returning to the Vatican

I hadn’t been inside the church since I was eleven, though I vaguely remember the size of the place and the fine detail of every inch of wall and ceiling. in a crowd of thousands I heard Papa Francesco speak from his balcony. there were so many of us listening to his sermon, it was somewhat surreal. 

entering the basilica felt like stepping into a palace. the awe left me speechless, and I wandered the chapels with nothing to say. 120 years of the devotion of thousands manifesting in a building so grand, walls and ceilings adorned with some the finest sculptures, paintings and mosaic work I have ever seen.
the pietà, a piece my parents keep in our lounge room back home.
St Veronica, perhaps my favourite statue in the Vatican City.
no end to the wonder. witnessing this level of devotion is remarkable. I remember being here with my family, and would love them to be with me now. <<