Saturday was a busy day for everyone, as we woke up early to travel, first, to the catacombs of Saint Sebastian. The tombs are along the Appian Way, just outside of Rome’s city walls. Our group took the staircase down into the catacombs, were we learned of the history of early Christians. Out of respect for the burial site, we did not take any photos of the tombs, but we did get to explore the gorgeous church after our tour and see Saint Sebastian’s relics.
Afterward, we made our way to the city centre. Serendipitously, our bus dropped us off in front of a carousel. We, of course, took advantage of the situation.
Later, a group of adventurous students joined me and Mr. Bodley to Castel Sant’Angelo, where we braved the rain and climbed to the top of the residence for some amazing views of Rome.
We regrouped in the early afternoon. The majority of our students toured the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and Saint Peter’s Basilica.
Meanwhile, Ms. Desmarais and I took a much smaller group of returning students on an exploratory walk within the historic centre. Among other sites, we visited Piazza Navona, Campo de’ Fiori, the Jewish Quarter, and Largo di Torre Argentina, which has only recently been confirmed as the site of Julius Caesar’s assassination. Yet, perhaps the highlight for us, was our stop at the cat sanctuary were we got to pet some friendly felines with a CCI alum.
After an intense game of hide and seek, we were all on the bus and arrived back in Lanciano safe and sound.