Part of researching fantasy is researching the past and researching the systems in place that resonated in the time. I took a religious day today and walked the steps of Saint Peter in a one day pilgrimage through multiple religious sites in Rome. This is a yearly thing that happens here, though it is mostly reserved for locals and those of the Cross. However, the good lady Talis was able to discover that this year they opened it up to outsiders… of which I am one.
I must say, it was an amazing experience. We started with a sermon at a nearby local basilica, traversed the ancient streets near the colosseum to see the prison where Peter was held. From there it was Basilica after Basilica as we moved across the city towards the Basilica of St. Paul. I’ve been to the Vatican, but I somehow skipped this place last time. It is beyond breathtaking. The statues practically come to life with realism. As we began so did we end, with a 5 pm mass in the Basilica. It was beautiful in a different way. It was powerful and filled with music… it also was not the pope. No, I didn’t expect it, but the procession for the (Cardinal?) who hosted was incredible. There is so much grandeur that I think those who write of the past and of fantastical worlds should be required to observe these types of events–not only those of the Cross.