Vatican: The School of Athens

Next time you visit the Vatican don't forget to visit the apartments of Julius II, which were highly decorated by Raphael, another big artist of the Renaissance period. He had the freedom to redecorate the "Stanze Vaticane" at his own pleasure, destroying the previous frescoes done by other artists. 

The most famous of all the works is the School of Athens, where Raphael represented the most famous thinkers, philosophers, astronomers of the time.... with Plato and Aristotle at the centre of the entire philosophical debate.

School of Athens by Raphael,
Stanza della Segnatura, Palazzi Pontifici, Vatican

Plato and Aristotle (particular)
 Stanza della Segnatura, Palazzi Pontifici, Vatican

Plato is  represented with a white beard (maybe Leonardo da Vinci???) and with his hand pointing towards the sky, the heavens, holding his Timaeus, and his strong belief in The Forms. Aristotle, instead, is represented with the palm of his hand turned down: he believed the apprehend-ship of the knowledge was through empirical observation and experience, therefore he holds a copy of his Nicomachean Ethics in his hand. 

Around Rome: the Vatican and the Roman Coliseum

In October for the Beatification of Mary MacKillop, the first Australian Saint, many Australians have come to Rome. As part of they journey I have visited with them some of the most important Roma sites, such as the Vatican: Saint Peter's and the Sistine Chapel in the morning....

Here they are preparing the Square for Sunday 17th October....there will be many people on that day in Saint Peter's Square!!!!