Well after a long nights sleep – 14 hrs or so – I am felt rested and ready to go.  I was still mourning the fact that I now had to travel alone, but it is what it is, and so I must shove on.  So I departed Villa Roma for Roma proper, with the intentions of seeing Chiesa di Santo Stefano Rotunda, however upon arriving, I found it to again be closed (I tired once before); and so decided to press onto Basilica di San Giovanni.

Basilica di San Giovanni, to me, is one of the more important Christian churches to see in Roma, and all of the world, because it is the first official Christian basilica constructed in Rome.  Specifically it was erected in the 4th century by Constantine, and resultantly today it acts as the pope’s seat as Bishop of Rome.  Now like most things in Rome, it now stands different than it once did.  Primarily because it has been destroyed, and rebuilt twice; as well as updated throughout the years.  But none the less, I am sure it was grand than, as it is today.  So pay attention to the different use of styles and materials which dot the building from the baptistery to the cloister, for you will find years of plundering and building before you.

Statue in Basilica di San Giovanni

Moving on, with a bit of time left free in my day, I hopped on the Metro A line to Colli Albani and took bus 660 to Via Appia Antica.  There you will find an area known by the ancient Romans as regina viarum (queen of roads). Started in  312 BC, this incredibly straight road which was finished around 190 BC, connected Via di Porta San Sebastiano to Brindisi; and today is a haven for ancient ruins and modern villas.

The ruins I chose to see were the catacombs of San Callisto which was one of the first catacombs/meeting places of early Christians; while they were still yet being persecuted by the allegedly accepting Romans.  None the less, over the years these catacombs marked the activity of some of the famous early Christian martyrs and saints, and are even the burial site of popes.  To be specific, 7 martyred popes were buried here, as well as Santa Cecilia.  And it said, that in the 20km of tunnels that have been explored to date, over 500,000 sepulchers have been found.  Quite elaborate wouldn’t you say?

Santa Cecilia Monument in the Catacombs of San Callisto

Graves in the Catacombs of San Callisto

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