GL 350 Blog 6

Prompt: In what ways is the Catholic Church both Roman and Global?

First off, the Roman Catholic Religion is an extremely popular religion all throughout the world. It is used in early every corner of the world on a daily basis. However, here in Rome there is something special about it. There is a church around every corner of the city, and the majority of them are much more beautiful and much larger than any church found in the United States. Churches like San Pietro, San Giovanni, San Clemente, Santa Maria Majore, San Poalo; the list could go on for days. All of these churches are not only beautiful inside and out, but also extremely large. I think that this shows how dedicated the Roman citizens have been to the Catholic faith throughout their existence. The sheer scope and size of all of these basilicas and the paintings and frescoes that were put into them goes to show that Romans are extremely dedicated to the Religion, as around 90% of the population is Catholic. In the book The Italians, Barzini states, "But Rome was something infinitely more than Paris in 1940. Rome was also God's seat on earth, the rock on which Christ had established His Church, the centre of a vast spiritual Empire of which all Christians had been subjects until a few years before." (Barzini, pg. 295).
Some of the best artists in history have put work into many of the basilicas around Rome. From Michelangelo to Bernini, artists throughout history have put some of their best work int the churches that can be four throughout Rome and I think that this also shows the importance that Italian people place on the Catholic faith. There are also many relics to be found in the churches around Rome. Graves of Popes and Cardinals line the floors, pieces of history like a relic from the Last Supper Table found in San Giovanni, or even pieces of the bodies of Saints can all be found in the churches of Rome. This is something that cannot be said of almost any church of the United States. The churches are also much older and this makes them feel much more authentic and original, simply because they are. There is simply nothing in the United States that can compare to the beauty of both San Pietro and San Giovanni, and these buildings were built hundreds of years ago, this is simply breath-taking to me. No church in the U.S is anywhere near as old.
Here in Rome on Easter Sunday, we all had the amazing opportunity to go and attend the Pope's mass. This experience also showed the dedication of the Italians to the Catholic Faith. Thousands people attended the mass and it as one of the most unique experiences of my life. The weather during the mass was terrible. However, Mike even pointed out that most likely non of us would be kneeling during the mass, however, there would be many people who would because of their dedication to the faith (even through the three straight hours of rain). This experience was something that was only possible to see here in Italy, and there is nothing else like it in the world. I think that this is one way that the Catholic Church is Roman.
It has come to my attention after attending a few of the masses here in Italy, that even while the masses have been in Italian or Latin, I still know exactly what is going on at all times. This is because even when we are hundreds of miles from home, the Church still uses the same routines to complete the mass. The tradition of the Church is truly global. No matter where you go, the Catholic mass will more or less be the same everywhere else. I think that this is how the Catholic Church is global. The same routines are followed everywhere you go. In the book The Smiles of Rome, Michelangelo states, "I know this true and prove it in my sculptures: art lives forever, death forfeits its trust" (Michelangelo, pg. 106). In this, I feel that the beauty and size of the basilicas, and the dedication the Roman Catholic Church of the Italian people, will also live forever.