

The 'circus of Nero', aka the race track

As you can see in the above picture there are rolling hills near the stadium where Pagans have been buried for a long time. Pagans are slowly coming around to the Christian mindset. Peter is able to be buried in a poor man's grave near the stadium in those hills but is buried up against this unique red wall with two small columns in an otherwise unimpressive poor man's coffin/grave. Red was only used to signify a Christian grave so you can imagine not a lot of red walls in this Pagan area.

The street you'll walk down. Tour starts on the right at the red mark. Peter's remains are in square S on the left

The crypts have this town-like aspect in how they're situated, very much like Pompeii ruins

More time passes, Rome falls. Christians build their first church on what use to be the track field. More time passes and roughly 300 AD the basilica begins to show signs of aging. The Pope gives the nod to to tear it down as it'll be cheaper and easier to rebuild in stone than repair the current wood structure. At this time Constantine is in power and he's a fan of Christianity. He pictures a large church but to make it requires disturbing the old cemetery. He decides to build the church on the highest point of this hill. Doing this though will require him to cut the tops off or totally destroy the crypts. He gets what he wants. If the crypt is too tall the roof is cut off or even completely destroyed. Gone is the church. The hill is leveled and a new chapel is built. He does place the high alter where be believes Peter's tomb was located (although he's not 100% sure it's the exact spot).

The top picture shows that darker spot under the church which was the old hill. The second picture shows how much leveling they did to build the church as well as showing where Peter was buried on the hill (dark square in center)

More time passes and Constantine's church is rebuilt in 16th century. This church and even the high alter is built upon what folks hope is where Peter is buried but no one knows for sure. 1940s, Hilter. While renovating the church they find a red wall. If Hitler got wind bad stuff would have happened. For the next 20'ish years in secret they clear this portion of the remains and find the fabled red wall and the columns. Today they've positively identified the remains of a man in his 60s of the correct era, with marks showing forcibly removal of his hands and feet. This they believe is Peter, located exactly under the church which carries his name. What are the odds?!?

Today we get to explore the 100AD city of crypts that Constantine ordered be altered / destroyed / filled-in so he could have his church.

The purple rectangle is the old streets (which we'll be strolling through). Then black rectangle is where all the Pope's are buried. Gold is obviously the new basilica

Side view of where St Peter's tomb and a view of how many times the elevation of the area raised over time

My ticket to see part of Rome, looked circa 100 AD. You pass through security, go past the Swiss guards, go down some stairs then you're then roughly 30 feet under the chapel. Technically you're not suppose to take pictures so I'll have to borrow some to add to the ones I took to help show this unique place. You're in this subterranean city for roughly two hours so it may not be for everyone as there's no fans or blowing air to calm anyone who may be claustrophobic.