By Giulio D'Ercole - www.romephotofuntours.com
Living in Rome means living side by side with religion, or at least with the most apparent side of it: Churches, art and sculptures, priests and nuns, and, of course the Pope and the Sunday masses in Saint Peter's Square. They all remind us of the presence of the Vatican City in the very heart of the eternal city. After all Rome has been the capital not only of the Empire but, after its fall, also of the Pontifical State... and for many, many centuries.
So, going for a walk downtown Rome, means to come across and to be almost overwhelmed by Christian symbols and Christian art. Walking in via della Conciliazione and in other small streets of Borgo Pio, the neighborhood in between the Vatican City, Prati and the Tiber, it's also possible to enter in bookstores totally dedicated to the religious literature and to enter shops where simple priests and nuns, but also cardinals and bishops buy their church clothes.
I took this photo while I was in St. Peter's Square, waiting for the event of the canonization of Pope Paul VI and Monsignor Oscar Arnulfo Romero, who will become saints. This is a shot I truly care about: the image of two hands that, coming out of darkness, hold tight the symbol of life, death, God and Hope. Basically the most important elements around which our existence revolve.
