Story & Photos LY THANH CO

A Christmas visit to Vatican City is a journey into a realm of spiritual, cultural and architectural magnificence.

Majestic details on the ceiling of Vatican Museums

Sacred emotions

Vatican City, a tiny city-state nestled within Rome, contains a multitude of values that astonish and impress any visitor. I am not a Roman Catholic, but a lover of architectural beauty and the grandeur of historical structures. And when I stepped into the Vatican’s sacred space of St. Peter’s Basilica the first thing I felt was an overwhelming sense of awe.

Catholic tradition holds that the Basilica is the burial site of Saint Peter, foremost among the Apostles of Jesus and the first Bishop of Rome. Saint Peter’s tomb is believed to be directly beneath the high altar of the Basilica. The architecture, primarily designed by greats like Donato Bramante, Michelangelo, Carlo Maderno and Gian Lorenzo Bernini, features a grand Renaissance style. Although it is neither the “mother church” of the Catholic faith nor the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome, St. Peter’s Basilica still holds a unique position in the Christian world.

Vatican Museums has eternal aesthetic architecture

Here, the Pope presides over several ceremonies throughout the year, attracting tens of thousands of participants. I was fortunate enough to attend a bishop’s service on a Sunday afternoon during my visit. For an hour, the space was filled with hymns and Latin sermons, stirring within me feelings of reverence. During the Pope’s ceremonies, this sanctity is expressed even more profoundly. I realized that the grandeur of St. Peter’s Basilica is a harmonious fusion of intricate, elaborate architectural beauty, and the religious spirit as manifested by the devotees expressing their belief in God.

The museum of eternity

I visited the Vatican Museums on a drizzly afternoon. A dense crowd lined up, extending over 200 meters along the stone wall encircling the back of Vatican City. To preserve the sanctity of the space, only a certain number of people are allowed in at a time. I stood for 20 minutes in the biting cold, eager to witness the beauty of the museums (even though at times my excitement waned). But patience proved worthwhile, akin to a pilgrimage, as I passed the security check and entered the first exhibition hall.

Panorama outside of the museum

Inside, the Vatican Museums indeed preserve eternal masterpieces. One moves through numerous collections, each more spectacular than the last. Here, classical sculptures that have marked artistic milestones for humanity, such as Pio-Clementino; the Pinacoteca, housing countless Medieval and Renaissance paintings of the Vatican; Raphael’s Rooms and the iconic Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo. Entering these spaces is like stepping into the eternity of Catholic art, where time stands still, leaving only the purest emotions of the celestial realm. I was utterly immersed in this ambiance, and when I eventually bid farewell to the Museums, I carried its wonderful spirit with me. The Vatican is particularly special in the final days of the year. As Christmas approaches, its beauty is further highlighted, and the allure of its architecture, culture, religion and history becomes even more captivating. Standing in the sacred space of this holy land, I felt as if I was filled with the light of all things noble and the enduring aesthetic values that remain timeless.