More of Rome

The crowds were crazy after the Papal Audience

so we decided to investigate a few nearby churches...

Basilica of San Giovanni dei Fiorentini

with a very modern (and empty) Divine Mercy chapel

English translation = St. Mary Magdalene's foot

Santa Maria in Valicella

Entombment of Christ by Caravaggio

Now there's some pipes!

St. Philip Neri

(his body is behind the grate)

Dan was thoroughly enamored with European vehicles.

Then back to St. Peter's to enter the Holy Door.

The Pieta by Michaelangelo

Amazing architecture. 

Kind of takes your breath away and photography really doesn't do justice.

We attended Mass at the Chair of St. Peter

(it's in the middle of the picture, under the stained glass window of the Holy Spirit)

Tomb of St. Peter

Just your typical tourists.

St. John XXIII

View from the entrance door...

looking in...

and looking out.
(Here and here are a couple of virtual tours of St. Peter's.)

Still smiling!

Cool pic of the Swiss Guard

These two were very obliging to Dan's photo request.

Water fountain (not kidding!)

Grass IS rather hard to find in Rome.

Adoration at Santa Maria delle Grazie alle Fornaci

(translation is St. Mary of Graces Outside the Furnace...referring to the kilns that were located here to make bricks for building St. Peter's Basilica in the 14th century)

More to this story here!