March 1st, Thursday, we went on a walking tour led by Fr. Greg, the Paulist priest assigned at St. Patrick's the American church in Rome.  He took us to some beautiful, lesser-known churches (at least to us Americans) and by the end of it, Clare whispers to me, "Mom, there are no ugly churches in Rome!"

First stop, (540-601)Pope Gregory the Great's church.  He lived here for 15 years as a monk and superior before being elected pope in 590.  St. Augustine of Canterbury and his Benedictines were sent by Pope Gregory to evangelize England in 597 A.D.

Front of the church.

The sanctuary.

St. Gregory's chair.  We all sat in it!

Paul sitting in St. Gregory's chair.

Off to the side of the sanctuary, was a small room called a "cell" that St. Gregory occupied at times.  For lodging or private prayer, I'm not sure which.

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Next stop, was BELOW the church of Saints John and Paul.  Not the two you are thinking.....I will introduce them in a moment.  Excavated below the church, are some Roman houses that we could walk through.  There are about 20 rooms, some decorated with paintings dating from the third to the 12th century.  This is traditionally believed to be the site inhabited by John and Paul, two officers at the court of Emperor Constantine (before he legalized Christianity) in the fourth century, who both died Christian martyrs and were buried at their home.

Entrance to the Roman houses.

Fresco of Christ.

Fresco painting.

Excavated part of the home.

The excavation is pretty deep.

This fresco was moved into a museum-type room.