Churches in Rome

This is Santa Maria Maggiore. It is Mary the mother of Jesus church.


Down here are the supposed pieces of Jesus cradle. Keriann and I were skeptics on this one.


This is San Giovanni in Laterano. I was surprised to learn that this is the Seat of Rome, or the Cathedral. (Cathedral means seat.) it is not St Peters. The part on the right used to be the Popes residence. This church dates way back to 325 AD. Although the building has been enhanced and expanded over the years.


These are the front doors. I was careful to duck my head. They are made from copper and were taken from the place where the senate met in Roman days. When Rome fell, the church took them and put them to good use. It is a good thing too because for sure the copper would have been melted down and used elsewhere.


This is the "seat" of the Catholic Church. The Pope must sit in this chair within 30 days of being chosen Pope. If not, then he is not the Pope. The last time that happened was in 2005 when Benedict sat here to officially become the Pope. I thought about jumping the barrier and sitting in the chair to become the first Lutheran Pope of the Catholic Church.


These pillars were in front of one of the temples to a Roman god at the Forum and moved here at the fall of Rome.


At every church is one or two beggars. This woman and others like her bend over in this praying position for hours with a cup in front, asking for money.


Karen and Keriann and I had dinner on the streets of Rome. Breakfast is at the hotel, bread cereal and coffee. Lunch is usually things we buy at a grocery store like bread, cheese and fruit. Dinner we eat out.