Jason is standing right in the front door of St. Peter's Basilica. As you would imagine, it is gorgeous. On the right side of picture, is a mini wall. See it? Well, that wall marks off a section of the floor where there are stones laid to distinguish St. Peter's Basilica from all the other major cathedrals and churches in the world.
Indeed, the stones aren't really necessary, because from your first entrance to the Basilica, it is so so so easy to see that it is the largest in the world.
This is a Michelangelo statue of the Virgin Mary holding Jesus. Its called the Pieta. It shows Mary holding the body of Jesus after the crucifixion. An interesting story about the Pieta, is that currently it sits behind bullet proof glass. This wasn't always the case. It used to sit in the middle of the Basilica until 1972 when a disturbed geologist took attacked it with a hammer whilst shouting "I am Jesus Christ".
Here I am touching the "Holy Door" that the Pope opens only in Jubilee years with an elaborate ceremony and a bronze hammer! Where I am touching is a spot worn in the brass, and Jason I have been sitting here for 15 minutes trying to figure out why. We can't remember, other than it was very holy to do so.
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