The Vatican City is an ecclesiastical or sacerdotal-monarchical state (a type of theocracy) ruled by the pope who is, religiously speaking, the bishop of Rome and head of the Catholic Church. The highest state functionaries are all Catholic clergy of various national origins. Since the return of the popes from Avignon in 1377, they have generally resided at the Apostolic Palace within what is now Vatican City, although at times residing instead in the Quirinal Palace in Rome or elsewhere.
Rome's fortunes have risen and fallen over the centuries.
With the increasing power of the church came the decline of the city itself, which became
a battleground for powerful noble Roman families.
As in other large Italian towns, the city of Rome strengthened its administrative position
during the 12th century, soon to be annihilated once again by the power of the popes and their
domination over the area of central Italy known as the Papal States.
Today, Rome is the seat of the Italian government, as well as that of Roman Catholicism in the
Vatican.
It also remains one of the world's most important cultural and artistic centers, attracting
people from all over the world who come to see its majestic ancient ruins, along with
its incredible works of art and architecture from the Renaissance and Baroque eras.
Best known for the Bocca della Verità and its porch, Santa Maria in Cosmedine is one
of the most interesting churches in Rome, with important medieval art, an unusual crypt,
and an atmosphere of antiquity.
Dating from the 6th century, this multi-layered complex was later transformed and expanded
into a larger church, most of which still stands today, when Greek refugees fleeing
the iconoclastic conflicts in the east settled in Rome.
The large marble mask in the church's porch, called the Bocca della Verità, or the Mouth
of Truth, is an ancient Roman artifact that was originally either a drain cover or part
of a fountain.
Its name and popularity derive from a medieval legend that if a liar placed his hand in its
mouth it would be bitten off.
Today visitors line up in the porch for their turn to be photographed with their hand inside.
The old Lateran palace was demolished by Pope Sixtus V, but the apse of the papal dining
hall, the Triclinium Leoninum, has been preserved on the outside of the remains of the building.
Dedicated to John the Baptist and John the Evangelist, the Basilica of St. John Lateran
is the first among Rome's four major basilicas.
St. John Lateran contains artistic treasures from every historic period, a tribute to the
important role the basilica has played in the history of Rome and the Roman Catholic
Church.
The two-storied portico that makes up the façade of the basilica dates from the 18th
century, as do the large statues of Christ and the saints which crown the façade.
The basilica's late Baroque façade was designed by Alessandro Galilei.
Its colossal entrance doorway is framed by enormous paired Corinthian pilasters, uniting
the façade in the manner introduced by Michelangelo on the Campidoglio.
The Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls is one of Rome's four major basilicas.
Originally founded by the Emperor Constantine in the beginning of the 4th century, the Basilica
of St. Paul is the burial place of St. Paul the Apostle.
The church is located outside the Aurelian Wall, hence its name.
It features a fascinating array of historical, religious, and artistic sites to explore.
Since its earliest construction, the Basilica has had a tumultuous history, having first
succumbed to Saracen invaders and later to fire.
The colossal statue of St. Paul that stands right at the center of the atrium was the
work of the sculptor Giuseppe Albici.
The Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls is one of the seven pilgrim churches.
The Basilica of St. Mary Major is another one of the four Patriarchal Basilicas of Rome,
as well as one of the seven pilgrim churches.
A Patriarchal Basilica is a church in which the high altar is reserved only for the use
of the Pope or his representative.
Set atop the Esquiline Hill, the Basilica of St. Mary Major is considered one of the
most beautiful churches in Rome, even though much of the exterior was altered by renovations
in the 18th century.
While some of the impact of this commanding location has been diminished by the growth
of the modern city, the Basilica still emanates quite a presence.
St. Mary Major stands on the site of an ancient temple to the goddess Sibylle.
According to 13th century legend, the first church was built here by Pope Liberius on
the site of an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
