Vatican City

June 1, 2012

Vatican City its own country so yes, we are separating Vatican City out from Rome—and it’s my blog!  Vatican City has its own post office and bank.  This was the last of my SIM card so unfortunately I don’t have many pictures, but Lauren took a ton of pictures and I have the memories.  Michelangelo spent four years painting the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling and another five years to paint the front wall.  When he was painting the ceiling he started to go blind because of the paint dripping in his eyes.  The pope begged him to complete the ceiling, but he wasn’t the biggest fan of the pope.  When people offended Michelangelo during the painting project he would paint them into the picture inappropriately.  Therefore there is a little angel painted flipping off the pope in one of the portraits.  Martin Luther required all the statues to be covered up (male parts) so there were additions to the artwork when this occurred.

The Pope lives in the Vatican City and he was there the day we visited because his windows were open.  The Vatican City is protected by the Swiss Guards and the outfits they have to wear are a bit funny looking.  The Pope does go out to the porch every Wednesday to speak, but not on the middle balcony.  That is only used to announce a new Pope, Christmas, and Easter.  The chimney that the smoke comes out when they are electing a new Pope is taken down when they have a Pope.

What I did learn is the Sistine Chapel isn’t in St. Peter’s Basilica.  The Pope has an altar over St. Peters bones and above the altar is a painting of God.

We spent three or four hours in Vatican City and didn’t even hit half the rooms with statues and paintings.  You could of spent an entire day there!