My steps along Via de Porta Angelica...
My steps across the Porta Angelica...
Even if I do not personally ‘click’ with the ruling Pope, being in the Vatican is beyond any faith and personal opinion… in no minutes, I felt tears rolling down my cheeks just from standing in Piazza San Pietro, face to face with the Vatican. And while people were desperate to take pictures, my first reaction was to pray and spend some minutes in quietness, observing, exploring with my eyes, absorbing, enjoying as if it was just me standing there. The experience was so powerful that it was as if the noise and disturbance of people around me were not really happening. I cannot imagine what will be to get inside those buildings… which I will do eventually. Today I had planned to go in an unplanned exploration, taking stock of the terrain so as to decide where to dive later.
In my stubbornness of walking ‘map free’ –and maybe taking advantage of my no-rush schedule to discover places- I adventured myself into one of the streets within the Vatican city, although in an area called ‘Extra-Territorial” Vatican. I saw this amazing palazzo, with only a barrier for cars at the entrance. I walked in, assuming there was an exhibit to visit, according to one of the signs. I started taking pictures of the patio, framed by balconies with incredible paintings until an elegant mature woman said: “Scuzzi, signorina! No photos.” I expressed my confusion when I showed her the sign. “Yes, but that exhibit finished in June and this is a private office.” I wanted to know more about this palace turned ‘private office’. “Do you know what this building was before being a ‘private office’? It is a stunning palazzo!” “Yes, before it belonged to the Vatican, and before that it was the Palazzo d’il Commendatore*.”“Scuzi, e Grazie.” “Prego.”
Palazzo D'il Commendatore tunred into "private offices".
Close-Up of one of the Frescoes on the Walls and Ceilings of the balconies. They are in restoration. They actually look faded as on the photo. Still beautiful...
Church of the Holy Spirit (S. Spirito in Sassia), just by the Palazzo d'Il Commendatore.
* Commendatore: “Literally Knight Commander, the official title of Commendatore is awarded by decree of the President of Italy to individuals who are given this honour in the Italian Order of Merit known as the Ordine al Merito della Repubblica and other orders of knighthood. The Commendatore (or Commander) rank is a higher award than that of "Ufficiale" (Officer), which in turn is higher than the first level of "Cavaliere" in this order of chivalry which was originally established in Italy by the Royal House of Savoy.
The rank of commendatore is also bestowed in several Italian dynastic orders of the royal houses of Savoy, the Two Sicilies, Parma and Tuscany, as well as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (in its Order Pro Merito Melitensi bestowed for merit) and Papal orders. Traditionally, the analogous rank for ladies is dama di commenda (dame commander), but today the word commendatrice is sometimes used.” [source: www.wikipedia.com]
2 comments:
Sentí mucha afinidad sobre tu comentario acerca de la espiritualidad con la que nos conecta el Vaticano. Justo estuve pensando en estos últimos años un poco alejados de Dios, que era hora de dar el salto y descubrir un Dios más de adultos, o sea uno más interior. Uno se da cuenta de que si bien a veces Dios parece de mentira, hay otros momentos donde no puede ser más que verdadero, porque uno siente la conexión con lo trascendente; es más fuerte que uno; está ahí, en el Vaticano, en las flores, en la felicidad de ver los chicos durmiendo. Son cosas pequeñas, de una belleza extraña, que a uno lo toca como con un aliento divino.
Completamente, Mercedes. Lo impresionante para mi en Roma es ver lo que ha sido capaz de hacer el ser humano a traves de los siglos para el ser Divino. Ya sea para honrarlo, alabarlo, agradecerle... ya sea financiando las obras o ya sea prestando su creatividad, poniendo su arte al servicio de. Hay algo mas que haya sido capaz de tanta inspiracion?
Hoy visite Santa Maria Mayor: una manzana entera para Maria, en marmol, adentro y afuera. Es increible el contraste con los monjes que atienden la iglesia, y mas aun cuando salia y me tope con 3 monjes franciscanos de mochileros.
Y si, yo personalmente, tambien 'conecto' mas con Dios en un atardecer en la montanya o el mar, o en un templo Zen pelado, o en ver a mis sobrinos, que en una basilica de marmol...Dios esta adentro de cada uno y en la Naturaleza. Para mi estas obras de arte hechas por el hombre son evidencias del amor/admiracion del ser humano al ser Divino. Y esto tambien me conmueve.
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