Religious Day---3 churches in the morning

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This morning we explore 3 important churches and will particularly notice the various mosaics.

The churches are  San Clemente Church, Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore and Santa Prassede Church and to tell the truth, they sorta blended together after awhile.  Maybe I didn’t take good enough notes to keep the 3 churches separated.

As we were walking from the bus to the first church, our guide told us a really long story about Nero and his Mom, Agripina.  I’d heard the story before, being an antique history geek, but she gave it a new twist.

The original San Clemente church was built in 400 AD , burned, and this church was built on the site.    The mosaic floors were very unusual. 

As we went through the churches, we were treated to  historical information--   Emperor Constantine brought freedom of religion to Rome and it was abolished and it was abolished in 396.  The decline of the Roman Empire began around 250 and continued until about 476 AD.  When the Roman Empire fell, the Church took over and organized the government  They took care of the people and were involved in the growth of agriculture.  The Popes and religious hierarchy were the only intellectuals.  The ordinary people were uneducated.   The Papal state was in charge of diplomacy—the Pope became like a king.

The marble used in these churches was recycled from older buildings that had been torn down or had fallen down.  Our guide explained in great detail the artwork in the Apse.  It seems that  all of these areas have the same sort of artwork with the same symbolism.

Many of these churches had a ban on flash photography, and some a ban on all photography.   Interestingly persons pictured in these mosaics who were holding a pole are known to have been martyrs.  Certain colors were used for certain people pictured.—Jesus and Mary pictured in red or blue, etc.   These mosaics were done in colored glass about 1200 years ago and are vivid and  in great shape.

In the Santa Maria Maggiore church, the gold on the ceiling was brought from “the New World” by Columbus and given to Pope Alexander VI  (one of the Borgia family).  

We of course, had a break after the three churches and we opted for gelato rather than a "real" lunch.  Do I need to mention that each day we were there, Nick had gelato at least once and sometimes twice.  If it had been on the breakfast menu, it would have been 3 times.    An interesting morning, a yummy lunch, a bathroom break and we were ready to see the Vatican.