We will be visiting some of the most important basilicas in Rome, learning about the roots of Christianity along the way. We begin at San Giovanni in Laterano, a cathedral that has been dubbed the “Mother of all Churches in the World.” Consecrated in AD 324, it was the first Christian basilica built in Rome and, until the late 14th century, was the pope’s main place of worship.

We continue to Santa Maria Maggiore, proclaimed as one of the most beautiful churches in Rome, second only to St. Peter’s Basilica. Unique to this church is the golden, coffered ceiling, built with the first of the gold Columbus brought back from the Americas.

Explore San Pietro in Vincoli, home to Michelangelo’s magnificent statue of Moses, continuing to Santa Pressede, a 9th-century basilica which houses the remains of Saint Praxedes, a martyr killed for arranging Christian burials, a punishable offense in Roman times.

Our adventures finish with a visit to the Catacombs of San Sebastiano and learn about the traditions of ancient Rome burial in this amazing underground site.