St. Peter's Chains

Today we went on another guided tour. We first visited Circus Maximus, where the famous chariot races took place, remember Ben Hur. Unfortunately now it is a dry, dirty desolate place which, in it's hay day would have seating for 300,000 people.

Then on to the Catacombs, and as we could not take any photographs you will just have to take my word for it. It was most enlightening with over 100,000 graves hollowed out into the walls 4 stories deep under ground. The soft volcanic Tuff rock was easy to excavate, and when it meets the air it soon becomes hardened.We had to keep up with our guide, for to take the wrong turning would mean being down there for a long time. It has many tunnels and is said to be more than 15 kilometres in there combined length.

And finally we went to the second oldest church in Rome, S. Pietro in Vincoli (St. Peter in chains) where amongst other fantastic frescos and statues including Michelangelo's magnificent carving of Moses, there, in a glass casket are the Chains of St. Peter.

St.Peter was crucified at the age of 67 upside down, because he said he was not worthy to die like Jesus Christ.