Skip to main content

Tu es Petrus (You are Peter)


I had a very moving visit to the tomb of St. Peter on July 2. Although I have been to St. Peter's Basilica before, I had never seen the “backside” of Peter's tomb. It was amazing to learn that an entire necropolis lies beneath St. Peter’s Basilica, and seeing it unearthed was an absolute eye-opener regarding the history of the place. The ongoing debate over whether or not the bones found there are actually those of Peter was also quite thought-provoking. However, this experience serves as an analogy for the nature of faith, as it reminded me that faith is essentially believing without seeing. The visit strengthened me spiritually, and I felt a different spiritual power emanating from that place. The fact that the entire Catholic bureaucracy and the Popes are all buried in that crypt only strengthens my conviction that those bones are indeed St. Peter's! God bless us all!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Parting ways

Our last dinner with the University of Toronto group was truly memorable. Overall, the Rome trip wa a great experience and I learned a lot about ecumenism, something I had no experience with before. The concept of ecumenism as a dialogue, where one can be "strong in their identity yet open to dialogue", really resonated with  It's inspiring to see how such an approach can foster understanding and unity, even with our own "small group" from Toronto, there was so much diversity (again, it included an Anglican priest, a secular Jew, and 3 Catholics). Yet, despite our differences, there will always be a way to talk and talk to each other, if they share space with each other. I will truly miss this group , and the larger group at the Centro Pro Unione. I am looking forward to more enlightening conversations and shared ecumenical experiences in the future!  Very grateful again to Dr. Attridge, Dr. Skira and the RSM management for this wonderful opportunity! Until next...
Post a Comment
Read more

Welcome! Rome Ecumenism Course - 2024

Welcome to our journey of studying ecumenism and interfaith relations in Rome in the summer of 2024. Please visit often as we share insights, new learnings, adventures, pictures, etc., from our three weeks in the eternal city. We’re glad to have you along!
Post a Comment
Read more

18 Synagogues, all Orthodox, is Unsettling

Visiting the Great Synagogue of Rome was unsettling.  It's a beautiful building with a fascinating history, which amazingly survived both Fascist Mussolini and Nazi occupation remaining intact for 120 years. The building's interior is unlike any other synagogue I've seen before, with its fantastic museum and centuries old collection of Judaica (including textiles) only contributing to its beauty and spiritual significance. There's also a small Sephardic Synagogue located in the basement, roped off, where only Jews are permitted access (according to another group's guide). I was unsettled. During the building tour our group was brought up to men's section of the main synagogue, where Maureen asked a wonderful question about tradition practiced in the synagogue and was told they were Orthodox, and neither Ashkenazi nor Sephardic (even though there was a Sephardic Temple in the basement) but practice their own historic rite. A further question followed about other ...
Post a Comment
Read more