Chiesa di Santa Maria Immacolata Concezione

The Church of Santa Maria Immacolata Concezione was built in the early 17th century by Cardinal Antonio Barberini, a Capuchin Franciscan and brother of Pope Urbano VIII. It was designed by the papal architect and Franciscan Friar Michele da Bergamo

You get to the front door from the Via Veneto

by ascending a scissor-shaped staircase.

Typical of Capucin churches, there are no architectural side aisles.

A main attraction to visitors is the crypt with the exhumed bones of long dead friars arranged in "artistic" ways. However there are several interesting tombs and memorials in the "upstairs" church.

This is the tomb of the Polish Prince Alexander Sobieski.

The shrine to the 20th Centruy Capucin Saint

Padre Pio is in the front of the church.

The tomb of the first Capucin saint.

Felix of Cantalice died in 1587.

This is a detail of a relief carved by A. Bisetti in 1853.

A "Barbarini Bee" can be seen

under the Holy Water font.

Nostra Signora del Santissimo Sacramento e Santi Martiri Canadesi

In 1948 an order of priests called the Congregation of the Most Blessed Sacrament bought the Villa Massimo and grounds near Piazza Bologna for their international headquarters. The Catholic Diocese of Rome asked the priests to include a church building that would be open to the public for adoration of the Eucharist. At the same time an idea developed to also make this church the Canadian National Church, dedicated to the Canadian Martyrs, 17th century Jesuit missionaries who were killed by Mohawk Indians.
Nostra Signora del Santissimo Sacramento e Santi Martiri Canadesi was designed by Bruno Apolloni Ghetti and completed in 1955. The exterior of the church is an imposing rectangle, set half a block down a side artery from the main street in the neighborhood.

It is said that the architect had in mind the giant pines of Canada's forests. A series of tapering concrete arches form the nave and lead the eye to a towering canopy over the tabernacle against a wall flooded in natural night.

The canopy is decorated with reliefs in painted and glazed terracotta, designed by Angelo Biancini.

The pulpit has terracotta images of the Last Supper and the Madonna.

The Congregation of the Most Blessed Sacrament were founded in 1856 by Saint Pierre-Julien Eymard in France. Today, following in the footsteps of their Founder, their mission is to respond to the hungers of the human family with the riches of God's love manifested in the Eucharist. (Rule of Life n. 3) Today this church is open for adoration to all who want enter.

Question: Why is there a mosaic

of a raccoon on the facade of the church?

Thanks to John Thomas Lane, SSS, for encouraging me to visit this church of his order.

Sales! Sconti! Saldi!

Sales! Sconti! Saldi!
These three words are used to let customers know that items are being discounted. Here in Italy, sales are regulated by regional law. Everything goes on sale at the same time, twice a year, in February ... and right now! Starting this Saturday, July 3, "saldi" signs appeared in most shop windows.

The English word SALE is also the Italian word for SALT.

This Diesel Store window on the Via del Corso in the center of Rome plays with both of these words!

"Frisky" Pet Food Ads in Rome

This is a pet food advertisement that you would never see in the USA. These pictures were taken in Stazione Termini, Rome's main train station.Almo Nature was started in 2000 in the city of Genoa. Now it is a premium, all "natural," and socially responsible pet food company throughout Europe.

CLICK HERE for the Almo Nature website.

www.almonature.eu/pages/en_GB/

Arch of Janus

On a recent journey in the historic center I saw students from Harvard University sketching the "Arch of Janus." This was the center of an area of ancient Rome called the Velabro that linked the wholesale markets with the Roman Forum. In antiquity it was a bustling area with boats unloading cargo and merchants and customers haggling for the best prices. Today is it a quiet place, with the Basilica di San Giorgio in the background.

The "Arch of Janus" is not a regular arch, but a massive travertine cube that was a four-way covered passage, built by Constantine in the 4th century on top of the Cloaca Maxima. It was not dedicated to the Roman god Janus, but probably received the name because the passage could be walked through in two different directions. (The god Janus faced two different directions.)

In the Middle Ages the Frangipane family transformed the building into a fortress. In 1830 an attic and top of the monument were removed because archeologists at the time incorrectly thought that they were not part of the original structure.

A Roman Holiday

The City of Rome celebrates its Patron Saints - Peter and Paul - on June 29th. While the rest of Italy has a work day, Rome takes a holiday! The center of our celebration was a condominium roof top Bar-B-Que.

Some prepared food...

while others prepared the outdoor oven.

Everyone had a great time talking, eating and drinking.

(I made Rice Krispie Treats.)

After dinner we walked along the Via delle Sette Chiese to the Basilica San Paolo for an 11:00pm fireworks display.

Fast Food in Rome

Yes! There is fast food in Rome. McDonald's and Burger King restaurants seem to be around almost every corner. This sign for McDonald's with it's slogan "I'm lovin' it." has been expanded to say "I'm lovin' italy."
I am not aware of a Burger King near the Colessium, but this mural seems to say that you can have it the same way as Caesar had it.
You often don't see McDonald's in the historic center because the restaurants blend in with the surrounding architecture and monuments. This picture of the Piazza della Rotundo in front of the Pantheon includes a McDonalds! (It is the ground floor of the peach colored building.)
People are enjoying Quarter Pounders, Big Macs and french fries while looking at the Pantheon.