PJ's Studio: Roman Wedding

Sunday, November 26, 2023

Roman Wedding

My friend Doug is an awesome travel guide. He loves art and now that he has relocated to Rome, he has mastered the art of winding through the alleys to find hidden treasures.

Since we had a few minutes free before our 3:00 visit to the Pantheon, Doug put the Basilica Santa Maria Sopra Minerva on our itinerary.

The church houses a Michelangelo statue – “Cristo della Minerva,” also known as “Christ the Redeemer” and “Christ Carrying the Cross.”

But when we arrived, we discovered that a wedding was taking place. So, I figured we would need to come back later.

As it turned out, I was incorrect. We along with a few other tourists entered, albeit while trying to be as inconspicuous as possible.

We had a great view of the ceremony,

the walk down the aisle,

and the pelting of the rice when the happy couple emerged into the sunlight.

Best of all, from our perspective the congratulations included stellar views of Bernini’s Elephant & Obelisk.

I was especially thrilled to see it, because the book I had brought to read on the plane was “The Pope’s Elephant” by Silvio Bedini. The book is about Hanno, the elephant that Manuel I of Portugal gave to Pope Leo X in 1514. Hanno was a big hit with all, including Bernini who in addition to creating this sculpture, also drew him several times.