These audiences are amazing because they read the daily gospel in all different languages to meet the worldwide crowd. Today they spoke French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, German, Aramaic, and English. Then the Pope gives a homily on the readings and then each of the representatives of the languages comes up and summarizes what the Pope said in that language. At the end he blesses everyone. It's a unique experience.
School children were shouting "Papa Francesco!"
A circus act preformed. That's all I will say about that.
The big highlight of the day was that Amber and Tim as newlyweds were able to sit in the very front and meet Pope Francis personally! If you are married less than 2 months you dress up and have a special meeting! It was so precious!
After a quick lunch we broke into two groups. Half of the groups went with our tour guide and Father and saw churches and saints focusing on the counter reformation. The other half of our group (including us) went to meet a docent at the Vatican museums for a guided tour of the museums and the Sistene Chapel. The Vatican museums are large and cover several gardens and buildings.
He used a video screen to show us all we would be seeing- especially in the Sistine Chapel because you are not allowed to talk or take pictures while in there. He went into deep detail on every painting and the symbolism Michelangelo put in there. It was FASCINATING. I learned so much.
Amber and I remembered from our 2011 trip that the globe within a globe turned and talked our docent into talking a guard into letting him turn it. :)
Some ancient Greek statues- Michelangelo used this to influence his sculptures- many think this statue is where he got the face for his "David." Our docent was quick to point out that using other art to influence you is not stealing- it is how art is done.
The famous Lacoon and Sons. One of the oldest, if not the oldest, surviving Greek sculptures. It's alive in a way the still sculptures were not. It inspired Michelangelo as he painted suffering.
The Greek bronze Hercules in amazing. The large porphyry water container was Hadrian's- perhaps it was his bath.
And his daughter Constance in this tomb-
The tapestry room was amazing. These 500-year-old tapestries are so intricate and well made- the images follow you in the room as the vanishing point is the viewer.
The map room! All maps of Italian areas- what's amazing is that these were all made hundreds of years before Google maps and yet they are extremely accurate and topographical.
The ceiling panels showed events that coresponded to the part of Italy on the walls.
Last stop Sistine Chapel. Again, no pictures of the chapel allowed, but I had to get a picture or two of the children's faces full of wonder.
After the Sistine Chapel we walked back through St. Peter's one last time. The children really wanted to do the Cupola tour- where you go up into the giant dome. I was tired and it was raining, but I thought, "If Marc were here, he would take them." So we did it- and I'm so glad I pushed through!
We walked around a ledge inside the top of the dome.
Up close you could see the paintings really were mosaics-
We walked on the roof of St. Peter's- right behind the statutes! It was so exciting!
I am always shocked to see so many seagulls-
After our cupola tour we took a taxi and met our group at the Pantheon! It was built in 126 A.D. by the Emperor Hadrian! It is truly a marvel!!!
The stone dome is a marvel of engineering and was not able to reproduced for hundreds of years afterwards. If they had made it one angle bigger it would have collapsed under its weight. The center open oculus has allowed sunlight and weather to enter into the building for these almost 2,000 yeras and yet it is still gorgeous and awe inspiring.
The tomb of the artist Raphael-
After the pantheon we went to the Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola- the frescoes in this church are mind boggling! They perfected tromp l'oiel and even painted a "dome" on a flat ceiling.
The ceiling is incredible-
We saw the tombs of St. Aloysius, St. John Berchmans and here- St. Robert Bellarmine-
All behind this brass grill were relics-
After the church we walked to the gorgeous Trevi Fountain built in 1743. 
It has one of the most gorgeous chapels I've ever seen-
And Tucker was able to serve at the altar there, which was special because we had just seen St. John Berchmans the patron saint of altar boys.
And we were there on the feast day of St. Pope Pius IX who gave the Casa to the North American Bishops to use for their seminary.
We had a wonderful dinner at a place Father used to go to when he lived in the Casa as a student. The waiters all remembered him.
At the end of most evenings the restaurants bring out liqueurs and small glasses. It's a free little treat on the house. The bottles are so cute. Of course pregnant lady can't try any.
After supper half the group went back to the hotel and half the group went for a walk for gelato and to see the Spanish steps. I actually stayed with the staying out group, which is totally not my nature. I'm trying to embrace "when in Rome" and see as much as I can. :)
Out of all the flavors Tucker picked "Fresh walnut and dried figs." He loved it. :)
And now we are off to bed. I have to stay up late to do this blog, but I know if I skip a day it will be nearly impossible to catch up. Good night!
