The Vatican: A Divine Enclave 🇻🇦

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St Peter's Square, 12 September 2023.

The Vatican. The smallest nation on earth is also the holiest. Roman Catholic Church, the largest religion in the world, has its capital in the micro-state of Vatican City. 

We visited its hallowed grounds during our Rome explorations. It is officially my fourth country after the Philippines, U.A.E., and Italy. We were there by a couple of hours on two separate days while still staying in Rome.

Despite its small size, the Vatican is grand in many respects. No less than the pope is its sovereign head. Its main basilica is massive. And of course, several ancient artifacts and paintings are kept within its hallowed halls.


Arrival

One of the alleys we passed by on our way to Vatican.


Completely surrounded by the larger city of Rome in Italy, the Vatican can be accessed by mere walking. You just need to present your passport before entry. No need for plane or bus tickets.


Even on our way, we saw instagrammable sights


We haven't taken our breakfast yet, but by the time we reached the main street going to St Peter's Square, there were no restaurants open. It was already 10 in the morning. There were food carts though so we had to contend with mere hotdog sandwiches, which sort of ruins my healthy lifestyle a bit.


Via della Conciliazione, the main street


St. Peter's Square was open to the public so you can actually go inside Vatican territory even without passports. It was the entry to St. Peter's Basilica that requires the presentation of passports.


Inside St. Peter's Square. Myself, my sister, and my aunt.


While it's very easy to enter St. Peter's Square, entry to St. Peter's Basilica requires tons of patience. There were many people, perhaps a hundred or so of them, lined up just to enter the basilica. September was still part of the summer in Italy so it was very hot when we lined up, following the circular shape of the square.




Regardless, St Peter's Square on a summer day was gorgeous. The pastel colors of the basilica blends well with the indigo sky. True to its very nature, the Vatican is indeed heavenly, and I'm pretty sure it's even more sacred within.


St. Peter's Basilica































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