After a night of wandering, dining, and delighting in the spectacle of Rome after dark, we awoke early to enjoy another full day of exploration. St. Peter’s Basilica was our first destination: this gorgeous structure is the largest church in the world and of utmost importance to the Catholic church. The image I will carry most from this visit is that of Michelangelo’s moving statue of the Virgin Mary, holding the body of her adult son Jesus Christ after His crucifixion. The story is not in the Bible but has come through in oral traditions, likely because of the emotional value of the image of a mother both mourning her Son and offering Him to God. Mary is portrayed as quite young in the sculpture, to speak to the mystery of the Holy Trinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: Mary is at once both the mother of God, and a child of God. The piece is unique in that it is the only work Michelangelo ever signed in his 89 years of life. He carved it out of one piece of marble, and saw the beautiful work not as his own talent, but as the skill to find and illuminate God’s beauty in stone.
I comment on this work of art not only because of its strong, stirring presence, but also because of the sculptor’s similarity to the researcher. While Michelangelo teased beauty out of stone, our research work in Florence will seek to tease personal anecdotes, experiences, and knowledge out of the women we interview regarding their women’s health needs and behaviors. Researchers do not create data, but they pull it together into a work of art that portrays meaning and stirs thought and action.
After seeing our students on this journey so far, I have no doubt that they will do just that. I have participated in several study abroad experiences, but this program is strikingly different in its focus and rigor. Information comes at us a mile a minute, especially during this travel week with so many sights and sounds to soak in, so that we can adequately develop our cultural awareness for our upcoming research endeavors. I continue to be impressed by the gracious listening, cultural respect, and intellectual tenacity with which our students are approaching this learning experience. They are wonderful representations of our university and our nation, and there is no shortage of curiosity and engagement. For example, yesterday at the Roman Forum we learned of the Vestal Virgins: the chosen priestesses of Ancient Rome who were recruited from the age of 12 to tend the sacred fire. These women were forced to take a vow of chastity which, if broken, would be punished with death by starvation, as spilling or burning a Vestal Virgin’s blood was strictly forbidden. Because of the relevance of this story to women’s sexual health and rights, many lively conversations ensued among our students, even including plans for a movie plot incorporating an exploration of cultural and social implications of this practice. Look for it someday in a theater near you ;)
Our days are also sprinkled with light and joyful tidbits of information. Today while exploring the Palazzo Farnese in Caprarola, we learned that tomatoes were not grown in Italy until after the Europeans brought them back from the Americas – hard to believe when we rarely go a single meal in Italy without finding one on our plates! Travels to the Americas also brought chocolate to Europe, where it became such a popular drink that wine started going out of fashion. In response, wine producers started selling it in bottles for the first time, to ease its accessibility and boost sales. Bottled wine, chocolate, and tomatoes all made an appearance in our lovely farmhouse dinner. Nutella pizza was a sweet ending to an adventurous and engaging day. Tomorrow we are off to tour the Gardens of Bomarzo and the Tarot Garden….keep following along and stay tuned for some amazing photos! Here are a few from today:
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The Pope's altar at St. Peter's Basilica, photo credit to Hannah C.!
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Overlooking the town of Caprarola.
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This post was written by Sydney Rivera, a Master of Public Health 4+1 student from Indianapolis, Indiana. Her research interests include contraception, pregnancy, and patient-provider relationships, as she intends to go to medical school to become an OB-GYN.
I love Italy and find this study trip and subject matter most interesting. Looking forward to following along.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing through your well written article. Beautiful description of Mary and her Son depicted in stone. I too often, forget to consider the despair of this young mother. So wonderful that God chose someone to remind us through beautiful artwork. Since that was not the end of the story, I wonder if you might share if there is ancient art/sculpture that depicts the resurrection (death conquered) as well?
ReplyDeletePromise yourself you will keep writing. Perhaps a book someday?