Who is behind all of this?

In a city full of sacred buildings, some churches stand out with their beauty, and one of them is the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, which was the first on our schedule today because we wanted to celebrate the holy Mass there. We had the pleasure of celebrating mass in one of the nearby chapels presided over by Fr. Rey Webb, who, after spending some time with us, bid us farewell with gentle and humble words and is now returning to Chicago.

Santa Maria Maggiore is located on the Esquiline, one of the seven hills of Rome.  It is one of the four ancient papal basilicas, and the most important Roman church dedicated to our blessed Mother, the Mother of God. Built in the first half of the 5th century, it is the only papal basilica to have preserved its original structure. Over the centuries, many renowned artists have worked on it, and consequently it is considered one of the most beautiful churches in the world. In the magnificent interior, the rich mosaics stand out, the oldest of which dates back to the 5th century. The mosaics depict the journey of Abraham, Jacob, Moses and Joshua to the Promised Land. The mosaics in the section known as the Triumphal Arch also date from the 5th century and depict scenes from the life of the Mother of God and Christ.

The church is also known for its Romanesque bell tower, the tallest in Rome at 75 meters.

Santa Maria Maggiore is also known for two chapels – the Sistine Chapel and the Borghese Chapel. Of course, the name of the former is inevitably associated with the chapel of the same name in the Vatican, which is more famous and visited.

The Sistine Chapel was inaugurated in 1587, during the pontificate of Pope Sixtus V, after whom it is named. It is rich in interesting works of art, and the most attention-grabbing among them is a relic believed to be part of the crib in which Jesus was born. As we approach to the Christmas celebrations, the chapel exudes a truly wonderful feeling.

Opposite is the Borghese Chapel, which is even more lavishly decorated than the Sistine Chapel. It was built during the pontificate of Pope Paul V Borghese and was named in his honor. This chapel is famous for another icon – the Madonna Salus Populi Romani, which is believed to be from the apostle and evangelist Luke. The literal translation of the name would mean Protector or Savior of the Romans, and the icon bears this name out of gratitude that the Mother of God saved Rome from a plague in the past.

In the basilica, next to the Sistine Chapel, is the tomb of Gian Lorenzo Bernini, an artist who left a huge mark on Rome with his Baroque works and who also worked on the church where he is buried. 

As we walked to the Vatican Museums (our next destination), we saw many landmarks along the way, some of which were Column of Marcus Aurelius (Trajan’s Column), Trevi Fountain, Column of the Immaculate Conception… The column was built in Rome between 180 and 193. The column commemorates the emperor’s campaigns against the Germanic tribes and the Sarmatians during the Marcomani wars. About 39 meters high in Piazza Colonna, it has a spiral relief depicting biographical and dramatic battle scenes, including a rare depiction of the “rain miracle”, where a sudden storm is said to have saved the Roman army. The Trevi Fountain is a Baroque marvel that was completed in the 18th century. The work took thirty years and marks the completion of the aqueduct. It shows the god Oceanus driving a chariot drawn by sea horses. The fountain became very famous because of Fillini’s masterpiece La Dolce Vita (1960) in which the fountain was depicted.  

The next attraction we visited was the Vatican Museum, or rather museums. How did the Vatican Museum come about? When Pope Julius II, otherwise a great lover of art, came into possession of the statue of “Laocoon with his sons” in 1506 and exhibited it in the Vatican, he had no idea that he was laying the foundation for one of the most visited museums in the world, the “Musei Vaticani”. Over time, his successors have collected so many works of art that this museum is a must see if possible. It was not opened to the public until 1771. At the request of Pope Clement XIV.

In the end, I can say only one thing, from everything we saw today, is it possible that all of this is the work of human hands. From a young age, I heard stories that someone who is an artist is said to have a gift. I wonder, what kind of gift is that? I also wondered; who is behind all of this? That gift, that ability, if it is in the service of the Lord, becomes a work that we can only admire. Everything we saw today exists because of someone who expressed the beauty of his thoughts, the beauty of dedication, because an uninitiated person cannot create a work worthy of admiration. 

-Br. Danijel Sentic, Croatian Franciscan