Day 2: Ensconced in Trastevere

We woke early and after breakfast decided to explore Trastevere.  This place is a jewel!


 Wandering along the Via Della Lungaretta we sampled some Italian sweets and eventually made it to the most famous church in the area St Maria de Trastevere.  The site had the first official church dedicated to Mary (3rd century).   The church was totally rebuilt in the 12th century by Pope Innocent II (1130-43), using materials from the ancient Baths of Caracalla. Inside the church are 22 granite columns taken from the ruins of ancient Roman buildings and the walls of the portico are embedded with much earlier stones carrying inscriptions.  


There is also an  fountain in the piazza of St Maria de Trastevere dating from Roman times.  
This piazza is classic Italian architecture - the economy is based around the edges of the square which is the meeting place for the community outside the Catholic church.  This arrangement links the religious/spiritual life of the people to their community political and economic activities.  This architecture is for a Christian era long gone but still exerts a drawing power on all who enter and experience the spirit of place that the square provides.  How far this architectural arrangement is from modern Australian design where the meeting places of the people (parks) are separted from religious buildings as well as political and economic life.  It is interesting to compare the New Parliament House in Canbera to the Italian piazza model.


Close to the square is the Community of St Egidio which cares for the poor in Rome.  


Mark found a local health food shop he had been searching for with muesli and local produce of every kind.  We made our way back to the Square above and had lunch at a local restaurant.  Soup was great for the cool weather under 10 degrees!!


After more shopping we set out to find the two other main churches in the area : St Cecilia in Trastevere and St Francis of Assisi (where St Francis stayed when he came to Rome).  After getting lost and ending up at the Ponte Sublicio we stumbled onto the latter and found it under repair.  Eventually we found St Cecilia's less than 5 minutes walk from our apartment.

We arrived at St Cecilia's in fading light and entered via a courtyard with a central fountain.  Either side of the courtyard is flanked by convents. The church itself has an ancient history - it was the site of the home of St Cecilia who was martyred there in the 3rd Century about Santa Cecilia .  As you enter the portico on the right there is a marble block from the time of Caesar Augustus.


The church is full or surprises - below is excavations which encompass at least 3 different levels and date back to the 3rd century.  The crypt has the incorruptible remains of st Cecilia as well as her martyr husband Valerius and two friends as well as two popes.  We prayed at her tomb for our families.


St Cecilia is the patron saint of music and many of the fresco's in the church have her with a musical instrument.  

We were both deeply moved by the story of St Cecilia and the way her life is captured in the sculpture in front of the main altar (above her tomb).  The piece shows the 2 axe cuts across her neck .  The sculpture captures a purity and goodness that is irresistible and surprising.  We hope being here will help us to live out our daily struggles with more goodness and courage as we draw on her life story.  It is amazing that we have such a place almost backing on to our apartment and believe that this is a special place for us made dearer by the connection that Mark's mother has Cecilia as her second name.


As the night drew in we had dinner together at home.  Of course Trastevere was just warming up for New Years Eve.  All night loud laughter and firecrackers reverberated down the narrow streets.  It was a noisy night with silence shaken by frequent series of crakers exploding or very loud single bangs!


Buono Anno!