The Amalfi Coast and the Tomb of St. Andrews | EWTN Travel

A beautiful and mysterious connection exists between faith and travel. It's common to fall into the trap of treating relationship with God as something strictly ethereal. But in reality, it's so much more, and we can find Him in a world of adventure, ready to be explored. In a series of travel videos on EWTN Vaticano, we're bringing you to the sites of beauty and faith that are connected to the life of Jesus, the saints, Christians today, and His Church. And now we take you to the Amalfi Coast, a popular destination that happens to be overlooked as a place of pilgrimage. Amalfi and Rome have a strong link. Before receiving the keys to the kingdom, Peter was called Simon, and his brother Andrew was already among the apostles before he joined. Both Catholics and Orthodox bestow upon St. Andrew the title, First Called, because he was the first among the twelve, called by Jesus. Much like visiting St. Peter's tomb at the Vatican, one can also discover the remains of his brother, St. Andrew, in Amalfi. So we were talking to this fisherman on the docks, and he told us that this piazza is brand new. As our team travels the Amalfi Coast to reveal Catholic pilgrimage sites, we join EWTN Vatican's Anthony Johnson to discover the place. Hello everyone, and welcome to this travel video as we make our way to the town of Amalfi. Unfortunately, it's not a sunny day, but that won't stop us from capturing the atmosphere of this beautiful and calming place. Amalfi from the 9th century was for a long time a major commercial and naval military power, all this after its humble origins as a Roman town. Look at where we are, pretty cool huh? The cathedral was constructed in the 11th century. Then in 1206, following the sack of Constantinople, crusaders took the relics of St. Andrew to Amalfi for their safekeeping and protection. I am right here in the piazza in front of the Duomo di Amalfi, I have to say Amalfi First time I came to this coastline, a beautiful coastline, one of the most picturesque places in the entire world, I had no idea that the relics of St. Andrew were actually even here. Whenever I'm going any place in the world, I want to pair the fun, exciting experiences with a deep spiritual one. So it's not only something that is good for your spirit but it's also something that deepens your soul and gives you a better sense of yourself and meaning in life. Behind the main altar is a painting that shows St. Andrew's martyrdom as he suffers on an X-shaped cross in the town of Patras, modern day Greece in the year 60 AD. In the crypt, frescoes adorn the space, document the saint's life, and tell the story of the relic's arrival to the cathedral. At the center of the chapel is a bronze statue of St. Andrew. His remains are just beneath it inside the altar. The chapel is open all year for tourists and mass attendees. I just went to 8am mass, we got here at 7.45, perfect timing. If you go to mass at any major historical site in the world, you get in for free as opposed to paying 3 maybe 5 euros. Another fun thing to do afterwards, I'm right outside this cafe right here in the piazza. These guys have been here for 150 years, this establishment, this family. So they know this city better than anyone and their coffee, we'll take a look at it, it is an art form. Looking at the arrangement of various dolci and the care taken with every coffee, one cannot help but reflect on the artistry in the town's culture. Just outside this cafe is a baroque fountain dedicated to St. Andrew, a reminder to locals and tourists of the saint's presence among them. Amalfi is a pleasant mix of faith, charm, and natural beauty only to be enriched by the presence of the First Called of the Twelve Apostles. In our next travel video, we head through the mountains that separate Amalfi from Naples and down to a Marian shrine in Pompeii with a special connection to the Vatican and Blessed Bartolomeo.