THE VATICAN

From the Outside In

The world's smallest country, the Vatican city is a walled enclave within the city of Rome. It is approximately 0.2 square miles and has a population of 770. The tiny country which surrounds St. Peter's Basilica is the spiritual center for the world's Roman Catholics. The Vatican City is surrounded by Rome, Italy.

Since the Vatican is a country, it has its own stamp.

. The present Church of St. Peter stands upon the site where at the beginning of the first century emperor Caius Caligula built a circus and where Emperor Nero martyred the Christians (Tacitus, "Annal.", XV, 44).

Looking carefully, you will see an outlined map of Nero’s circus with an overlay of the present day Vatican.

In early Christian times, a small city of churches gradually arose here. After Constantine’s Edict of Milan (313 A.D.) Christians were allowed to construct places of worship and it was Constantine himself who began the building of a magnificent basilica.

When in the year 847 the Saracens pillaged the Basilica of St. Peter Pope Leo IV decided to surround the extensive suburb with a wall. I

MAP OF VATICAN CITY

If you examine this map you will be able to follow the walls of Vatican City. Find the military “look out points”. Notice that “The Vatican” includes a great deal other than merely St. Peter’s Basicilica. A larger image of this map is on the next slide.

When the Popes abandoned Rome during the Avignon schism (1309-1377), the basilica, which was one thousand years old by then, was showing signs of wear and deterioration. Owing to the neglect of the churches at Rome by the fifteenth century the decay of Saint Peter's had progressed to an alarming extent. A reconstruction effort was begun in 1452, but was halted because of a lack of money. Then in 1506 Pope Julius II decided to raze the old buildings and put up the greatest church ever. A church that would be the mother church for all of Christianity.

Construction halted, however, when Julius II (1513) and artist Bramante (1514) died. Changes in leadership led to changes in design. Michelangelo, received control in 1548. By the time the project fell into Michaelangelo's hands it was well on its way to being constructed as a huge Latin cross. Michaelangelo changed direction, bringing Saint Peter's back to its original design - a Greek cross. After Michaelangelo's death, the project passed to Giacomo della Porta, who changed direction again and is responsible for the Latin cross we see today.

Saint Peter's Square is the large public square outside Saint Peter's Basilica.

Visit the site: http://www.saintpetersbasilica.org/Exterior/Obelisk/WindRose.htm

The square is actually round, with the perimeter marked by two huge colonnades. The roofs of these colonnades are supported by four rows of Doric columns 60-feet tall. The ellipse symbolizes Saint Peter's, the mother church of Christianity, embracing the world. At the center of the square is an Egyptian obelisk, marking the site of Nero's Circus where Saint Peter was crucified.

At noon on Sundays and several other times each week to hear the Pope say mass and to receive his blessing. As it is now, the square can handle about 300,000 people but has been known to pack in more.

Watch the video at the following link:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8bh4p_st-peters-basilica-the-vatican-rome_travel

Next week we will view the move: Agony and the Ecstasy

In preparation you are to find one utube program about the Sistine Chapel and site three learning objectives from it.

You are also to write a three paragraph biography of Irving Stone. Be sure to site your sources.