The Vatican on Republican Day

June 2 is the day that Italy declared itself a republic. So, all the police and milatary jumped into their fancy uniforms and paraded around Rome.

I was really impressed by how neat and unique each branch of the military's and law enforcement's uniforms were.

way more snazzy then the british (red coats) in my opinion:



These guys had really big guns earlier in the day. I guess the afternoon mellowed them out and they exchanged their guns for flags on long poles.

On to the Vatican:

The Vatican museum is a way to show off the church's loot. So you can imagine how many roman lawn ornaments they had lying around.



I look at this picture and I think star wars. I don't know why, but I do:



Michaelangelo only painted the chapel. Raphael painted a whole series of rooms, but no one ever says they want to go to the vatican to see his stuff. Poor guy.



Swiss Guard. They look like pansies, dont they? These were the colored guard, but the swiss guard in the museum didn't take to me kindly when they found my pocket knife in my back pack. Unlike the TSA, they held on to it for me until my visit was complete.




Finally...St. Peter's Bassilica. I had the opportunity to tour the church during a mass. The music and chanting echoed around the church. The experience was amazing, but I couldn't help but be a little bothered to see tourist talking loudly and sitting on the kneeler's in the chapel.



I unfortunately did not get any pics of Pope John Paul's tomb, but I did visit. I was deeply humbled.