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Scala Santa |
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written
by Sadie Dobrozsi / 07.12.2004 |
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Church |
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The Santa Maria della Scala is my favorite.
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Reason for Selection |
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This is the only place that has truly felt religious to me when we have visited. Other than at those steps, I have not seen anyone in a place of worship engaged in serious prayer. The decoration there is not overly ornate, nor does there seem to be the superfluous spending on everything possible that was at most churches in Rome.
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Description |
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I was overwhelmed by the feeling of holiness. The devout who spend their time on the steps shock tourists into being respectful of the location, a stark contrast to the usual museum-like nature of churches in Rome. The natural lighting illuminates the stairs and the people praying on them while the rest of the space is in shadow, giving an eerie sensation that they are being looked down upon by some higher power.
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Memorable Visit |
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When we visited this site as a class I had an interesting conversation with Shawn and several other students regarding the nature of prayer being said on the steps. Praying on these steps serves an entirely different purpose than praying on the steps to the Campidoglio, the Scala Santa for absolution and the Campidoglio for petition. I found the comments on the length of the two staircases to be interesting - stairs for absolution of sin are significantly shorter and less painful than those for petition. In retrospect, that distinction makes sense as one should make significant effort when asking for a favor from God.
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Image |
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| Scala Santa |
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I will carry away the image of the Scala Santa as the only honest place of Christian worship that I saw in Rome. This picture shows a woman nearing the top of the staircase, her religious purpose uninterrupted by tourists or unneccesary exploitations of wealth.
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