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The city of Rome is full of history. A majority of this history relates to religion, particularly Catholicism. Being a Catholic, I am more than interested in the cathedrals and the stories of Rome. At times, seeing the history of the Catholic Church bolsters my faith, while at other times I question the reasoning of the church.
As we travel through Rome, we are sure to find ten new churches every day. I would not be surprised if there are more churches in Rome than in the entire United States. And each church is more spectacular than the last. Decorated with marble statues, painted domes, and golden altars, the churches are testament to the importance of religion in history. But I also feel that they are testament to the power and wealth of the Catholic Church, which may not have always been acting on the guidelines it preaches. Although I understand that the beautiful churches were dedicated to God, I sometimes wonder if they are really necessary. Could the money used for a church have been used for a better cause, and where did this money come from? However, we have also experienced things that reinforce my faith.
We recently visited the Scala Santa, or “Holy Stairs.” These are the 28 steps that led up to the praetorium of Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem. It is said that Jesus Christ walked up these stairs on his way to trial. They were moved from Jerusalem to Rome by St. Helena in the 4th century. The stairs, which are made of white marble, are now encased in wood so that no one may touch the holy ground that Jesus walked on. Also, if you wish to ascend the stairs, you must walk up them on your knees, stopping to pray on each step. Some of our group members, myself included, decided to climb the stairs. Once we began our ascent, I soon realized that it was going to be one of the most painful experiences I ever willingly took part in. Our group moved fairly quickly, saying a short, silent prayer on each stair. Though we did not take long to reach the top stair, I still felt I had accomplished something great. Considering I have not been a very devout Catholic recently, I felt that I had proven that I am still faithful.
However, my sense of accomplishment was soon diminished. After taking a break at the top of the staircase, we walked back down (on the stairs you are allowed to walk on, of course). When we were back at the bottom, I realized that there were two nuns climbing the stairs that had started going up before I did. I had passed them shortly after starting my climb. I was shocked to see that these nuns were still not even halfway up the stairs. They were praying an entire rosary on every step. Although this made me feel like a baby for complaining about the stairs, it was a very moving sight. For anyone to take that amount of time to ascend those steps, they truly must have given themselves to God. In that moment I realized what religion is and what it can do for a person. The power of faith is incredible to witness.