Mosaics and Chocolate

1) This is a picture of the famous mosaic starred ceiling in the mausoleum right next to San Vitale. This mosaic you see at the edge of the ceiling is one of the first Christian illustrations of Christ as an actual Shepard. This image becomes very prominent in early Christian art after the birth of this mosaic.

2) This is a picture taken from the entry way of San Vitale. The back wall of the altar is what you see through the large arch in the foreground. If I recall correctly, the Christ figure seated in the center of the apex is 24 feet tall!

Prior to coming to Italy, I would not have flinched about having to wake up at 5 in the morning. I used to wake up nearly that early for Mass on a typical Sunday, woke up that early every day for half a year while I completed my student teaching, and, for a time, endeavored to wake up that early to get an extra workout in at the gym. My time in Italy, which has only been about 14 days, seems to be rubbing off on me, however. When my alarm screamed its wake up call on Saturday, I vaguely thought about the fact that the shops around the city would all be dark for at least four more hours.

In fact, it was so early here in Italy that I was able to make a quick good morning phone call to my mom back in Colorado. Actually, I ended the call with sweet dreams since she was just heading to bed. A minor technicality.

Why was I up so early, you might ask? Well, Saturday was the SACI field trip to Ravenna. I was excited about this trip for multiple reasons. First, and foremost, Ravenna is the site of several historic mausoleums and churches constructed during the reign of Byzantine Empire. The city, therefore, features gobs of beautiful mosaics from early Christianity, and, more-or-less, marks the birth of important symbology in Christian art. I totally geek out about art like this. Besides, what art lover wouldn’t just kill to see San Vitale, a church noted in EVERY art history survey book.

Secondly, while cities are wonderful and exciting, I grew up in the suburbs. This may not mean that I roughed it in the wilderness all my life, but it does mean that I am used to seeing trees and growing things. Florence is concrete, marble, alabaster, and rails. I have found myself longing for greenery the way a fish longs for water. Granted there are city parks 20 minutes from my apartment, but there is something about waking up to the sound of street cleaning machines that makes you miss the birds and cicadas from Aurora, Colorado. Therefore, I was stoked because traveling to Ravenna meant leaving the CITY of Florence.

The trip was certainly everything I hoped it would be! I got my fill of old churches, a wealth of information from the SACI art history teacher about the nuances of every building, and a fair taste of fresh air and grass. The pictures featured above are some of my favorite from the trip. I wish they did justice to the manner in which the mosaics sparkled. The gilding was unlike anything I have ever encountered, particularly because many of the churches we went to had recently undergone architectural restoration. Hooray for having baths! Even buildings benefit from good personal hygiene.

It was 8 o’clock that night when Megan and I staggered into the apartment. As I crossed the threshold of the apartment, thankful to be done with the day’s journey, a queer feeling struck me: I felt a dull pain at the top of my head. The ache magnified in intensity over the next few minutes, and I soon retired to my bedroom to lie down. Seeing as how I felt indisposed to do anything but press my hands to my forehead in the dark of the bedroom, I was happy to hear to soothing tunes of a very talented instrumental trio playing on the street below my window.

Where could I have gotten such a headache? I would like to end this entry with the following words of wisdom that will not only enlighten you, but will bring to a close the mystery of my severe headache: (cough, cough) if you are allergic to chocolate, I would NOT suggest purchasing a bar of dark Italian chocolate a lunch time and proceeding to consume the entire bar in the course of four hours. The wrapper may not so explicitly advise, but heed these words as advice from someone who KNOWS.

Happy chocolate consuming!