Vatican

Wow! Stunning and HUGE! A few favorites included:

St. Peter’s Square. We didn’t get great photos here because they were setting up for Easter mass, but we’ll be back!

The bronze canopy that is supposedly over the place where Peter’s bones are buried. Mammoth!! Months in advance, Val requested from the Vatican, via email, the underground tour of the Necropolis and of St. Peter’s tomb. It was incredible (and a little scary) to see this ancient underground city and hope that the reinforcing brick walls they built would do the job (or that no earthquakes would strike!) while we were down there peering up through tiny holes into the massive church on top of us!

The ceiling leading to the Sistine Chapel! We also loved Michelangelo’s masterpiece on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel itself, but no pictures were allowed. We also became quite familiar with the Italian word “silencio” while in this chapel;)