by Vanessa Cumber

Created on: April 06, 2007   Last Updated: May 11, 2007

My most memorable visit to a spiritual church was when I stopped by St. Peter's Cathedral during a summer jaunt throughout the streets of Rome and the Vatican City. When I approached St. Peter's Basilica, I felt the spiritual energy beckoning me from within the astounding edifice. As I drew closer, I felt an indescribable sense of awe. The courtyard itself seemed to offer an embrace.

The sun was bright and the day was pleasant. When I entered the church, I felt as if I had stepped into another world. I was immediately drawn to the Pieta, Michelangelo's masterpiece of the Virgin Mary cradling the dead body of Christ. The sculpture was behind glass but it still spoke to me on a level that touched the confines of my soul.

As I moved further into the massive structure, I felt dwarfed in comparison to the height of the arched entrances and the airy dome above. The grandeur was impressive and the holiness was palpable. I soon found my way into the crypts below the church where many popes are entombed. While I admit I felt somewhat eerie, it was still amazing to walk among the sarcophagi of such powerful past religious leaders.

Next, and what I anticipated perhaps most of all, I found my way to the Sistine Chapel, maybe the most impressive work Michelangelo ever created. It was not quite what I expected it to look like, but it was no less breathtaking. I was speechless. The spiritual energy was palpable, complete with goose bumps and a feeling of floating on air. My eyes filled with tears as I gazed upon the scenes painted on the walls. The Last Judgment commands attention but the many other paintings draw you in as well. For a moment, I felt as if time had stopped.

After leaving the Sistine Chapel, I headed for the museums, where miles of magnificent history in the form of artwork, manuscripts, statues, and more, awaited. It was hard to believe that the museums had been in existence since the early 1500s. I especially enjoyed the Egyptian mummies and the Roman statues.

While I am not a devoutly religious person, and am not a Catholic, I consider myself to be spiritual. What I felt that day can only be described as a feeling of Godliness. Akin to endless love, whole and pure, I was overcome with joy and lightness.

There is certainly an abundance of spiritual energy within the Basilica of St. Peter's. After all, it is perhaps the heart of Christianity, and has stood throughout the ages. A testament to all that is holy, St. Peter's affected me like no other church has, and there is no doubt I felt a higher power there.

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