Plus that may just be a personal thing, I tend to gravitate towards smaller, quiet churches to feel closer to God, for some reason – I don’t know why. Maybe because it’s the opposite of charismatic faith churches that I originally grew up in, which were super loud! lol But I’d still visit the grand cathedrals because of the artistry, they’re magnificent!

Most of the other pictures are taken in chapels off to the side. They are all individual rooms and decicated to different saints and there is the area that holds relics from the crib of Jesus. The fourth picture (at the bottom) shows the stairs down to this space.

This was a favourite, it has a special spiritual feel to it, especially the chapel with the Marion icon. I didn’t take any photos as a service was due to start, I just sat for a while and enjoyed the special place.

The worst thing about this church was tourists posing for photographs next to holy relics and tombs. It made me cringe.

I like some of the smaller gems you’ve shown, whether they let the architecture speak for itself as a work of art (especially the ceilings) and a few focal-point pieces, but packing them with so much gilded stuff almost detracts, it’s almost too busy, makes it hard to know what to look at?

Forgive me if this was a favorite. It’s still better than anything we could ever dream here in America, but I guess with so many in Rome, you can get spoiled and choosy lol