The Ordinary versus the Extraordinary – A year of travelling with three children: 25 November 2015 - Papal Basilica of St Paul outside the Walls, a long walk and St Cecilia surprises us again!

I do believe that the majority of schoolwork has been completed. Tim, who has finished his year's work, had some frustration with actually submitting his work as the normal channels were not working. Just when he thought he'd finalised it all, the submission process let him down so hopefully it will be resolved soon. Annika has a tiny bit to do and Luke can finish up but we want him to keep up journal writing each day to maintain his skills. Tim already is working on animations and producing travel videos which he enjoys doing and we will all enjoy watching! We really didn't know what part of the school curriculum they would be up to at this stage, so that is one of the reasons we decided to base ourselves in Rome for a month.

Papal Basilica of St Paul outside the Walls

We headed out on the Metro to Basilica San Paolo and walked to the Basilica of St Paul outside the Walls. I hadn't expected it to be so big! It is one of the big 4 Papal Basilicas in Rome.

Front of the Basilica - note golden mosaic

The original basilica was erected over the burial place of the Apostle Paul by Emperor Constantine I. Over time is was extended and modified and a cloister was built between 1220 and 1241

The basilica was almost completely destroyed by fire in 1823. Many countries contributed to the reconstruction and the new basilica was re-opened in 1840. Emerald green malachite and blue lapis lazuli from the Emperor of Russia and pillars of alabaster from the Viceroy of Egypt and re-use of some of the mosaic materials which could be salvaged, have combined to make this basilica quite magnificent. Luigi Poletti, a neoclassical architect was responsible for the new basilica. By the way, he also added a choir to the Pantheon and designed several theatres.

Apse mosaic with various Saints

The Altar of Assumption -with emerald green malachite and blue lapis lazuli - stunning!

Some of the Popes - all painted in sequence under the upper windows.

All of the Popes - there is room for 6 more!

Frescoes hidden in corners!

Apostle Paul's tomb

Apostle Paul's remains were placed in a sarcophagus in 4 th Century and can be seen as a rough marble sarcophagus below the altar with the inscription: Paulo Apostolo Mart (Paul the Apostle and Martyr).

Always good to use someone's explanations

Paschal candle stand -12th century work signed by Pietro Vassalletto.

The kids and I decided to take the opportunity to go into the cloister and pinoteca as well. With many double columns inlaid with colourful mosaics, the courtyard area is very pretty. The walls of the cloister display a tasteful collection of old marble plaques and grave stones with fragments of ancient writing upon them. I always challenge myself to work out dates and if I was right, some of the stones were 13th century or even much earlier!

The beautiful cloisters also designed by Pietro Vassalletto

Mosaic pillars in cloisters

Sarcophagus in cloisters

From 13th century

Beautiful mosaics on the pillars and around the top

Rose garden

Checking out the pillars

The monastery still functions today.

Found in 2007-2009 excavations

Some reliefs are still remarkably intact.

Trying to work out the date ?220AD - can't be!

The dove with olive branch again.

Wow!

Very fine work here!

Holy Door opened every 25 years for Jubilee celebrations

The gardens were lovely but it really was getting a bit chilly to sit around for long! We decided to walk to the Trastevere which was much further than it looked on the map! There is nothing quite like dragging a grumbling one or two kids along to make the road seem arduous when you are actually enjoying the walk and loving the history around you! I have given up promising that I won't stop to take pictures and read signs! Tim decided to go back home at his fast pace and just when the grunts had reached their peak, I saw the church of St Cecilia in Trastevere. At least some of our party were excited!

Outside the church of St Cecilia in Trastevere

St Cecilia, again! She seems to keep cropping up and surprising me. If I were a Catholic, I might consider Cecilia as an extra name! Only yesterday I learnt about St Cecilia in Rome and her church and we didn't even go looking for it! Luke and I were particularly excited and noted the statue of St Cecilia was indeed the same one (one of them is a replica) we had seen in the catacombs! We were even more excited to find some steps leading down to the archaeology below the main church which included a very beautiful crypt and the remains of St Cecilia's house.

Cecilia was martyred in 230 AD in her home which had also been a secret place of worship. She had survived being locked in a steam room for 3 days and then survived 3 blows of an axe to her neck for a further 3 days until she bled to death and during this time she spread the Gospel and many became Christians, The current church was built on top of her home. We felt as if we had to tip toe across the 2000 year old mosaics on the floor of the ancient house. The remains of a tannery with several big vats could be seen as well as pots and other rooms in the house. It was quiet and peaceful there in the old house - what a privilege! And the crypt built in 1899, with all its elaborate mosaics was really quite lovely and a surprise find at the end of the earthy ruins of the house.

Sneaky peek at the Roman ruins of Cecilia's house below the church

St Cecilia (1600)

We tried to tip toe on these ancient floor mosaics

There were 5 or 6 big vats for the tannery which once existed in the house of Cecilia

I imagine this is St Cecilia

Crypt under house

1899 Crypt mosaic

We walked through the Trastevere area and then along the river to the Vatican, via the subterranean bakery and home. My legs were really tired. We must have walked at least 10 kms, mostly on cobble stones which really challenge one's legs!