This morning I heard about riots in Rome and I immediately became curious about where they had happened. I began searching online and found a very sad picture! The Church of Saints Marcellino and Pietro was vandalized by rioters. They tore down the front door into the church as well as the door into the sacristy causing damage and desecrating religious images. The riots centered mostly around the Colosseum and the square in front of the cathedral of Rome, the Basilica of Saint John Lateran. The Church of Saints Marcellino and Pietro is about halfway between these two Roman landmarks.
The Square of Saint John Lateran is a common gathering area for protests and rallies. Reading about this riot reminded me of a time I was praying peacefully at the Basilica of Saint John Lateran and suddenly a group of approximately thirty people came into the church running and chanting. They opened up banners inside the Church and continued making lots of noise. They were protesting some government measure.
I had gone to the basilica for a television interview which was going to take place inside the church, so we had to wait outside for three hours until they peacefully removed the protesters and they let us enter the church. The basilica remained closed for the rest of the day. You never know what you will run into living in a big city!
If you’re curious about the interview, it’s part of the video The Catholic Priest Today by the Midwest Theological Forum.
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