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Two Pauls Outside the Walls

    Probably one of the most touching experiences I've had thus far in Rome would be our visit today at the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls. To put it mildly, it was an awe-inspiring experience.


    Today was the first time I saw the tomb of an Apostle. It was incredible to think that, after all his travels, I was merely a few feet away from the resting place of one of Christ's Apostles (though not one of the Twelve). Even now, I'm struck to think of how much history there was to put these two Pauls outside the walls!

    However, this was but one thing that I loved about this basilica. In one of our classes this week, we were told of how St John Paul II said that there are two lungs of the Church: East and West. (Although, our lecturer added a third: the Syriacs.) What amazed me was that here I could see both lungs breathing in the same place. This was undoubtedly a Roman Catholic Basilica—the names and faces of Popes adorned the walls here—and yet, behind the altar, there was a beautiful artwork of Christ as he appears in the icons of the Eastern tradition. We are here to study ecumenism, after all, so to witness the marriage of these two traditions here—which are, unfortunately, largely estranged from each other in today’s world—has inspired me in my studies and was a wonderful experience on a personal level.

    Seriously, if you’re ever in Rome, you need to see this.

- Paul

A picture of the dome behind the Altar and St Paul's tomb.

Names and pictures of the most recent Popes.

Two Pauls Outside the Walls.

A snapshot of the Basilica's interior.



Comments

  1. MelindaJune 29, 2023 at 9:36 AM

    I whole heartly agree that this is a church to visit. Standing so close to the tomb of St Paul is unbelievable. It speaks to the dedication of the faithful who have preserved and maintained this site for centuries.

    ReplyDelete

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