Monday 7.5: Bones of Monks

Finally, it was the last day in Rome. We said goodbye to our hostel, and our host, who was super nice and helpful with all of our questions and gave us food and everything and set out.

Maria's flight was about two hours before mine, so I had some time to mill about Rome for awhile so I decided to use my metro pass to the fullest and go the Capuchin Crypt, under the Church of the Immaculate. It was harder to find than I expected because the church didn't really look like a church from the side. Even though it was right in front of the metro station, I missed it and walked a whole circle around before realizing where it was.

What had happened was that the Capuchin friars, so named for their capuche (hood) attached to their habits, left their friary in St. Bonaventure in 1631 and came to live at the current one. They then transported the bones of the deceased friars from the old cemetery to the new one and instead of just burying them, they arranged them along the walls of the crypt.

There are six rooms:
1) The Crypt of the Resurrection, where parts of the skeleton frame a picture of Jesus being resurrected.
2) Mass Chapel, the only room free of bones; for a quiet prayer, where people can have Mass
3) The Crypt of the Skulls
4) The Crypt of the Pelvises
5) The Crypt of the Leg and Thigh Bones
6) The Crypt of the Three Skeletons

The last four are exactly what they sound like. Along with many, many skulls, pelvises, etc. where also some full skeletons that were surrounded by these pieces. And it's not just a random conglomeration. These are fully arranged, thought out decorative art forms. The experience was really surreal and worth the little detour. It only takes a few minutes because the rooms are very small and while you may be there awhile just contemplating the bone structure of all these skeletons, it's a simple corridor that would only take a little while out of your time in Rome. Definitely a must see. There wasn't much I could do in terms of picture taking, since you're not supposed to take pictures inside the crypt, but I do have this for you.

After this detour, I took the Leonardo Express and slept my way to the airport, onto the airplane, and, after a two hour delay, back to Athens. It was a truly an epic weekend. I saw many things I did not think I would get to see for a while to come and I saw them with someone I can relate to, who can remember these things with me. The weekend left me physically and mentally exhausted; my brain is still recovering, even now, but I'm sure in August, when all my international adventures have come to a halt, that I'll look back on these moments and be able to synthesize everything that happened over the past couple of months. Nevertheless, the adventures don't stop here.

Buona Notte,

Angela