26/05/2026
Another beautiful day in Rome! Our pilgrimage through church history began in the catacombs (no photos permitted) where we saw some of the earliest images of the Christian faith: Jonah and the Whale, the Resurrection of Lazarus, and symbols such as the dove and the fish.
Before departing the Appian Way, we visited the church of “Domine, Quo Vadis?” (“Lord, where are you going?”) where tradition holds that Peter encountered the risen Christ who beckoned him to return to Rome, lead the faithful, and witness to his faith through martyrdom under Emperor Nero.
After lunch, we visited the Cathedral of Rome, San Giovanni, originally built by Emperor Constantine in the early 4th century and holding such relics as the Last Supper table, the Holy Stairs that led Christ to Pontus Pilate, and the skulls of Saints Peter and Paul (inspiring a conversation about the veracity and purpose of relics). We also visited the Lateran Baptistery, the oldest in Rome and still used today.
We ended the day with another journey underground at the fabulous Basilica of San Clemente, descending from the gorgeous 12th century church into the church below (4th-11th centuries) and then again to the 1st century Roman level beneath it all.
This journey through he earliest centuries of Christianity in Rome inspired our reflections on the reality of death, our hope in resurrection, the meaning of baptism, and the significance of the Eucharist as a reconstitution of “family” around the foundation of faith.
