Fountains of Rome

One afternoon, I went on a tour walking the streets of Rome and visiting the different fountains and buildings.

This really had nothing to do with Biblical history, other than that fact that a lot of the fountains were commissioned by the Church to be made.

Honestly, Rome herself is a work of art.

Mamertine Prison

So, aside from the Colosseum, the 2nd biggest reason was because I wanted to see Mamertine Prison.

Said to be the place where both Peter and Paul were imprisoned (and the place where Paul wrote several New Testament letters), it was foremost in my mind. I'd hoped my tour guide would point it out, however, he was unable to—just the general area where it was located.

Not to worry, I thought. I'll find it tomorrow.

After my tour of the Vatican (posts to come!), I walked across Rome in hopes of finding this place. I didn't have cell phone service; I only had a map given to me by the hotel and a general area of where the prison might be.

However, it was not to be. All the tours I went on meant I'd been walking and standing for too long. I have some kind of undiagnosed foot problem where I can't stand/walk for too long without extreme pain... which I was already in.

Halfway there, I started having to stop and sit in shop windows and on benches, just to take pressure off my feet. Finally, I gave up and hailed a taxi, even though I knew it would be expensive. It was worth it to be able to walk around the prison, I thought. I paid 8 euro to go 1 mile. He dropped me in the area, because he didn't know the prison either. So I limped to a tourist booth, where they told me I needed to go back to where the taxi had dropped me and turn right (a quarter of a mile). After resting, I went back and turned right, and walked again, up a cobbled hill and down another. It was clear I was in a residential area. It started to rain. I went inside a Cathedral to rest my feet and sit for a few minutes, and the priest told me I couldn't be there—or even outside leaning against the wall. I had to leave the property, even though I could barely walk... and by now it was raining harder.

Finally, I walked back down the way I'd come and found an empty doorway in a busy area to rest my feet and wait out the rain. It was after 6pm, I was hungry, wet, discouraged, and in pain. Finally, I walked to a taxi stand and took a taxi back to my hotel, where I found a local restaurant and then went to my room. By the end of the night, I couldn't even stand and had to crawl to get anywhere in my room.

It was only then that I was finally able to google Mamertine prison (because I finally had wifi). It turns out I saw it the day before, while I was in the Roman Forum. I even have pictures of it. Basically, when the tourist information booth guy told me to go back and turn right, he should have said left.

(the prison is the white building on the right)

But it wouldn't have mattered, because the prison closed at 5pm, and it was around that time when I arrived.

And, after more research, I found out that it's highly unlikely that that particular building is the prison. Honestly, I didn't need google to tell me that. After speaking to so many people in the tourism industry in Rome who had no clue where the place was (and it is their job to know these things), it means that it isn't the legit place.

I still, however, am very disappointed in the priest who couldn't find the compassion to let a weary, wet traveller in pain find rest just for a few moments in his church. 

Palatine Hill

From the Roman Forum, we made our way to Palatine Hill.

In the center of the 7 hills of Rome, this is where Rome began. From the grounds, you can look down on the Roman Forum and the Colosseum, as well as see a hippodrome in another direction.

At this point, I was pretty tired and hungry, as it had been an incredible, but very long morning. Our tour guide dismissed us and I headed to the train station so I could eat lunch and get to my next tour in time.

A personal gymnasium for the palace

Statues of Rome

The statues of Rome are so beautiful they deserve their own post.

Formed with such grace and beauty, these statues from the Roman Forum caught my eye even more than all the ruins all around. Look at how the robes of these statues drape on their bodies, so much so that they are almost lifelike. 

I'm getting ahead of myself, but this bust of Athena from the Vatican (below) teaches us something very important—many (if not all) of the statues were painted. Check out her eyes. After spending a lifetime reading books and seeing movies about ancient Rome, suddenly I'm picture the statues in the gardens with new—color-filled—eyes. I wonder what vibrant beauty these "ladies" had back in their day?

He is Risen!

“He is not here; He is risen, just as He said. Come see the place where He lay.” Matthew 28:6

Have a wonderful Easter!


📷from the Garden Tomb, 2017 #bestdayever