13. Vatican City - 1970

What can one say about the touring the Vatican.  In 1970 I saw The Basilica of St Peter, the Sistine Chapel, the Chair of Saint Peter, the statue of St. Peter Enthroned with everyone touching his worn bronze toe, artwork by Bernini, Bellini, Michelangelo, and Raffaello Sanzio.  I also saw the museum and the Necropolis.

The Necropolis, underneath the basilica was still being excavating in 1970, but was open to tourists and was very exciting.  They didn't even find St. Peter's bones until 1968.  It was a wonderful day without the long lines of today.  I still remember the workers covered in sweat from the humidity in the catacombs.  I read that now entry is restricted to 250 people a day.  Tickets for this portion is expensive and you must apply for tickets months ahead.  When I visited it in 1970, it was affordable.  I think one fee covered all of Vatican City.

Before we entered the Sistine chapel we were given strict warnings about using flash cameras in the chapel.  I think they had just started to restore the ceiling then. You still cannot use flash cameras.

There is also a museum with many interesting treasures and displays.  I remember seeing many artifacts, treasures and some huge woven tapestries.  The tapestries were some of the ones that Raffaello designed for the walls of the Sistine Chapel they were huge, like 24 x 16 feet, made of wool, gold, and silver!

I think I started a new family tradition there.  When I came home from my trip, I was a long haired bearded hippie with a pierced ear wearing beaded necklaces and dressed in homemade red corduroy bell bottoms.  Yet for a while, I could do no wrong in the eyes of my father.  The reason?  I bought my father a gift from the Vatican, of a rosary blessed by the Pope.  My oldest daughter, Christi, growing up hearing this story made a point of bringing home a rosary from Saint Patrick's Cathedral in Ireland and another from a Cathedral in Munich, Germany and gifted her mother with them. Mom was pleased.