Back to America- Final Reflection

Church and State:  The ongoing debate

While at home and abroad, we learned a great amount about the relationship between the Catholic Church and the secular government.  Specifically, a great deal was taught about the connections between the different popes and the Roman emperors.

Back in the first century, when Christianity was first blossoming, dramatic conflict did not exist between the church and the secular world.  This was mostly because the community was small enough and unobtrusive enough to not cause a great outrage from non-Christians.  Claudius allowed for the persecution of Christians, but did not enforce it.  Nero, on the other hand, used the Christian community as a scape-goat for his atrocious acts against society.  For instance, he burned down a neighborhood on Palatine Hill in order to build his palace, but charged the Christians for it, in order to avoid personal persecution.  After Nero’s hateful rampage through the empire, he not only made it legal, but also mandatory, to persecute Christians, forcing the community to go underground and to begin worshiping in private.  This led to the increase in house-churches, like the one we visited at St. Clement’s basilica.  After Nero’s death, the Roman persecution of Christians lightened, but only slightly. 

For the next 300 years, until Costantine’s conversion, Christians were treated as sub-humans.  They were accused of incest and cannibalism, as well as being blamed for most natural disasters.  In the fourth century, Constantine changed the future of Catholicism by converting to Christianity (bringing his entire empire with him.)  This led to a major decline in Christian persecutions as well as an increase in the total number of conversions.  For years to come, the Pope and Emperor would fight for power, alternately allying with and militarily confronting one another.  In the fourteenth century, the French King encouraged (through forceful persuasion) the papacy to move from Italy to France, in order to promote the king’s administration.  This Avignon Papacy led to a split in the Catholic Church, two separate popes, and eventually, The Great Schism.  The Great Schism occurred when the clerical council, in an effort to reconcile the two branches of the church that were forming, appointed a third pope to be the ‘official ruler’ of the Catholic Church.  This only created more confusion and the conflict was not resolved until more than 100 years after the Avignon Papacy began.

Nowadays, the Vatican is considered its own city-state, separate from that of the Italian government.  This helps to keep the Catholic Church neutral in most political manners while still maintaining its historical geographic position.   The pope, meanwhile, still holds great political influence today.  After learning about the long, colorful history and relationship of Catholicism and the secular world, I do not think that the two will ever be completely separated.  A large majority of the Catholic community, a group that continues to grow throughout the world, will forever rely on their Catholic leader before their secular leader.  This is why the Pope and the secular rulers will be forced to work hand in hand, to balance the amount of power that each holds.

Catholic art or artistic catholics:  The Chicken or the egg?

While in Rome, the class visited many artistically significant religious sites.  From these visits, I understand that the Christian Church not only played a huge role in the advancement of art throughout the centuries, but art in turn impacted the development of the Catholic Church.

            Michelangelo’s Sistine chapel, for example, would never have been created if the tyrannical Pope Julius II did not forcibly commission the young artist to paint.  Michelangelo used new artistic interpretations to portray the New and Old Testaments.  In a religious breakthrough, Michelangelo painted God and Adam as the same size.  This was controversial in many respects, but it reminded the audience that ‘Man was created in God’s image.’  The Last Judgment depicted the apocalypse in the baroque style and presented the saints as Jesus’ helpers in bringing the souls to heaven.

            Rome boasts home to many unimaginably beautiful Caravaggio paintings.  Caravaggio had a unique perspective on the Catholic parables.  In the Madonna di Loreto, he painted Mary as a humble working class mother, without any shoes or telling sign of her saintliness.  This angered many people, for they believed that the Virgin Mother must be depicted as the revered woman of God that she is.  A few understood then, and people have come to appreciate now, that Caravaggio was indeed respectful in his interpretation.  Mary did not believe in the power of material possessions.  To portray her as a lavishly dressed, self-conscious girl would have been more offensive than Caravaggio’s portrayal. The importance of the painting stems from the fact that Mary was recognized as a holy person, despite not bearing any earthly signifier of the fact.  Caravaggio’s paintings, such as this one, reminded Catholics of the very basics of the bible and the Holy Family; An idea that had been lost during the rich depictions of the renaissance.


            One of the most amazing pieces of art that I saw in Rome was the ‘dome’ at St. Ignatius church.  Before the completion of the church, the architectural budget had dried up, so the Jesuits had a choice to make.  They decided to paint a false dome onto the ceiling, where a real one could not be built.  Walking into the church, I could not imagine that anything was amiss.  It was not until I was directed by my professor to stand directly beneath the dome that I could appreciate the flatness of the surface.  While artistically breathtaking and almost incomprehensible, the message that I heard behind this dome struck me far more deeply.  I feel that this optical illusion reminds the congregation that everything is not always as it may seem.  The ‘criminal’ nailed to the cross?  He may just be the messiah.  The humble beggar on your doorstep?  A saint in disguise.  The dark and impressive dome?  Merely a budgeted painting on a flat ceiling.

Christianity in the Modern World

            I have many friends who refer to Christianity as an ‘archaic’ religion.  After this trip, though, I realize now more than ever how ‘kept up with the times’ Catholicism has remained throughout the ages.  The church, an organization largely concerned with the truth, has for years recognized and appreciated the value of science and mathematics.   

Our class visited the official astronomer of the Vatican.  I was amazed at the amount of   technology we saw in their astronomy tower.  We met with Guy Consolmagno, a Jesuit scientist, who has worked at the Vatican astronomy center for decades.  The large domed astronomy tower contained a telescope that must have been at least twenty feet tall.  As we took turns studying the sky through the scope, Guy explained that the church has been funding research and advocating advances in science since, practically, the beginning of Christianity.  In the past, most of the world's best scientists were clergymen, according to Guy, because they were the only ones with the time and the finances to test theories and make hypotheses.  Nowadays, a greater variety of people are scientists and the discoveries of the research world are becoming exponentially advanced.  The church, however, has not waived in its dedication to academia and modern technology.  In fact, during the 1990s, Pope John Paul II apologized for the treatment of Galileo and the subsequent forsaking of a blunt scientific fact.

Science and technology are not the only areas in which the Christian church has changed.  Pope Francis seems to be simultaneously reverting to the very basics of Christianity and ushering in a new era Catholicism.  The Pope preaches love, acceptance, and charity; the main ideals of Jesus Christ.  The manner in which Pope Francis carries out these theories, however, is revolutionary in terms of the Church.  Francis has outwardly stated that God feels love towards his people, not hate.  This was a liturgical slap in the face for many who used ‘God’s hate’ as a justification of their political beliefs.  Francis washed the feet of a Muslim woman, an act many of us felt we could have understood Jesus to commit.  Francis was also the first Pope to publicly state that God will accept anyone, not just Catholics, into his kingdom.  Two months into his papacy, Pope Francis gave a sermon stating, “The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone! ‘Father, the atheists?’ Even the atheists. Everyone!”  I think this newfound acceptance of all religions and beliefs reminds the world that the Church is a fluid concept, constantly changing and adjusting with the times, while staying true to its foundations.

We have seen a great deal of fluctuation between different themes and ideals of the Catholic Church in an attempt to stay modern and grow with the congregation.  Pope Francis’ declarations are just a continuation in a long line of papal recognitions of contemporary times and need for change.  Through our course, we have seen the good (such as the first universities, built by the Christian Church) and the not-so-good (the crusades… also apologized for by John Paul II!) that may come from the Church’s urgency to stay relevant and contemporary with the changing times. I have great faith that Francis’ changes will prove to be great for the church, but only time will tell.

            Obviously, since Christianity plays across such a large scope of time, I can barely mention a fraction of the recurring themes throughout the religion.  From Constantine, to the Spanish Inquisition, to the construction of St. Peter’s Basilica, I feel that I have finally gained an idea of the history of Catholicism.  The two weeks studying abroad has left me equipped to study my religion more critically and thoroughly than I had before.

Thanks for reading! Ciao! J

Day 10- Papa Francesco

We woke up and left the dorms by 6:30 in order to leave for an audience with the pope.  To be honest, I had no idea what to expect, but as we neared the walls of Vatican City, I could already begin to appreciate the vastness of this Pope's audience.  Pope Francis has been receiving larger crowds than was historically normal.  While I was very excited for this opportunity, I was extremely curious about what was to happen in St. Peter's Square that warranted swarms of people arriving three hours before the Pope was to show.  When Pope Francis finally stepped onto the stage and addressed the crowd, I saw the large group of people go completely crazy.

Pope Francis greeting his fans

For years, this audience with the Pope offered to the public has been a popular place for Catholics and non-Catholics combined to be able to see and hear the leader of the church.  Pope Francis, however, is drawing more crowds than usual.  I got to thinking- isn't this near-worship of the Pope a form of idolatry?  Should we be greeting Pope Francis with such fervor?
In class, we discussed the veneration of the saints and the controversies that surrounded this worship.  Eventually, at the Council of Trent, the church agreed on guidelines through which saints, relics, and holy images may be invocated.  This decree explains that the veneration of saints may be used, but not in substitution for worship of God:  "Moreover, that the images of Christ, of the Virgin Mother of God, and of other saints, are to be had... and that due honor and veneration are to be given them:  not that any divinity, or virtue, is believed to be in them."
The worshipper must understand, according to the Council, that God is above all, and that these saints are not in any way gods, in themselves.  Although, the Catholic community understands that the Pope is not a god, the incredible excitement surrounding Pope Francis demonstrated today makes me wonder if people may forget the words of the Council, and begin to escalate the Pope to a god-like worship.

Day 9- Caravaggio

Learning about Caravaggio and his many works made me consider art from the perspective of the artist.  Caravaggio commissioned many works for the Catholic Church, but did not feel a special enthusiasm for religious works.  In fact, most of his works before being hired by the church were centered on secular ideas.  Caravaggio enjoyed making observations about daily life.  He would take every day objects and cast them into shadow, or focus light on them in different ways in order to make ordinary things seem extraordinary.  His religious transformation in the art world did not really occur until his second period in Rome, when he found that he could make a living out of exploiting Christian themes.


Caravaggio's Madonna di Loreto
Commissioned by the Confraternity of the
Holy Trinity of Pilgrims

This bridge between the artist and his work really makes me consider Michelangelo and the Sistine Chapel.  In the film we watched, Pope Julius II exalts Michelangelo's faith, as professed in his rendition of the creation of man.  He states that Michelangelo must have a true and loving interpretation of God in order to create such a powerful piece.  Raphael, on the other hand, argues against this theory.  In an exchange with Michelangelo, he says, "Before we even begin to work, to feed this craving of ours, we must find a patron, a rich man of affairs, or a merchant, or a prince or a Pope...We are harlots always peddling beauty at the doorsteps of the mighty."  Raphael seems to think that an artist's work is not a reflection on his intuition, rather it is a reflection on his wallet.
I realize that this film is a fictionalized piece, intended to entertain, as well as inform, but the movie does make some good points.  Many artists in Caravaggio's and in Michelangelo's time, and even today, had to set aside their artistic ideals in order to appease their patrons.  This is why, when I study a piece of art, I am sometimes skeptical
the true intentions of the artist.

Day 8- The Importance of Balancing Vanity and Religion

Today, we visited St. Ignatius Church.  This church, built in the baroque style, was created in honor of Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus.  While the interior of the church is, without a doubt, beautiful, it appears to be unfinished.  A few side chapels have bare walls because the parish ran out of resources before it could be finished.  If you stand in the center of the church, you can see a huge dome.  Once you step closer, however, you can see that the dome is not, in fact, real.  It has been painted on a flat drum on the ceiling, again, as a result of the church's lack of finances.
This juxtaposition of illusion and aesthetic reality reminds me of the story of St. Alexis.  This saint left his family to venture into the dessert in order to escape the vanity and fame he was soon to inherit (he had recently married a wealthy, famous woman.)  Upon Alexis' return, neither his parents, nor his bride, recognized him.  He lived out his life as a beggar on the stoop of his childhood home and only after his death did his family realize who he truly was.
I think this theme of losing yourself in the superficial and failing to fully comprehend the obvious can be seen in many areas of the Catholic faith.  The optical illusion of the dome reminds the congregation that, for lack of a better phrase, things are not always as they seem.  The beggar on your doorstep could easily be your son.  Christ, the savior, could easily be mistaken for a simple, humble man.
St. Ignatius of Loyola preached this theme throughout his life, as well.  He was more concerned with helping the poor and hungry than with promoting himself.  His aversion to vanity is the great virtue that continues to propel Jesuits in their missions around the world.

Day 7- The Last Judgment

Walking into the Sistine Chapel, my breath was taken away.  Not by the ceiling, however, as I would have expected.  I could not believe the incredible detail in Michelangelo's The Last Judgment.  This fresco, created over twenty years after the completion of the ceiling, depicts the apocalypse.  Jesus is shown descending from the heavens, along with the saints, and bringing up those souls deemed worthy into the Kingdom of God.  Demons pull some souls down, while Saints grab onto people and try to save them.  At the bottom middle of the fresco, the Devil stares out at the audience, as though waiting for them.  Michelangelo implies that he will be unsuccessful, however, as his fresco was painted exactly behind the altar and a large crucifix which blocks the Devil's eye line and keeps him in Hell.
I was extremely taken with this fresco mostly because of the artist's representations of the saints.  Each Saint holds the instrument of their death as they ascend, alongside their savior, into heaven.  At first it seemed odd that these saints would be holding their own murder weapons, but then I remembered our textbook, The Christian Theological Tradition explaining why Jesus is always associated with the cross.  In Christ's case, the cross is not only the instrument of death, but is also his instrument of rebirth into the Kingdom of God.  This is the same with the saints.  Saint Katherine holds the wheel that dismembered her.  Saint Lawrence carries a gridiron, representative of his tortuous grilling.  Saint Bartholomew holds a knife and his own skin, as he was fileted alive.  While all these objects brought about the end of the saints' mortal lives, they ensured that they would all join Jesus in this scene, the last judgment, as he recognizes those faithful to him.  This veneration of the martyrs sits behind the alter, looking out onto the conclave.  It stands to remind them of the importance of faithfulness to Christ and the church as they make one of the most important decisions for the Catholic community: electing the new Pope.

Day 6- Michelangelo's Pieta

Today, we visited Michelangelo's Pietà.  This marble sculpture was built in 1497, originally to be placed on an altar in St. Peter's basilica.  Unfortunately, in the early 1970s, a crazed man entered the basilica and, taking a hammer to the Pietà, greatly damaged the piece and removed at least 50 fragments.  When we visited the sculpture, it was encased in glass, in order to avoid any further damage.
I found this piece incredibly interesting because it presented Mary and Jesus in what was a revolutionary manner at the time.  Michelangelo created a scene in which Mary holds a recently crucified Christ in her lap.  Jesus, still bearing the wounds of his torture on his hands and feet, looks utterly vulnerable in his mother's arms.  Michelangelo, in fact, sculpted the pair disproportionately, in order to emphasize Mary's strength in the face of this ordeal and her continuing maternal love for her son.
In this scene, Mary is depicted as a young woman, despite the fact that, at the time of Jesus' passion, Mary would have been nearing fifty years of age.  This girlish youth reflects the virgin mother's innocence and contrasts greatly to the representations of this mother-son duo of years before. 
In the preceding centuries to the Pietà, Mary was often depicted with great, sorrowful looks of anguish on her face.  Now, however, Michelangelo creates a piece with an entirely different message:  acceptance and faith.  Mary does not wear her suffering on her face, rather she reflects in what appears to be silent prayer.  She sits with hand wrapped around Jesus, holding him to her and keeping him upright.  Her other hand lies, palm facing upward, in a gesture of prayer.  While the viewer certainly understands Mary's mourning and loss in this sculpture, her face projects a sort of serenity and we can see that she understands why her son was taken from her and she accepts this fact.  This acceptance is a true testament to Mary's faith.
Though Mary was not put to death, her disposition reminds me of that of many of the martyrs we have studied in class.  John and Paul, specifically, seem to have followed Mary in their faithful acceptance of God's will.  The two martyrs, killed in their homes for their faith, understood the reasons for their death and expressed such great faith in God to gracefully, and without protest, accept their suffering.  Mary, like John and Paul, does not question the reason for her loss or for Jesus' suffering.  She mourns, but does not question.  Michelangelo captured this perfectly in the Pietà.