Feb 12 – Bones of Peter
After yesterday’s marathon of basilicas, today was relatively light! We started out meeting with members of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, led by Cardinal Kasper from Germany, Bishop Farrell from Ireland, Monsigneur Turk from Germany (who has been our host while we’ve been in Rome,) and Rev. Fairbanks from Philadelpha, PA. This group is the council appointed by the Pope to work on ecumenical dialogs, with these men representing the Lutheran/Roman Catholic dialogs. We had some time for questions and anwers on both sides, and then we moved to a meeting with the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue led by Cardinal Tauran from France. This group works with different faith communities, and discusses relationships between the Jewish, Muslim and Christian faiths. These conversations were really interesting, and I have a much better idea now about what the purposes and benefits of ecumenical and inter-faith dialogs are.
I will plan to have some sort of gathering when I return to talk in more detail about some of these conversations, and to show slides of the touring and religious sights we have been privileged to visit. So much history, and as Americans, we just don’t have the same depth of connection to those centuries of religious foundation that underpins our witness. Ok, we have 2,000 years since Jesus, but these people KNOW about everything that has happened during those years within the church. And as we walk backward in time each day, I am coming to appreciate that history as part of my own Lutheran story.
More on that later. Next we had the best part of the day, a tour of the excavations beneath St
Peter’s basilica, and the basilica itself. We were given access that is not readily available, to the Scava, or the excavated necropolis (literally “city of the dead”) which is underneath the floor of the current church. This church sits upon another church that replaced yet another church built by Constantine.
Why all these churches? Well, the site is where St Peter is buried, and all three basilicas are situated directly over Peter’s grave, one on top of the other. There is a wonderful story that is almost like a Sherlock Holmes novel in regard to how Peter’s remains were found, but I’ll save that for a time when I can “spin it” with appropriate illustrations and slides. Fascinating. Suffice it to say, I saw the cases which hold, as closely as archeologists can verify, the bones of the apostle Peter, the fisherman. Wow. When you think about that it is almost in-credible. And yes, as I stood in the level underground where Peter’s bones have been reburied, looking through the glass, I wept. Indescribable emotions, and an undeniable connection to a man who knew Jesus as a brother, a friend, and his Lord. Can’t quite find the words for today.
Then, we came up three levels and 2000 years to the basilica of St. Peter’s. The amazing Bernini columns that hold up a 9-story canopy of bronze over the altar. The Pieta of Michaelangelo. The red marble disk embedded in the floor, where Charlemagne knelt to be crowned king. This is one amazing location in our big world, and I hope that each one of you get to experience it someday.
Finally we had to catch our bus to dinner with Cardinal Kasper and our speakers from the morning sessions. We had a lovely evening together, and I found more to connect me to my Roman Catholic brothers than even I had imagined was possible. But again, the details of those conversations must wait until I return.
Thanks for all your emails of encouragement and to Brent Cherry for requesting prayers for our group through his Caring Bridge site. There is never enough prayer – but I certainly feel surrounded by Advent as I take this day to day pilgrimage which I can’t wait to share with you. I know there was some bit of snow in Olathe this past week, and we had a dusting in Istanbul before we left. But this morning, on this amazing and wonderful day, it snowed in the city of Rome for the first time in a dozen years. Breathtaking and beautiful, and a little gift from the heavenly hosts! Blessings, Pastor Susan