Earthquake!!!

You probably have heard of the terrible earthquake which happened just outside of L'Aquila ("the eagle") this morning. It was a beast - killed many people, and left thousands homeless. One part which hits close to home is the fact that there are several American universities' campuses located in L'Aquila, including a school very near to my heart. Plus, it's not far from where the Pope spends his summers - let's hope that beautiful site doesn't fall!!!

Earthquakes and other earth-moving natural disasters aren't foreign to the Italians. Italy is located right on a shifting plate - it's what causes the Appenines to exist so close to the ocean. It's what causes things like Vesuvius to blow. It's what causes places like the Basilica di San Francesco to be rattled so hard that its timeless frescoes become . . . well . . . time-threatened. It's also what brings such beauty to the region, as well - many of the ancient buildings still standing today had foundations of tufa rock, and we wouldn't have Pompeii if it weren't for the burying.

With this week being holy week, I wanted to talk about some of the great sacred locations in Rome and the vicinity. One NOT-TO-BE-MISSED spot - make it an intentional part of your everyday stroll in Rome - is the Bridge of Angels, just near the Castel Sant'Angelo. You can easily view it online - to be visually reminded of those devices of torture used against Christ is incredibly moving for a Christian in her Lenten spirit. You quickly realize that these physical devices are metaphors for our own behavior, and, while looking each angel in the face, you see your own self. What an amazingly graceful loving Savior we have, who was the innocent sacrifice on behalf our own sins!!!

Consider entering the Castel Sant' Angelo, as well - it is an amazing structure, from the original tumulus of Hadrian, all the way to the ornate ceilings of the Papal apartments. And to view Rome from the Angel Michael's viewpoint . . . wow . . . a great place to feel a little freedom after being tourist-cattle in the Vatican!

Did I say I was continuing on to Chianti? Tomorrow . . .