Walking tour of Rome

This morning after breakfast I took a walking tour of Rome with Patrick McDaid, Marianist seminarian beginning his second year here the Angelicum. Patrick loves to walk and it was good seeing the city and walking to the various sites of the city. We passed through the Aurelian Walls of the city up toward Circus Maximus passing the Baths of Caracalla, and heading toward the Capitoline Hill and Roman Forum. The Campidoglio (Capitoline Hill) is one of the most sacred of Rome's hills where Michalanagelo designed the star-patterned square and surrounding buildings of the Capitoline Musuem. The bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius in the center of the plazza is a copy of the 2nd century A.D. origial which is inside the museum. It was fascinating viewing the Roman Forum below the Capitoline Hill while a protest march was going on down the street; a strike was called this morning from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. I suspect that the folks were on strike to participate in the protest march. There were many tourists from all over the world walking through the Roman Forum. The Forum during the Roman times was the nerve center of the most powerful Western civilization in history for a least a thousand years; political decisions were made, public speeches were heard and market activities took place there. The remains here in the Forum dates back to 2,000 years including old temples, law courts, and victory monuments. We walked back to the Marianist Residence passing through the Roman Forum, viewing the Colosseum and the Arch of Constantine. One of the highlights and surprises for me walking back to the Marianist residence was visiting the Chiesa Di Santa Maria in Domnica, the church for Cardinal Laveda. When Bishop Laveda was installed as Cardinal by Pope Benedict he is given a specific title and Church to designate his office. Santa Maria is a very modest Church compared to the other impressive Churches in Rome.