Pics from Italy

While wandering through St Peter's, I noticed that many people were using flash photography. I was surprised, since I know that the flash is bad for paintings and frescoes. When I asked Father about it, he replied, "Are you sure they are frescoes?" I replied quite confidently, "Yeah." He just gave me a look and walked away. I was pretty sure until I took a closer look. I was blown away! All the beautiful art and pictures in St Peter's are mosaics!!! I looked at over 10 - 15 pictures and thought they were paitings! The detail is incredible and even when I was fairly close to the mosaic, it was hard to tell. On the left is one of these incredible pieces of art! Truly something to be marveled.








While visiting the Vatican Museum, I photographed this mummy for Charles. I caught him with his heart still beating!











Something you will never see here in the States! As you walk around town, throughout Italy, in the most random places, you will see little

shrines, statues, frescoes and paintings of

religious art! I just loved looking for these. When I spotted them, I felt that I was being watched over by the particular person being depicted. Some have been there for hundreds of years.

The one of the left was on a building that we passed by every time we walked down a little side street to Father Avram's.

This fresco faced a little piazza in front of the Pantheon.

I thought this was just too cool not to take a picture! This is a window display for a store. Look carefully, they even sell the mitre for bishops. We saw a few of these walking through Rome. The window on the other side of the shop entrance had Ordinary time displayed in green. Rumor has it that there are store fronts like this one with habits for religious sisters. I didn't get a chance to see any of those.













The view from the top of the dome at St Peter's. 551 steps up and 551 steps down!