Vatican Museum & St. Peter's Basilica

Wow! This place was amazing! So many works of art, plus the Sistine Chapel. We had paid for a guided tour for the group and that really helped. I know I wouldn't have gotten nearly as much out of the experience without our guide's instruction. It would have been nice to be able to enjoy the Sistine Chapel with fewer people and a bench to sit down on while looking up and around, but that was not to be. I hadn't realized there were so many paintings on the walls (not painted by Michelangelo, but other prominent artists of the time)--there was so much to take in. But all in all, it was really impressive.

After we left the museum, we went into St. Peter's Basilica. It is HUGE!! St. Paul's in London could fit inside the dome. While there we also saw Michelangelo's Pieta. Unfortunately it has to be behind glass because it was attacked many years ago by a man with a hammer who thought he was Jesus Christ. It was restored and replaced in the Basilica, but behind bullet-proof glass. I think it is a beautiful piece. It seems that Mary has some sadness in her face, but as a mother I was thinking that she should look sadder. Not distraught, because she knew the plan, but certainly sorrow for all that her son had been through in His last few days on this earth. Later when I was reading up on this sculpture, I found this statement on Wikipedia: "Michelangelo's interpretation of the Pieta was far different than those previously created by other artists—he decided to create a youthful, serene and celestial Virgin Mary instead of a broken-hearted and somewhat older woman." When I read this, the word "serene" popped out at me--isn't that what we should all hope for in our sorrow and trials? That we can find serenity and peace? I'm going to take that as my lesson from this beautiful sculpture.

Here's a rare picture of all of us (well except for Aubrey who is still at home)--it's taken outside the Vatican Museum.