Pope Francis taking the Scavi tour below St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican.
by Jason Collins
In my last blog post, I mentioned the scavi tour. Here, I’ll list five reasons that should make a pilgrim want to take the scavi tour underneath St. Peter's Basilica.
1. At the beginning of the tour, you get to visit the Clementine Chapel, which is directly underneath the main altar of the basilica. It is one of only two parts of the original St. Peter’s to survive. It is a beatifically gilded tiny chapel that is rarely opened to pilgrims
2. Only around 250 people per day get to go underneath St. Peter’s. Think of that number compared to those that get to see the Sistine Chapel. You also get to go through tinted glass with the Papal Emblem on it, it’s almost like something out of a movie!
3. You get to visit an ancient necropolis, or city of the dead. Romans would not allow the dead to be buried within the boundary of the city, so on all major roads leading away from Rome were monuments or mausoleums of the rich and famous. Christians could not always afford these and thus many were buried underground in the catacombs. Just think while walking the catacomb "streets" that 1700 years ago you would be looking up at the blue sky, not bricks!
4. The guides are amazing! The majority of the guides are seminarians (a fact that I had to remind my mother on our first trip when she kept calling him “Father”!). They are full of fun facts of the necropolis, can translate some of the Latin written on the various tombs, and have a great memory to not get lost down there!
5. And, of course, you get to venerate the mortal remains of one of Jesus’ closest friends and followers - St. Peter. The second opportunity that I had to take the scavi, I was able to remember my spot from the first time that allowed me to view and mediate on the remains of the saint. When the guide asked at the end of the tour if I wanted to venerate the relics because everyone else in our group had done so; I was able to inform him of my spot. He did a double take and said something to the effect of good memory!
Bonus- the Italian word scavi means excavations. This is also not the only scavi tour the Vatican offers. There is also a scavi underneath St. John Lateran that is not as well-known and can be a bit pricey unless you have a decent sized group. To open the archeological area for up to 25 people cost €150 plus €160 for a Vatican guide (if you so choose).
