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Very beautiful. I hope to one day see these places.

Did you stop by the Chapel Quo Vadis?

History of Quo Vadis

Along the Via Appia Antica, famous for its Christian catacombs, is the legendary site where the soon-to-be-Saint Peter, scurrying away from the Christian persecutions in Rome, met a vision of Christ blocking the road.
The church built beside that site is called Domine, Quo Vadis—an odd name for a church, until you hear the parable behind it.
The vision of Christ replied, "To Rome, to be crucified a second time," whereupon Jesus disappeared, leaving his footprints in the road's flagstone as a sign (there's a cast of them inside the church).

A chastened Peter realized that Christ meant he was going to take the place of the weak-willed first pope and die, once again, for his faith. Peter turned around and returned to Rome to take his martyrdom like a man.

(In fact, when it came to the moment, Peter gritted his teeth and told his executioners he was unworthy of being crucified in the same manner as his Lord and, in effect, asked them to "Do me upside down." This is why there are still a few St. Peter-related holy sites around Rome sporting upside-down crosses—so no, they're not for Satan-worshippers.)

- See more at: http://www.reidsitaly.com/destinations/lazio/rome/sights/quo_vadis.html#.dpuf


ETA : whenever I read about St Peter it makes me happy. He shows us that we are all so flawed & yet we can still be forgiven by God & risen so high by Him. It gives me so much hope.

The Scala Sancta, or Holy Stairs, are white marble steps encased in wooden ones. According to Catholic Tradition, they form the staircase which once led to the praetorium of Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem and which, therefore, were sanctified by the footsteps of Jesus Christ during His Passion. The marble stairs are visible through openings in the wooden risers. Their translation from Jerusalem to the Lateran Palace in the 4th century is credited to St. Empress Helena, the mother of the then-Emperor Constantine I.

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My wife and I decided to climb the stairs.  The monk in charge promptly kicked us out because my wife's dress was about an inch too short.  Oh well, at least we made it up one step.    You could touch the actual stairs through holes in the wooden ones which was pretty cool.

And I can show the trophies of the apostles. For if you choose to go to the Vatican or to the Ostian Road, you will find the trophies of those who founded this church.

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Thanks for posting all of this, OP!  

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Milsurp, thanks again for posting your pictures and information.  My wife and I are going to start planning a trip to Italy in the near future.  I had a knee replaced in June and will possibly have the other one done too so I have to be healed and ready for a lot of walking before we actually set a date.

Did you just fly to Italy and tour on your own or did you go with a tour group?  I am leaning toward a tour because I don't want to be showing up to see something and it is closed or unavailable.  I would also consider going with a Church group or Church sponsored trip because it seems like those trips can get you into things that isn't generally available to the public.

My mother went with a Church group and really had a great time.  They held Mass just for their group in many interesting places.  The trip was arranged by a priest who did these trips every other year, but now he is retired and not in good health.

I don't know what the best tours are or if there are smaller private tours available.  We are prepared to spend a good amount as this would be a very special trip.

One day, a certain monk was offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Although we do not know his identity, an ancient document described him as ...versed in the sciences of the world but ignorant in that of God. Apparently, he had been plagued by doubts about transubstantiation: he agonized over whether the bread and wine changed substantially into the Body and Blood of our Lord at the words of consecration, and whether our Lord was truly present in the Holy Eucharist.

This time, when the monk pronounced the words of consecration, the host was miraculously changed into flesh and the wine into blood. The monk was awestruck. Weeping joyously, he regained his composure. He called the congregation around the altar and said, O fortunate witnesses, to whom the Blessed God, to confound my unbelief, has wished to reveal Himself visible to our eyes! Come, brethren, and marvel at our God, so close to us. Behold the Flesh and Blood of our Most Beloved Christ. Those who witnessed the miracle soon spread the news throughout the surrounding area.

Shortly after the occurrence, the Blood coagulated into five globules of different sizes, but the Flesh remained the same. The archbishop ordered an investigation. The testimony of witnesses was recorded. The Flesh and Blood appeared to be human flesh and blood. The archbishop sent a scale for the weighing of the globules: each individual globule weighed the same as the other individual ones (although different in size) or as all five together or as any other combination. Eventually, the Flesh and the globules of Blood were placed in a special ivory reliquary, but not hermetically sealed. Church authorities certified the miracle although the original document was lost some time in the 16th century.

Over the centuries, different religious orders have had custody of the Church and the relics: originally the Basilians until 1176, followed by the Benedictines until 1252, and since then by the Franciscans. In 1258, the Franciscans built a new Church under the patronage of St. Francis of Assisi to replace the decaying Church of St. Longinus. The relics to this day remain at this basilica under the care of the Franciscans.

Since the first basic investigation, the Church has permitted other studies on the relics. In 1574, Msgr. Rodrigues once again weighed the five globules in the presence of witnesses and arrived at the same conclusion. Remember though that eight centuries had passed and no visible sign of deterioration had taken place.

In 1713, the original ivory reliquary was replaced by one of silver and crystal. The Flesh is displayed in a monstrance just like the Sacred Host, and the globules of Blood are in a crystal chalice, which some believe is the actual chalice used by the monk for Mass.

The most thorough study occurred in 1970-71. Pope Paul VI permitted a series of scientific studies on the precious relics to verify their nature. Dr. Odoardo Linoli, professor of anatomy and pathological histology, chemistry and clinical microscopy, and head physician of the hospital of Arezzo, conducted the study. He was assisted by Dr. Ruggero Bertelli, professor emeritus of human anatomy at the University of Siena. The analyses were performed in accord with scientific standards and documented, and Dr. Bertelli independently corroborated Dr. Linolis findings. In 1981, using more advanced medical technology, Dr. Linoli conducted a second histological study; he not only confirmed the findings but also gathered new information.

The major findings from this research include the following: The Flesh, yellow-brown in color, has the structure of the myocardium (heart wall) and the endocardium, the membrane of fibrous-elastic tissue lining all the cardiac cavities. These have the same appearance as in the human heart. No traces of preservatives were found in the elements.

The blood was also of human origin with the type AB. Proteins in the clotted Blood were normally fractioned with the same percentage ratio as those found in the sero-proteic make-up of normal, fresh human blood. The blood contained these minerals: chlorides, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, sodium, and calcium.

Professor Linoli asserted that the blood, if taken from a cadaver, would have deteriorated rapidly. Given that these samples were centuries old, free of preservatives, and never hermetically sealed in the reliquaries, they should have deteriorated. However, he underscored that the samples had the same properties as fresh human blood and flesh.

Moreover, the doctors both concluded that only the skill of a trained pathologist could have obtained such a sample, a tangential cut of the heart a round cut, thick on the outer edges and lessening gradually and uniformly to the central area.

The beauty of the miracle of Lanciano reflects the words our Lord spoke, I am the Bread of Life. He who feeds on my Flesh and drinks my Blood has life eternal and I will raise him up on the last day. For my Flesh is real food and my Blood real drink. The man who feeds on my Flesh and drinks my Blood remains in Me, and I in him (Jn 6:35, 54-56). We must, therefore, never forget that when we participate at Mass, we witness a miracle, and through the reception of Holy Communion we share in the divine life of our Savior.

http://www.catholiceducation.org/en/culture/catholic-contributions/the-miracle-of-lanciano.html