A Tale of Two Michelangelos

Oh the riches of Rome!!!  Yesterday, after Pat came back from the Center, we went to our old haunt, the Pantheon Piazza! Beyond there (in 2 different directions, ma certo!!) are two churches of interest to us and we visited both of them.
      The first one is called S. Maria Sobbra Minerva. This is a church dedicated to Mary that was built over (sobbra) a temple to Minerva. Here are housed many wonders (besides the obvious presence of the Blessed Trinity!) and among them is a statue of the Risen Christ sculpted by Michelangelo Buonoratti! He stand out majestically from any other sculpture in the place - His polished and sinewey limbs are muscularly defined, looking every bit Resurrected and His face is a wonder!!!! Christ holds a cross and a rope and a staff. It is the closest I've ever come to the work of "the master" and I could actually TOUCH it!!! I am fainting!!
      The next church is called S. Luigi de Francesi (it's the French national church here in Rome) and it is the home of 3 incredible works by Michelangelo de Carravaggio! They are in the chapel of S. Matthew and depict scenes from his life (as Carravaggio sees them) - the call, the inspiration for the gospel and the martyrdom. They virtually jump off the walls in their realism and his use of chiaroscuro! We had watched a video including these works and the representations pale in comparison to the real works!! I am blown away......so.....gelato for sustenance!!!  :-)
     We took the bus back and got off near an Irish pub (on via Nazionale!!) where we decided to have dinner. There we met 2 English couples who were pub keepers in central England. The cockney accents threw us almost as much as the ITalian, but we managed to understand each other for a good hour and a half!
     Just below - Michelangelo's Risen Christ - and then there is the "modesty" bronze adornment!!
    In my excitement over the Michelangelo, I nearly forgot to mention that Fra Angelico's tomb is in the same church, as is (3rd photo) the body of S. Catherine of Sienna. They only have the body......her head is in ......Sienna!!! For propriety's sake they sculpted a head on this one!
      Next we have the inspiration of S. Matthew - this photo does the work NO justice but, as you might imagine, we are kept afar from the paintings.
     The last picture is of a candlestick that I WANT.......but it was too big to fit in my purse -lol!
ciao and love to all!

     This Friday.....Orvieto.....or friend Rob will drive and we will visit this beautifully historic town!