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You are here: Home / Dream Locations on My Bucket List / 2 Weeks in Italy – The Signs of Christianity are Everywhere

2 Weeks in Italy – The Signs of Christianity are Everywhere

09/16/2015 By: CCPearsoncomment

Italy trip -- Sept. 22 - Oct. 7, 2013 101 Italy trip -- Sept. 22 - Oct. 7, 2013 098

 

A view of the grand altar in St. Peter’s Basilica.     The “Pieta” by Michelangelo, commissioned in 1498 and unveiled in St. Peter’s in 1500.  He was in his late 20’s when he sculpted this piece.

 

I don’t think I’ve ever been in a place where there were more churches, shrines, statues, and paintings depicting Biblical scenes and themes than I observed in Italy.  The “trappings of religion” were everywhere.  The lines to get inside the major cathedral in each city (referred to as a “duomo”) often ran the length of a city block or more.  The Vatican, St. Peter’s Basilica, and the Sistine Chapel were crowded to capacity, even though we had skip-the-line passes and a guide who knew all of the easiest and quickest hallways and routes.

Image

 

This dome at the Vatican (completely surrounded by the city of Rome) is the centerpiece of one of the largest churches in the world.

The skill of the sculptors, the architects, the builders, and the artists was astounding, almost too much to comprehend.  How could a person take a block of marble and carve such details, such fluidity and such emotion into it?  What drove Michelangelo to spend four years on a scaffolding on his back painting a ceiling?  How could an architect even dream of such intricate and elaborate structures?

Italy trip -- Sept. 22 - Oct. 7, 2013 177 Italy trip -- Sept. 22 - Oct. 7, 2013 176

 

The cathedral in Florence is known as the Basilica of St. Mary of the Flower.  It was begun in 1296 and completed in 1436 with a dome engineered by Brunelleschi.  Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli and Rossini are buried inside.

Siena -- duomo and striped cathedral

 

This is a view of the cathedral in Siena that has a striped design.

Milan cathedral

 

The cathedral in Milan took more than five centuries to complete.  What commitment and dedication it must have taken to stay at the task over such a long period of time!

Italy trip -- Sept. 22 - Oct. 7, 2013 327

 

The cathedral of San Marco in Venice is best seen from the water.  It is said that the remains of the Apostle Mark are buried here.

The more I saw, the more questions I had.

Were the lines just as long to get inside these churches when it was time for a worship service?

Do the people of Italy have a strong relationship with Christ who is the REASON for all of the buildings and art?

Is Italy morally strong?  Do its citizens behave and think in Christ-like ways?  If not, then what has changed since all of these signs of Christianity were created?

Is the Bible taught inside all of these magnificent buildings?  Or, are most of them primarily art galleries and historical museums?

What do the Buddhists, the atheists, and the Muslims think who visit all of these famous places in Italy?  Are they drawn to know more about Jesus or are they just impressed with the beautiful art?

Those questions led me back to good ol’ Alabama, the Heart of Dixie AND of the Bible Belt.  We have churches on every corner, but where are the Christians?  How are the lives of those who call themselves Christians reflecting Christ?  Do non-Christians just see buildings full of hypocrites who are making feeble attempts to follow some arbitrary rules or do they see lives that are radically different because of the saving blood of Jesus Christ?

Anyone reading this have any answers?  I’m listening.

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Connie Collier Pearson, travel and food writer and blogger

Connie Collier Pearson, travel and food writer and blogger

Travel tips on Mondays and devotionals on Fridays.

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16th Street Mall AL Amish Aubie Birmingham AL Boudin Caddo Cafeteria cajun Charleston SC Civil War Coatepeque creole Denver Duke University Durham Ecuador elephants First Baptist Church of Athens Forrest Gump Franklin TN French Quarter fried green tomatoes GA General Joe Wheeler Guatemala Guthrie's Huntsville AL Mentone Mona Lisa Bistro N.C. Niffer's Orange Beach AL Pond Spring Quito Rockefeller Center Samford Hall sourdough bread The Cheesecake Factory The Church at West Franklin TN tomato pie Toomer's Corner trolley Wildflower Cafe World Food Championships

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