18 May The Curious Traveller
Vatican City. A fortress of holy wonder. An inconceivable force beyond ourselves.
A colossal slab of sacred granite welcomes our group as we make our way toward the entrance to the devout city that is called home for the 266th Pope Francis. A consistent quick squeaking from dampened shoes surrounds myself as people from all over the world scuffle through the entryway and metal detectors.
All precautions need to be taken when entering the holy city.
The location specializes in ancient Roman and Greek sculptures, paintings, tapestry’s, and bath tubs, as well as thieves, pickpocketers, scammers, and merchants. Nonetheless, our knowledgeable companion, Roberto, begins our enchanting journey by expressing the importance of the Renaissance and “beauty” and the relevance to God and the Christian Church. Roberto explained the Sistine Chapel in depth, focusing on a few key parts painted by Michelangelo. A moment that stood out to myself was when Roberto pointed out Michelangelo’s self portrait in this massive piece. Nothing more than a piece of drooping rotten shell of a skin. Michelangelo almost thought of himself “unworthy” as he could not even be compared to the saints and angels in the painting. He was just a common man, and for that, he could not be painted in a normal human form.
Progressive thinking that involved the idea of creating and thinking by God within our brains and uplifting ourselves to be as knowledgeable as possible was frowned upon by the church, but Michelangelo wouldn’t stop for this reason. Walking through the Vatican’s museum, looking at the timeless art pieces, leaves your own brain in a state of awe and wonder. Even if you aren’t practicing the faith, the feeling in the atmosphere and from within yourself is similar to the one where you’re witnessing the Colosseum or the Roman Forum. Even just walking through the cobblestone streets, passing by buildings where the ancient architecture is still intact, each intricate little detail makes a profound impression on the pedestrian.
The beauty of Rome’s culture lives on because of the city’s deep seeded roots in its history. It’s easy to be attracted and to become attached to a culture that values beauty in such a way that is different from our own back home. You’re mind is constantly being stimulated, always satisfying the average curious person’s hunger to know more and more. There’s no other way to describe this overwhelming feeling other than euphoric. It’s not comprehensible, and yet surprisingly for something we can’t exactly explain or put into words, we enjoy it and indulge in exclusive moments such as these.
