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onehandle

(51,122 posts)
Mon Apr 1, 2013, 09:09 PM Apr 2013

Pope visits St. Peter's tomb under Vatican

Source: AP



VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis on Monday took an emotional, close-up look at the tomb of Peter, the church's first pontiff, buried beneath St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican said. By doing so, Francis became the first pontiff to visit the necropolis, where pagans and early Christians were buried, since extensive archaeological excavations were conducted at the ancient site decades ago, the Vatican said.

The 45-minute "visit of devotion to the tomb of St. Peter" was private, the Vatican said, but it later released a video of it. The basilica was built over the location where early Christians would gather in secret, at a time of persecution in ancient Rome, to pray at an unmarked tomb believed to be that of Peter, the apostle Jesus chose to lead his church.

The Vatican first said Francis would pray at Peter's tomb, but later said he prayed instead in the basilica. The new pope "paused in silent prayer, in profound and emotional meditation" in the Clementine Chapel in the vast basilica that is "the closest place (in the basilica) to the tomb of the Prince of the Apostles," it said.

During a tour of the necropolis conducted by its director and an Italian cardinal, the pope "climbed up a bit, got closer to the place where the tomb of St. Peter lies, exactly under the central altar and the dome of the basilica," the Vatican said. Francis walked down the entire main street of the ancient city of the dead, the statement said. The streets of the necropolis are similar to those of ancient Rome, only they are flanked by tombs instead of shops and apartments.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/pope-visits-st-peters-tomb-under-vatican-181225763.html



The underworld of Europe is an amazing thing, history-wise.

29 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Pope visits St. Peter's tomb under Vatican (Original Post) onehandle Apr 2013 OP
But what did he eat for breakfast? ForgoTheConsequence Apr 2013 #1
Thank you. chollybocker Apr 2013 #6
Make that another thanks theHandpuppet Apr 2013 #23
I mean there is already a Religious/Christian forum. ForgoTheConsequence Apr 2013 #24
He is making a valiant effort to bring change to the church but it is going to take more than jwirr Apr 2013 #2
This shows that the Catholic Church officials are all too human, when it comes to Cal33 Apr 2013 #22
Absolutely right. Especially when we talk about modern Americans. jwirr Apr 2013 #25
Its a shame there's no real way to recommend a post..... Rowdyboy Apr 2013 #26
Many thanks. You are very kind. Cal33 Apr 2013 #29
Those are some weird hats DollarBillHines Apr 2013 #3
What, the Catholic yarmulkes? Hekate Apr 2013 #12
I love the underworld of Edinburgh Seedersandleechers Apr 2013 #4
Thanks for the history lesson. So many centuries of history preserved that few know about. freshwest Apr 2013 #5
How do they know he's the first pope to go down there? Renew Deal Apr 2013 #7
Its actually highly unlikely that St. Peter is down there either... Humanist_Activist Apr 2013 #8
Confusing headline - it seems to be mixing up Retrograde Apr 2013 #11
For those interested... lephty Apr 2013 #15
You lucky dog, it took me close to a year. Luckily it was almost right on top of when I attended Katashi_itto Apr 2013 #17
I'm jealous of you both! Retrograde Apr 2013 #20
what interests me are the old bricks and the bones in those tombs. Sunlei Apr 2013 #9
My thought as well. Nitram Apr 2013 #19
Thank you, that was very interesting. Beacool Apr 2013 #10
The catacombs south of Rome are amazing. dipsydoodle Apr 2013 #16
Creepy, but cool. Beacool Apr 2013 #21
Reminds me of... ReRe Apr 2013 #13
He was probably just scouting out a location for a new wine cellar Franker65 Apr 2013 #14
Neat. musical_soul Apr 2013 #18
Very interesting news. Thank you for posting. Tx4obama Apr 2013 #27
I really want to see the catacombs one of these days. Posteritatis Apr 2013 #28

ForgoTheConsequence

(4,846 posts)
1. But what did he eat for breakfast?
Mon Apr 1, 2013, 09:19 PM
Apr 2013

What color were his socks?

Does he wear a belt?

Does he take cream in his coffee?

C'mon this is important stuff, if you're going to pass off anything the Pope does as "breaking news" make it good!

chollybocker

(3,687 posts)
6. Thank you.
Mon Apr 1, 2013, 09:49 PM
Apr 2013
ftc

I've been on the edge of my seat for weeks...

"Breaking News: Pope has successful bowel movement; Vatican insiders call it a "small miracle."

theHandpuppet

(19,964 posts)
23. Make that another thanks
Tue Apr 2, 2013, 01:12 PM
Apr 2013

This is getting ridiculous and this topic is not worthy LBN material. Perhaps there should be a forum created where the Pope-obsessed can get their daily fix.

ForgoTheConsequence

(4,846 posts)
24. I mean there is already a Religious/Christian forum.
Tue Apr 2, 2013, 01:25 PM
Apr 2013

Its clear OP has an agenda. Some of us glance at the LBN section to get a quick handle on the important stories of the day. I don't think fluff or human interest pieces (even if they mean something to you personally) should be considered "late breaking news".

jwirr

(39,215 posts)
2. He is making a valiant effort to bring change to the church but it is going to take more than
Mon Apr 1, 2013, 09:22 PM
Apr 2013

reminding members of their history. The problem is that the things that have damaged them are not a lost history but a revealed history of misbehavior. Until they come to grips with that in a way that satisfies the people - including non-members - they will continue to have problems.

 

Cal33

(7,018 posts)
22. This shows that the Catholic Church officials are all too human, when it comes to
Tue Apr 2, 2013, 12:27 PM
Apr 2013

admitting their own faults and weaknesses. Are we Americans any different?

How many of us would readily admit that we've practiced genocide against
Native Americans? In 1800 the estimated population of Native Americans
in North America was 20 million. Today, more than 2 centuries later, Native
Americans in North America number less than 5 million. And during
these 2 centuries, the population of every other racial and ethnic group has
gone up at least 10 to 20 times.

Guns vs. bows and arrows -- How fair a fight was that? It was sheer
slaughter! The Native Americans were defending their own land, the Europeans
were the aggressors.. It was a question of might is right. This, too, is human
nature. Throughout history bigger and stronger nations have always conquered
and colonized weaker and more "primitive" ones. What percentage of our schools
teach the truth as it really is?

The Germany of today, on the other hand, tells its school kids all about what
Hitler had done: how he grabbed power, his wars of aggression, concentration
camps, mass murder, genocide, the likelihood of Hitler himself having been
one-eighth Jewish ..... the whole ugly works ..... no hideous details spared.

Pope Francis started his job only some 3 weeks ago. Like you, I'd recommend
giving him more time. Nazism lasted some 20 years. The Catholic Church has
a much longer history than that -- something like 2,000 years.

How long will it take us humans to evolve into something less greedy and vicious
still remains to be seen -- if we do not self-destruct first, that is.

Hekate

(90,189 posts)
12. What, the Catholic yarmulkes?
Tue Apr 2, 2013, 12:58 AM
Apr 2013

They're traditional!

But I notice the new pope doesn't wear the ruby slippers.

freshwest

(53,661 posts)
5. Thanks for the history lesson. So many centuries of history preserved that few know about.
Mon Apr 1, 2013, 09:37 PM
Apr 2013

The reason the Basilicia is there comes from the passions of past generations. These places have meaning to the peoples of these regions, a legacy our younger country cannot fathom. JHMO.


Retrograde

(10,068 posts)
11. Confusing headline - it seems to be mixing up
Tue Apr 2, 2013, 12:53 AM
Apr 2013

Peter's official tomb, which is under the basilica and which anyone can see, and the Roman-era necropolis, excavation of which started in the 1940s. I suppose an early pope or three may have been there as well, but it's been buried for centuries, long before the current St. Peter's was built.

Apparently, as pope he gets to jump the lines and go directly in: visiting the excavations is limited to a handful or people a day, you have to apply months in advance, and get really lucky.

lephty

(35 posts)
15. For those interested...
Tue Apr 2, 2013, 06:41 AM
Apr 2013

...you need to request a tour through the Ufficio Scavi at the Vatican. I requested 7 months prior to my visit and as lucky to get a 'ticket'. The tour is not done every day, and is limited to 10 or less people. This is a true behind-the-scenes tour. You are brought down to the sealed (for temp and humidity) necropolis far below the floor of the papal crypts underneath St. Peters. It was THE highlight of my trip to Rome.

 

Katashi_itto

(10,175 posts)
17. You lucky dog, it took me close to a year. Luckily it was almost right on top of when I attended
Tue Apr 2, 2013, 09:28 AM
Apr 2013

the World Kendo Championship in Northern Italy, so it worked out well.

Retrograde

(10,068 posts)
20. I'm jealous of you both!
Tue Apr 2, 2013, 10:42 AM
Apr 2013

I couldn't get one during my brief time in Rome. But St. Peter's at the crack of dawn was still cool - and no lines!

Sunlei

(22,651 posts)
9. what interests me are the old bricks and the bones in those tombs.
Mon Apr 1, 2013, 11:55 PM
Apr 2013

secrets locked away forever from society in bricks made by hand, the mortor laid by hand with hair, pollen evidence of the time forever locked in stone, by who? bones with dna that could tell the world who these people were and what they really died from. who knows whats really inside those endless tombs of bones?

Nitram

(22,663 posts)
19. My thought as well.
Tue Apr 2, 2013, 10:39 AM
Apr 2013

Lot's of scientifically and historically interesting stuff to analyze if scientists and historians were given access.

Beacool

(30,244 posts)
10. Thank you, that was very interesting.
Tue Apr 2, 2013, 12:02 AM
Apr 2013

I love history and the article was informative. I have been to the catacombs in Paris, but not to the necropolis in Rome.

dipsydoodle

(42,239 posts)
16. The catacombs south of Rome are amazing.
Tue Apr 2, 2013, 07:55 AM
Apr 2013

I was there early nineties. They go 4 or 5 stories underground. For years the skeletal remains just laid there on the shelves cut into the sides of the passages. Problem was that kids would pick up the bones and throw them about so they they removed all of them and put them into storage on the lowest level.

Beacool

(30,244 posts)
21. Creepy, but cool.
Tue Apr 2, 2013, 11:20 AM
Apr 2013

In the catacombs in Paris they check your bag before you leave. Apparently, people would take small bones and teeth. I couldn't do that, it's disrespectful.

ReRe

(10,597 posts)
13. Reminds me of...
Tue Apr 2, 2013, 04:14 AM
Apr 2013

... the books by Dan Brown: The DaVinci Code and Angels and Demons.
Thanks for this OP. I love history of all kinds. And I brake for Cemeteries.

Tx4obama

(36,974 posts)
27. Very interesting news. Thank you for posting.
Tue Apr 2, 2013, 07:19 PM
Apr 2013

The site was excavated in 1965 but no Pope until now has visited the tombs.
First time in almost 50 years!

Also of note - they took an iPad type tablet down there with them.
Photos here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2302784/Pope-Francis-makes-emotional-pilgrimage-Vaticans-city-dead-visit-St-Peters-tomb.html

Posteritatis

(18,807 posts)
28. I really want to see the catacombs one of these days.
Tue Apr 2, 2013, 08:13 PM
Apr 2013

My Roman history prof fast-talked her way into some of the parts that were off-limits to tour groups - turns out if you demonstrably know what you're talking about a few of the guides will let the more appreciative people do that. I'm envious enough of seeing them in the first place, never mind that.

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