Giubileo 2025

17 Monday Feb 2025

Posted by Un po' di pepe in Feste, Italia, Roma

Tags

Jubilee2025, Roma photography, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Vatican City

2025 is a Giubileo or Jubilee, also known as a Holy Year or Anno Santo-a Vatican celebration of spirituality and reconciliation, held every 25 years. Roma and Vatican City- the smallest country in the world, will be a destination for millions of pilgrims. The event is expected to attract 32 million people from all over the world. As a reference, in 2023 Roma had 13 million visitors!

The Jubilee has been a tradition in the Catholic Church since the year 1300, started by Pope Boniface VIII as a special year for spiritual renewal, works of mercy, forgiveness and celebration. It was also seen as an opportunity for a fresh start. Originally held every 100 years, the timing was changed to every 25 years to give each generation an opportunity to participate.

The theme of Giubileo 2025 is Pellegrini di Speranza– Pilgrims of Hope. The theme was chosen by Pope Francesco to emphasize hope as a driving force of the Christian faith. He calls on everyone to embrace values such as peace, solidarity and unity, reflecting on the broader world and the role each person can play in fostering a hopeful, compassionate society. The Giubileo is for anyone-those who are Catholic, curious or just passing through. In addition to religious observance, it also a cultural celebration, with special exhibitions, concerts and cultural events.

A central part of the pilgrimage is passing through the Holy Doors, which symbolizes the transition from sin to grace. Each of the 4 Papal Basilicas has a Holy Door. They are usually sealed shut and opened only during a Holy Year. The main one, San Pietro at the Vatican, was the first to be opened on Dec 24^th. The other 3 in Roma are- Santa Maria Maggiore, San Giovanni in Laterano and San Paolo Fuori le Mura. The doors will be sealed shut again on Jan 6^th, 2026 until the next Holy Year in 2050.

In July, I will be in Roma to attend a family wedding! We are all excited-and not afraid of crowds or heat! This will not be my first Holy Year in Roma. In 1975, very young me and my family spent 3 days in Roma with Don Michele, Papa’s cousin who was a priest. Not only did I pass through all 4 Holy Doors, but I actually touched Michelangelo’s Pietà before it was surrounded by bulletproof glass, and we may have visited every major church in Roma! I also had my introduction to Pasta Carbonara at a Vatican cafeteria for pilgrims. Carbonara should NOT be made for large groups….but I will leave that story for another time.

Roma has been a massive construction zone in preparation for 2025, so it should be all shiny and clean, hopefully with improved public transit. There will still be ongoing work on Metro line C at Piazza Venezia, but most of the other renovation projects are completed. Ancient monuments have been restored and refinished. Bernini’s 29 meter high (94 feet) Baldacchino (altar canopy) in San Pietro has been polished for the first time in 150 years. A large area between Vatican City and Castel Sant’Angelo are now pedestrian only, since they have built an underground tunnel for car traffic. Like everything in Roma, tunnel construction was delayed because during construction, they found ruins -the remains of a 2^nd Century Roman wash house. 55 fountains have been restored including the one in front of the Pantheon, Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi in Piazza Navona and the Fontana di Trevi. There will now only be 400 people at one time allowed to enter the small piazza to throw throw in their coins and take photos.

Caravaggio 2025 at Galleria d’Arte Antica at Palazzo Barberini is on from March 7th -July 6th!!!! This is one of the most ambitious Caravaggio exhibits ever. More info here. I arrive in Roma July 7^th. Mannaggia! Ecce Homo, which lives at the Prado Museum in Madrid and has only recently been attributed to Caravaggio will be included in the exhibit, as well as Napoli’s Sant’Orsola, the last Caravaggio, painted shortly before his death! Admission is €18 for adults. Book your tickets now! Run! Make me jealous! If they run out of tickets and you want to see 6 Caravaggio works for free, take yourself on my Caffè con Caravaggio walking tour!

What to expect in Roma this year?

Roma always has lots of visitors, even in ‘low’ season, which is only from January 7th until the beginning of March. This year there will be increased crowds, especially in the areas around the Vatican. If you are crowd-averse and not interested in any of the Giubileo activities in Roma, you may want to consider delaying your visit to Roma until 2026. The busiest times are expected during Easter/Holy Week April 13-21^st, Pentecost June 5^th and at Christmas. Different times of year are also aimed at various groups, for example, Jubilee of the sick and health care workers April 5-6^th, teens Apr 25-27^th, persons with disabilities April 28-30^th. Artists, volunteers, public service workers and migrants all have their dates too. It looks like April is definitely a month to avoid, unless you are attending a specific event! Luckily none of the special dates are in the summer. Here is the link to the calendar of events Tickets are not required but you may need to book on the App.

Tickets for Colosseo, Galleria Borghese, Musei Vaticani and admission to the Basilica di San Pietro and the Pantheon will be in high demand. Book early! If possible, plan to visit in the early am or evening. Look for accommodation that is not near the Vatican. for more info on how to ‘schedule like an Italian’, read Surviving Summer in Roma.

Download the Iubilaeum 25 APP from the App store or Play store (android) and apply for a Pilgrim’s card a free digital pass needed for most Jubilee events. This Portal allows individual or groups to register for events and highlight any special needs or access requirements.

It may be worth buying a 72 hour Roma Pass for €58.50. The 36 hour Roma pass is already sold out! A Metro pass is always a good idea.

Don’t forget to read my post ‘Beat the heat: Surviving Summer in Roma’

For some of my favourite things to do in Roma-‘Un Giorno a Roma‘.

If you need to get out of town to get away from the crowds, go to ‘Ostia Antica‘. Buon Viaggio e Buon Giubileo! Cristina

Grazie to Lucia for a few of the Vatican photos!

Pantheon update

28 Sunday May 2023

Posted by Un po' di pepe in Architecture, Photography, Roma, Travel

≈ 11 Comments

Tags

Ancient Roma, Italy travel tips, Lazio, Pantheon, Roma photography, Roma travel, Santa Maria ad Martyres, UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Roma is full of amazing buildings. The most amazing and best-preserved of all is the Pantheon. Imagine Michelangelo entering the Pantheon 500 years ago, looking up and saying “this looks more like the work of angels than humans’-that is how amazing it is! The perfect mathematical proportions of the Pantheon have provided inspiration for architects for almost 2,000 years. Check out the post Il Pantheon for more details on the history and structure.Admission has always been free, and there has been talk of charging an entry fee for many years…in fact, it has been ‘announced’ several times. Well….purtroppo, the time has come. Starting July 1^st 2023, there will be a €5 admission fee for entry for tourists/visitors. Admission will still be free for residents of Roma, those under 18 years old and those attending Mass. Until then, admission remains free, with booking required at least 1 day in advance only on weekends and holidays.

The Pantheon is a classical masterpiece and a monument that requires expensive upkeep, so the need for a modest admission fee is understandable. Since the 7^th century it also functions as the Church of Santa Maria ad Martyres. In Roma entry into churches is free-so that is why there has been so much effort to not charge an admission fee.

Mass is at 5 pm Saturdays, 10:30 am Sundays and public holidays, and midnight on Christmas Eve. Shoulders, midriff and knees need to be covered, although this is not as strictly enforced as the Vatican.

‘La Pioggia delle Rose al Pantheon’ (the rain of roses) is on my list of things to see in my lifetime. This takes place on Pentecost Sunday, 50 days after Easter. At noon, right after Mass, Roma’s Vigili del Fuoco (fire fighters) climb to the top of the dome and drop thousands of rose petals through the oculus as choirs sing. The rose petals symbolize the Holy Spirit coming down to earth. Pentecost Sunday happens to be today! I saw a video of the event this morning, and even Michelangelo would be impressed! Tickets or advance booking are not available for this event. Arriving by 7am for the 10:30 Mass is apparently necessary to get a spot inside! The ladder used by the vigili to get to the oculus is visible in the foto:

The dome and oculus, viewed from the roof of Grande Hotel de la Minerve

Visiting the Pantheon takes about 45 minutes. It is open daily 0900-1700 Sun 09-1800 with last entry at 18:30. The Pantheon is closed Jan 1, May 1, Aug 15 and Dec 25. An audio guide with an App can be prebooked for ~€8.50, or a 45 minute guided tour for ~€20.

Details are not yet available on how to book admission, but they should be available soon on the website. Roma is a popular weekend destination for European and Italian travelers, so I imagine tickets will easier to book during the week. There is really no ‘off season’ except for possibly the period from January 7 until the end of February.

The Pantheon is centrally located, in Piazza della Rotonda. I walk slower than most people, but it is about a 20 minute walk to Piazza di Spagna, the closest Metro stop. It is about a 20 minute walk to the Fontana di Trevi, 10 minutes to Piazza Navona and 40 minutes to Colosseo.

Read more about the Pantheon in Caffè con Caravaggio a Roma, Un Giorno a Roma and Autunno in Italia.

Buon Viaggio, Cristina

L’Elefantino di Bernini

20 Sunday Nov 2016

Posted by Un po' di pepe in Art history, Italia, Roma

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

Bernini, L'Elefantino di Bernini, Piazza della Minerva, Pulcino della Minerva, Roma, Roma photography

berninielefantino Last week, one of my favourite monuments in Roma was vandalized. Gianlorenzo Bernini’s Elefantino had one of his zanne (tusks) broken off by unidentified vandals. I think I called them ‘stronzi maleducati’ in my instagram post. I was being polite. A Spanish couple found the broken piece and reported it to the authorities. The ‘stone surgeons’ have reattached the zanna (ZAHN·nah) and reinforced it with wooden splints. A nice €2000 bit of plastic surgery. The process is shown in this video. Along with everyone in Roma, I’m so glad my favourite little pachyderm is on the mend that I had to write a post about him.

In 1665, the Dominican friars of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva found a 5.5 m Egyptian Obelisk while working in their garden. It is one of 13 in Roma. For some reason, Pope Alexander VII decided to install it in the Piazza outside the church, Piazza della Minerva. To design a base to support the obelisk, he had architects put in their proposals for the commission. One of the Dominican friars, Domenico Paglia put in a horrendous proposal which involved mounting the obelisk on 6 small hills, with a dog at each corner. The 6 hills are part of the Pope’s family coat of arms, and dogs the symbol of the Dominicans, referring to their fidelity. The word Dominican comes from ‘Dominis canis’ meaning dogs of the Lord.

Luckily, the Pope chose Bernini’s proposal to mount the obelisk on the back of an elephant, a symbol of strength. Bernini was inspired by a woodcut in a 1499 book by Francesco Colonna. Padre Paglia was very unhappy that his design was not chosen. He convinced the Pope that Bernini’s design was flawed and would not be supportive unless a cube was sculpted under the elephant’s belly to support the obelisk.

Bernini did not like this suggestion. He wanted his elephant to stand on its four legs, but he had no choice in the matter. He tried to hide the extra marble by adding an ornate, floor length gualdrappa or saddle blanket on the elephant’s back. This had the effect of making him look pudgy and stout like a baby elephant rather than strong and fierce. When the statue was installed in 1667, Romans referred to it as ‘Il Porcino della Minerva’ or ‘Minerva’s piglet’ because it had the dimensions of a maialetto more than an elephant. This eventually morphed into ‘Pulcino’ or ‘Purcino’ which means chick in italiano and in dialetto Romano. Most monuments in Roma have a nickname.

Bernini did get revenge on Padre Paglia. There is a reason Elefantino’s head is turned away from the church with a cute mischievous grin. Bernini had the statue placed with its rear facing the Dominican monastery. His muscles seem tensed and his tail is shifted to the left, exposing his bum as if he is about to drop a load! Bernini was also protesting the way Galileo was treated here, where he was interrogated by the Inquisition in 1633. I don’t know if the second point is true or just Leggenda Metropolitana dell’ 700 – 17th Century urban legend!

View from the roof of Grande Hotel de la Minerve across the street. The black open door is the Dominican Headquarters.

Piazza della Minerva is right behind the Pantheon. L’Elefantino was also included in my post ‘Un giorno a Roma’. Ciao, Cristina

Un Giorno a Roma

15 Monday Sep 2014

Posted by Un po' di pepe in Italia, Roma, Travel, Travel tips

≈ 11 Comments

Tags

Bernini, Caravaggio, Colosseo, Elefantino, Fontana di Trevi, Il Vittoriano, Italia, La Barcaccia, Pantheon, Roma, Roma photography, Roma walking tour, Roman Forum, San Luigi dei Francesi, Tazza d'oro

Roma truly is ‘la Città Eterna‘-the eternal city! I usually fly in and out of Roma then take the train to Foggia on my way to Orsara di Puglia. I often have one full day in the city at the beginning or end of my trip. When i’m in Roma for just 1 day, I have a usual ‘itinerary’. I do not actually recommend anyone go to Roma for just one day, especially for the first time. 5 days will do but more is better. One day only gives you enough time to visit a few sites, so it is mostly an entire day of exploring the city on foot. The sites I choose to visit change a bit each time, but the route is basically the same.

I stay with a friend in the Basilica San Paolo area so I take the Metro blue line to the Colosseo stop, exit the station and take a few minutes to absorb the view across the street, which never fails to impress.

The view across the street from the ‘Colosseo’ metro stop!

Then I turn right and walk along Via dei Fori Imperiali. If you visit Il Colosseo, the ticket includes entry to the Forum, so you can walk through there. Visiting these 2 awesome sites will take all morning, so they are not usually part of my ‘1 day’ itinerary.

View of the Roman Forum (Foro Romano)

Old meets new at the Foro Romano

I walk along Via dei Fori Imperiali all the way to Piazza Venezia and Il Vittoriano, which is the neo-classical monument that looks like a giant wedding cake .

Il Vittoriano

If you want some great views of Roma and are not afraid of heights, take the glass elevator to the rooftop terrace.

‘Roma dal cielo’ view from the roof of Il Vittoriano

Then I turn right again and cross Piazza Venezia, which can be a bit of a challenge, and walk along Via del Corso. Via del Corso is lined with shops and goes all the way to Piazza del Popolo.

Crossing the street can be challenging! Photo taken by Vito!

I turn into one of the side streets on the left and walk to the Pantheon-the domed architectural masterpiece that is absolutely not to be missed! The 2000 year old roof is the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world. Across the street I have an incredible granita di caffè at Tazza d’Oro.

Tazza d’Oro, Via degli Orfani 84

Granita di caffe

Behind the Pantheon is Santa Maria Sopra Minerva with Bernini’s adorable ‘elefantino’ sculpture in the piazza. I sometimes like to sit and sketch the pudgy little elephant carrying a 5m Egyptian obelisk on its back.

Bernini’s elefantino in Piazza Minerva. Behind the obelisk, you can see the domed roof of the Pantheon.

The molto fancy ‘Grande Hotel de la Minerve’ across from the church has a roof bar with incredible views. Down a side street – Via del Gesù- is Poggi art supplies www.poggi1825.it , so of course I have to stop there and drool at all the stuff I can’t carry home. I also pop into the little Baroque gem San Luigi dei Francesi, which is the National church of France in Roma. It has 3 incredible Caravaggio paintings-the ‘San Matteo’ cycle, in the Capella Contarelli which you can see for free! No lineups, no online bookings! I always put a coin in the box and light a candle when I visit a church. If you have more time, go on my Caffè con Caravaggio walking tour.

I walk down some side streets and get back onto Via del Corso going left. A few blocks down I cross the street and walk to the Fontana di Trevi to toss in my coin. I am very superstitious about this, so I have to do the coin toss or I’m afraid I might not return to Roma! That would be awful!

Fontana di Trevi

I look at all the tourists then head to my last stop- Piazza di Spagna. I never miss drinking from the Fontana della Barcaccia. This is the Baroque fountain at the bottom of the steps that looks like a sinking ship. It was sculpted by both Bernini, Pietro and Gianlorenzo (father and son). La Barcaccia has the best water ever, especially on a hot day –it comes straight from an ancient acqueduct Acqua Vergine and is always ice cold and refreshing.

La Barcaccia, Piazza di Spagna

Mmmm! Acqua freddissima!

From here I usually walk all the way back to the Colosseo metro stop to take the metro back home to San Paolo and pick up take-out suppli on the way. If I am too tired or have evening plans, I take the metro at Piazza di Spagna (red line) to Stazione Termini then change to the blue line for San Paolo.

Ci vediamo a Roma! Buon viaggio, Cristina