Hum 325- Rome: Stories and Traditions 9-22

Journal Prompt: The Pope’s address on Easter and Christmas always begins, “ Urbi et Orbi” - “To the City of Rome and to the World.” The term “Roman Catholic” also suggests that there is something “roman” and something “universal” about the Church. In what sense is the Church “roman” and in what sense is it “global?”

If this questioned would have been presented to me before I embarked upon my trip to Rome, I would have had no idea how answer this question. However, the past six weeks I have had the privilege of experiencing Rome, and it is very evident how the church is “roman” and “universal”. Simply take a look at the tours we have taken this semester and topics we have studied. Rome is a placed filled with history of various religions, especially, Catholicism.

Before coming to Rome, I knew the city was a place filled with marvelous ruins and an abundance of history. What I did not realize was how much of the city was filled with religious ruins or even churches that are still standing today. If I were to list the all the churches that we have seen or visited so far, I could easily create a full page worth. Because of this, I can tell that Rome was very much a religious city, and as we study the timeline I can see the evolution from Paganism to Christianity to Catholicism. I am simply saying that history of Catholicism is what makes the church Roman. Take the past week for example. We visited the Vatican City, and we got to see the burial place of St. Peter, St. Peter’s Basilica, and an address by the Pope. All of the churches, history, and relevance of the Pope allow us to realize the depth of Catholicism in Rome. Simply put, Rome is the heart of Catholicism.

Now to express what I think is universal about the Church. As I sat and listened to speeches given by the Pope and his Cardinals, it was easy to distinguish what is universal about the church, which would be its beliefs. Think about how many different languages were spoken at the address or think about all the different schools and people represented from different countries. Being able to see people of all different backgrounds come together for one reason, really gave me a visual perspective on how widespread Catholicism is. Yes, I knew it was a worldwide religion, but having lived in a box my whole life, the United States, I was never really able to get a true understanding of the influence of the Catholic Church.

My adventures through Rome and Italy have helped me in gaining a better understanding and perspective on the Catholic Church. I would go as far as saying that today was the ultimate eye opening experience on the history and relevance of Catholicism in Rome along with the universal nature of the religion. Seeing the Pope today sparked a feeling I never thought imaginable considering the fact I am not Catholic or even Christian but agnostic. Ultimately my study abroad trip and mainly the past week and a half have given me insight as to how the Church is “roman” and “universal.”