What I find most memorable from San Giovanni in Laterano were the statues of apostles and evangelists. I had never been a big saint person before this trip, and I had never understood their significance in Christianity. I am beginning to realize just how many role models that we have in the faith. Among them, Peter stands out to me, particularly because we read excerpts from his writings this week.
This statue of St. Peter was created in the time of Pope Clement, which was 1701-1721 C.E. It is made of marble and it is 425 cm high. St. Peter can be found on the left side of the Church as you walk in, and is parallel to the Altar of the Holy Sacrament, which is said to be the table Christ used at the Last Supper (sacred-destinations.com). Étienne Monnot, a famous artist of the era, sculpted Peter. Peter's right hand is extended in the pose of a Classical orator (wga.hu). The keys in Peter's left hand refer to the Gospel passage about St. Peter's role in the church. Jesus calls Peter to found the church in Matthew 16:18-20,“'You are Peter, the Rock; and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall never conquer it. I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven.'” (conservapedia.com). Peter unlocks the Kingdom of Heaven for believers on earth through his role as the first pope. It was cool to look at this statue, which represents such an influential figure of Catholicism. Peter is a true embodiment of his words in the letter to the Romans: "Work for the Lord with untiring effort and with great earnestness of spirit" (Cahill 84). Because of Peter's foundational work , the church thrived and became what it is today. 
The second place that I found interesting this week was the Fosse Ardeatina. On the right, I found a picture that depicts the events of March 24, 1944. I couldn't find the artist's name, but I think it's important because it helps one to imagine the atrocities that occurred and allow them to become a part of us.
When we visited this war memorial, it was hard for me to imagine the level of violence that occurred. When the Germans retaliated a partisan attack, they killed 335 innocent Italians; about 1/3 were Italian-Jews (Cahill 296). Not only did they shoot them in the caves, but they blew the caves up. This memorial serves as a tragic reminder that civilians should in no way be a part of war. To think that this happened 66 years ago, as did the horrific events of the Holocaust, sends a shiver down my spine. In the grand scheme of history, 66 years is nothing. In 1944, the world truly hadn't gotten away from the pagan violence of ancient Rome: the countless deaths in the Colosseum and the constant need to conquer and coerce other peoples. Just as these are examples of a disrespect of human life in ancient Rome, this modern example at Fosse Ardeatina sheds light on the possibility of modern horrors. I only hope we have today moved far from these atrocities.
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