Enorme! Você pode ser ateu. Você pode ter outra religião. Mas o fato de pisar na mais importante basílica do mundo tem um valor que vai além da crença: o histórico. Mais de cem anos para erguer o edifício pensado e adornado por importantes nomes da Renascença, como Michelangelo, Rafael, Giacomo della Porta. Impressione-se com isso, e com o fato de que ela está no mesmo lugar da igreja erguida em 319 por ordem do imperador Constatino sobre o túmulo do apóstolo Pedro. Tem a imagem de São Longuinho num dos quatro nichos redondos da basílica. Feita por Gian Lorenzo Bernini entre 1633 e 1639, representa o soldado romano que teria perfurado o corpo de Cristo crucificado e recebido o milagre do sangue respingado em seus olhos: a cura de uma grave doença ocular. Pelo menos da próxima vez que perder as chaves do carro, saberá por que recorrer a ele.

Ver (ou imaginar) pra crer as quatro pilastras gigantes que sustentam a grande cúpula têm um nicho que guardaria as principais relíquias da Basílica e, quem sabe, de todo o cristianismo: uma teria madeira da cruz; outra o pano com o suor de Jesus na Via Dolorosa; a terceira com a ponta da lança que o feriu na cruz. A quarta, que teria abrigado a suposta cabeça de Santo André, está vazia. Mas se você insiste em fortes emoções, que tal seguir para o subsolo, onde se encontram os túmulos de papas e líderes religiosos? Impressione-se, finalmente, com o túmulo do próprio São Pedro.. e por aí vai.. :)

I went to St. Peters Square and Basilica. The Square itself and the surrounding buildings are amazing and gigantic. Then you turn your attention to the Church and Basilica itself and even on the outside it’s pretty damn incredible. Then you go inside. For the first time I’ve entered a church and have been utterly speechless. There are no words to describe it that would be justifiable. Still a church to go confess your sins and to pray, of which I saw both happening. The inside of the church is enormous and takes your breath away even when you are expecting something spectacular. I honestly had no idea as to what to expect and almost didn't go in. That would have been the most fateful decision and something I would have regretted. What is amazing is that it is a free entry I believe mainly because it is a place of worship and because it is something people go to do there. You can visit the tombs of the past Popes and pay your respects. Bless Pope John Paul. You can also go to the top of the basilica and get views of Roma it is an incredible view and feeling.

When I was there we first went up the stairs to enjoy the great view of Rome. Something you should try to do at dusk or dawn, very impressive. Half way on your way to the top you pass through the dome which was one of the things I liked best, just breathtaking. The church itself is always full but always beautifull. Every detail has a story to tell from the big statues, la pieta especially is worth the wait to get a good look at to the marble floors. Try to pass by the square on sunday when the pope gives the crowd his blessing. Seeing all the nuns, priest and all the other religious people getting extatic is a beautfull experince. One of the touristy things to do is to go to postoffice of the vatican and send a postcard from there. The Vatican city is a seperate country so it has its own stamps. Believe me every catholic grandmother or old uncle will love a card from here. Be prepared to queu a bit.

When you get the chance of being in Rome do not and I repeat do not skip the climbing of the dome of Saint Peter's basilica... It is really worth the few euros you have to pay to make the climb. You get a beautifull panoramic view of Rome centre after you have conquered many stairs. I myself have a lot of trouble with winding stairs (and there were a lot off them) so I was very glad I had my very good friend Linda with me to help me out, otherwise I would still have been standing there in the dome not able to move an inch further :). But what a view, makes you forget your fear from earlier in an instant. Afterwards you can reward yourself with a gelato (icecream) of maybe, depending on the time, a very good Italian pizza from one the nice restos in the area.

It's hard to describe just how big St. Peter's really is. I knew that it could hold 60,000 people before I went, and I was impressed by the exterior of the building, but I was amazed at how vast and grand the interior is. It's absolutly breath-taking! It's free to get in, but the line-ups tend to be very very long for most of the day. I'd recommend getting there right for the 8am opening to avoid spending an hour or two waiting to get in! We decided to skip the stairs since we had a great view of Rome from Castle Sant"Angelo the day before, but the visit to the crypt was well worth it. We visited 2 years after Pope John Paul II passed away and there were still 30-40 people praying around his tomb. The whole experience at St. Peter's was spectacular.