BASILICA OF THE HOLY CROSS IN JERUSALEM
Rome, Italy The Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem is one of the great churches of Rome. Home to an assortment of relics related to the Crucifixion of Jesus, it was historically and ironically the least important of the city’s traditional pilgrimage churches. Nevertheless it is one of the seven recognized pilgrimage churches of Rome, despite the fact that it is neither … [Read more...]
ANCIENT CHRISTIAN MONUMENTS OF RAVENNA
Ravenna, Italy The city of Ravenna in Northern Italy is famous for its place in Christian history, not for its association with any great Catholic saints. But this unlikely former capital of Roman Empire is home to over half a dozen essentially intact churches and other Christian sites which date back to the 5th and 6th centuries. This amazing collection of churches from the … [Read more...]
BASILICA OF SAINT-PIERRE-AUX-NONNAINS
Metz, France Of all of the great Catholic pilgrimage destinations in northwestern Europe, few have a history that can compare with the Basilica of Saint-Pierre-Aux-Nonnains. One of the only fully intact Roman-era buildings in Europe still standing, the basilica has served as a spa, a Benedictine chapel, a royal mausoleum, a church, a warehouse and a concert hall. It is also … [Read more...]
BASILICAS OF ST. MARY MAJOR & OUR LADY OF DIVINE LOVE
Rome, Italy Rome is home to a number of churches which are classified as Marian shrines; two of these, the Basilica of St. Mary Major and the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Divine Love, are among the most important Catholic churches in the world. Although ranked after St. Peter’s, St. Paul’s and St. John’s Basilicas, both of the churches dedicated to the Virgin Mary are among the … [Read more...]
CATHEDRAL OF THE ASSUMPTION OF THE VIRGIN MARY
Dubrovnik, Croatia Since ancient times, the Dalmatian Coast has long marked the border between the Roman Catholic West and the Greek Orthodox East and later the Ottoman Islamic East. This made Dubrovnik a critical waystation for Catholic pilgrims enroute to the Holy Land. Furthermore, Dubrovnik was one of the major Maritime Republics active during the Renaissance. Therefore … [Read more...]
BASILICA OF ST. LAWRENCE OUTSIDE THE WALL
Rome, Italy The Basilica of St. Lawrence Outside the Walls, so-called because of its location outside the old city walls, is one of the great churches of Rome. Although overshadowed by St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican, as well as by St. Paul Outside the Walls and St. John in Lateran, it is nevertheless a beloved and popular pilgrimage destination. Aside from its … [Read more...]
CATACOMB OF PRISCILLA
Rome, Italy The Nativity of Jesus, and related subjects such as the Madonna and Child, the Massacre of the Innocents and the Adoration of the Magi, is one of the most common subjects and important influences in art in history. Countless artists have attempted to tackle the Nativity over the last two thousand years. From early amateurs to Renaissance masters; from the first … [Read more...]
VALLEY OF JEZREEL
Tel Megiddo, Israel The Valley of Jezreel, also known as the Plain of Megiddo, or Armeggedon, is the Holy Land’s most famous battlefield. Countless armies have raged across this vast, open, and highly strategic valley, from the Egyptians and Canaanites in the 15th century BC to the British and Ottomans during World War I. The best-known Biblical conflict to have occurred … [Read more...]
CATACOMBS OF ROME
Rome, Italy In the search for early Christian architecture, there is virtually nothing left above ground that was constructed prior to the 4th century that is not now a ruin or renovated beyond recognition. To find Christianity’s oldest intact architectural achievements, one must look below ground, to the ancient burial places known as Catacombs. Although such underground … [Read more...]
