More than 300,000 tourists are expected to flood the streets of Rome during Holy Week. Many of them will be pilgrims in search of a special spiritual experience. They will participate in ceremonies led by the pope and visit places like this – Santa Croce in Gerusalemme.
The site houses reported relics from the Passion of Christ: two thorns from the crown, fragments of the cross, a spike and the tablet inscribed with the reason for his death.
Instead of “relics,” the Church prefers to call them “devotional objects.” The majority of them are not authentic, but they give one an idea of the Passion and death of Christ.
“Whenever I come to Rome I always come to Santa Croce in Gerusalemme. It's got this particular feeling about it. There is tranquility, there is peace.”
“What most people don't know is that, while prayer is the most powerful tool, relics help one get closer to the grace he or she wants to reach.”
Legend states that Saint Helen, mother of Emperor Constantine, traveled to Jerusalem to bring the relics to the capital of the empire.
Now, they attract hundreds of pilgrims, for whom contemplating the objects' significance reminds them of a special message.
“They give me a sense of tranquility, and peace and hope. If Christ suffered for me and for the world, why shouldn't I also bear some sufferings too.”
One certainty is that hundreds of people pass through this basilica each day, but go unnoticed due to the Eternal City's immensity. Maybe it's for the best, as it allows visitors to reflect more deeply upon the relics.
