“My brush, above me all the time, dribbles paint so my face makes a fine floor for droppings!”
Michelangelo
It has for a long time on my bucket list to visit the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City Italy.
I went to Rome about three years ago and had booked a tour of the Sistine Chapel but it was closed on that day for the previous Pope’s funeral.
“Vatican City (specifically St. Peter’s Basilica) was closed to the public on the evening of January 4, 2023, following the three-day lying in state of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, which ended on January 5, 2023. The closure was to prepare his coffin for burial, which included placing the rogito (account of his life), coins, and palliums inside before it was sealed.”
“Key Details Regarding the Funeral (Before Pope Francis)
When: Benedict XVI died on December 31, 2022. He lay in state from January 2–4, 2023, with the funeral mass held on January 5, 2023.
The following text is about Michelangelo painting the Sistine Chapel ceiling:
Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel ceiling (1508–1512) and The Last Judgment (1535–1541) in the Vatican for Popes Julius II and Paul III. Despite considering himself a sculptor, he reluctantly created these masterpiece frescoes, depicting scenes from Genesis—including the iconic Creation of Adam—and the Apocalypse, enduring immense physical strain.
Key Details of Michelangelo’s Work
The Ceiling (1508–1512): Commissioned by Pope Julius II to paint the twelve apostles, Michelangelo instead created over 300 figures covering 5,300 square feet with scenes from the Book of Genesis, including the Creation of Adam, The Separation of Light from Darkness, and the Fall of Man.”
Sistine Chapel: Ceiling – Michelangelo 1 of 2 | 3D virtual tour & documentary
Even though I didn’t see the Sistine Chapel and Vatican City I did have a great time in Rome. My hotel had a great continental breakfast and I had great food including pasta, pizza and gelato. At cheap restaurants for lunch and dinner.
I drank Heineken non-alcoholic beer in the evenings while drawing on a4 mote Marte watercolour paper with a black Artline 200 pen that I got bound into a book when I got home.
I also visited museums and saw an opera in an old church and visited the Colosseum.
I also visited a Bob Dylan visual art exhibition which was awesome.
However, the most memorable moment was at the Rome airport on the way to Athens that I got a call from my brother that my mum had passed. But I knew it was coming and I saw her at her nursing home before I left for Europe and said my goodbyes. She had heart issues and passed gently in her sleep. However the whole extended family came to see her off about a month before.
In conclusion my trip to Rome, Athens and Vienna was amazing like all my other vacations abroad despite losing mum. When I visited mum in the nursing home and before when we lived together if I complained to her about anything she would throw her arms in the air and say what’s it matter, and then smile at me. Then my burden would be greatly lessened.