Thursday, May 17, 2012

Italy: The Preview, Part 2

I don't think I've mentioned this on my blog before, but one of the big reasons I'm going to Rome is that I'm Catholic and Rome is THE place for Catholics to visit in their lifetime. My college requires us to complete two religion courses for graduation. In Rome, I'm taking the religion course "Theology of Pilgrimage". 
The idea behind this class is that we will be visiting The Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome, three of which were made official by Pope John Paul II during the Great Jubilee of 2000 (jubilee=really special Holy Year). Catholics who visited four of these churches in the middle ages believed that they would receive an indulgence (a "pardon") from all of their sins. The theory still runs true today, but I really don't think I've done anything too terrible that I need to visit all of these churches for God to forgive me. Still, just THINK of all the pilgrims who have visited these churches before me!

I don't know how the heck we're going to see all of these, and I'm sure they're all going to blend together after a while, but here they are!

The Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome

1. Santa Croce [Wednesday, May 23rd]

2. Giovanni Laterano [Wednesday, May 23rd]
3. Maria Maggiore [Wednesday, May 23rd]
4. San Paulo [Monday, May 28th]
5. San Lorenzo [Friday, June 8th]

6. San Sebastiano [Friday, June 8th]

7. San Pietro [Friday, June 8th]

Jesuit Pilgrimages
Since Loyola is a Jesuit school, we're also going to some institutions that somehow represent the Jesuit tradition.

San Andrea [Wednesday, June 6th]
Gregorianum [Wednesday, June 6th]
First Jesuit University, yeah!

Il Gesu [visit for the first time on Wednesday, June 6th; class mass Monday, June 18th]
The Jesuits' "home" church
San Ignazio [Wednesday, June 6th]
Church of St. Ignatius Loyola
Rooms of St. Ignatius [Monday, June 18th]
Preserved rooms of where St. Ignatius lived and prayed

Orvieto and Assisi: TBA


I've already talked about Assisi in a previous post. On June 9th, the entire Loyola community goes on a day trip to the medieval town of Assisi. However, my Theology class professor will be taking us on a separate excursion there, as well as to Orvieto. Orvieto is interesting in that it has an underground city (cool, right?), because the town was once the home of the papal residency and it needed an escape route for the pope in case the town went under siege.

--Becky

3 comments:

  1. I'm going to Italy next summer and I am beyond excited! I hope you have lots of fun! Can't wait to see pictures :)

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  2. Awesome assortment of monuments. I know many of these from my history of architecture classes. I bet you will have a wonderful time there in Rome dear Becky!

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  3. Sounds like someone's psyched!
    Have a great time!

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--Becky