St. Mary's Parish - Prince George

ST. MARY'S CATHOLIC PARISH
ROMAN ROCKS

Home

Leadership & Ministry

Maybe it�s my geological background� but the thing that really impressed me the most in Rome, was the rocks. The area around Rome is basically composed of volcanic rocks and limestone. Pretty boring you would think� but in reality quite fascinating. (For more "touristy" pictures, click here, might be long loading for dial-up connections)._

When you walk into any of the large churches, St. Mary Major, St. John Lateran, St. Peter�s� the thing that first strikes you, is the amazing display of colours on the walls and the floors. Pillars and columns of different colours. And none of it painted! It�s all made up of intricate patterns of different types of volcanic rock (purple, green, black, yellow, orange, red, white). For me, an image of the Body of Christ. Taking us as we are, whatever our colour, and making an object of beauty.

We also visited the Appian Way, the ancient Roman road running from the south to the north of Italy. The paving stones of the Appian Way are made of large (more than a foot in diameter) pieces of black volcanic rock, worn smooth by millennia of travel. In some areas you could actually see the chariot wheel ruts where millions of wheels had worn the rock down. Reaching back into history� walking where the Roman legions walked, where emperors trod and where Peter and Paul may have walked.

One church, Scala Santa, near St. John Lateran, has 28 marble steps, supposedly from Pilate�s residence in Jerusalem. Legend has it that these steps were brought to Rome in the 4th century, by St. Helena, the mother of Constantine. Legend also has it that these are the steps that Jesus himself walked up when he stood before Pilate. Pilgrims come from all over the world to �walk� up these stairs on their knees. Whether the legend is true or not, it was amazing to watch people perform this devotion.

We also visited the catacombs, a series of burial chambers cut out of volcanic tuff in the south of Rome. Even though the place was overrun by tourists and we were herded through the catacombs like wayward sheep, there was a strong sense of the ancient faith in this place. One of the people I went with sings and plays music in her home parish, and was deeply moved by the tomb of St. Cecilia, patron saint of musicians. Awesome to think that the early Christians walked here, buried their dead here, and even celebrated Eucharist here during the periods of persecution.

At the same time, although all of the rocks have been around for a long time, it was interesting to see how they had been worn and weathered by the touch of human hands and feet. Nothing lasts forever, not even the stones around us. The only one that lasts is Jesus, the cornerstone. And although we might be tempted to place our faith and hope and trust in things that we think will last� we need to realize that all earthly realities eventually pass away.